Watch your mouth...

Nathan and I do a devotion every morning from "The Love Dare"  devotional book.  This mornings was talking about treating your spouse as you would treat other people.  I dont have it with me to tell you word for word, but it was along the lines of how is your attitude toward a stranger?  You usually go out of your way to be nice to them, or someone you dont know very well, or someone you are trying to impress.  But we should treat our spouses exactly the same, unfortunatly they usually get the leftovers of us when we get home from working with people we have to put on a fake smile to!  I think this can be applied to not only spouses, but EVERYONE in your life.  Sometimes we get so comfortable with the people close to us, the low blows that come out of our mouths are not obsorbed as much as you think.  In fact it hurts worse coming from someone you love. 

Today, try and be respectful, thoughtful, and more caring to those around you.  Act as if you dont KNOW them, treat them as nicely as you would someone you didnt know as well.  So they are rude and crude as well?  Ignore it, you will feel better in the long run...

It hurts so badly when people close to you treat you like they dont really care.  They say words and actions around and to you that they wouldnt say to normal people, but they have a RIGHT to say it to you... WHATEVER!  Be nice, be respectful, think before you speak... lift someone up today instead of tearing them down!  Im not saying LIE, but always answer with a positive note.  They will thank you and you will thank yourself because you will be happier in the long run.  Maybe the person your too comfortable with is your mom, dad, brother, sister, children, husband, best friend, coworker...whoever it is... try and make every experience a positive one.  You never know when it will be your last time talking to that person. 

And another thing... ENCOURAGE one another... dont wait for them to ask for encouragement.  For example:  If you know someone is trying to loose weight, encrourage them with compliments, ask them how its going... share tips....dont offer them things that are going to throw them off track.  Dont wait for them to be around you and be like... "I've lost some weight!"..."really?  I cant tell, youd have to loose a lot of weight fo rme to tell on you...."  not a good response.... enourage them, tell them that you notice their progress... even if you cant physically see the weight loss... but you notice a  change in their eating habits or you notice they are excersizing more, COMPLIMENT IT!  The weight thing was just a first hand experience... I've had those exact words said to me before!! 

Theres my rant for the day... TRY to enjoy life, and make life enjoyable for others... dont be rude just for the sake of it..  A little compliment never hurt anyone, get your head out of the clouds and start looking around for oportunities for you to bless someone today, not tear them down...