How we respond to words...

Hello Everyone,
I know it has been a long time since I have last blogged and I am sorry. But life gets crazy busy with school and studying. I would like to Thank Daniel for pushing me to write on this wonderful Spring Break! You are a great friend, and I appreciate you helping me to better myself! =)
God keeps bringing me back to the importance of words and how we respond to them. Today I was reading my devotions and I ran across Colossians 4:6 which says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Blue Letter Bible defines this word grace used in Colossians 4:6 as the Hebrew word Charis which means, “good will, loving-kindness, favor of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.” So when people respond to us cruelly, nasty, or rude we should return their remarks with joy and love and forgiveness. Because it is by the grace of God we have been saved (Eph. 2:8), and it is grace which we should extend to others. Whether they deserve it or not. Colossians not only says to let our conversations be full of grace, but also seasoned with salt.
What exactly does it mean to be “seasoned with salt?” I mean are we supposed to literally rub salt on ourselves until we are seasoned? Although that would be strange and kind of fun, no! According to the Blue Letter Bible the words “with salt” in Colossians 4:6 represent the Hebrew word Halas. The biblical interpretation for this word is: “a symbol of lasting concord, because it protects food from putrefaction and preserves it unchanged. Wisdom and grace exhibited in speech.” Once again we see the word grace, but this time it is also accompanied by wisdom. So we need to make sure that what we say in return, not only is loving and forgiving, but is also said with wisdom. Proverbs 8:4-8 says, “’To you, O men, I call out; I (wisdom) raise my voice to all mankind. 5You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. 6Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.” So we are to speak what is true and just also.
I believe that if we as a people learn to master our words…we can change not only lives but nations. Did you know that it took one man’s thoughts to change the way many people look at science? Did you also know that it took one man with a dream to change a country? Did you know it takes only a smile to change someone’s outlook on a day? I encourage everyone who reads this…let us not get so focused on being right, or getting back at someone lest we forget that God has forgiven us for everything we have ever done and that he tells us to forgive every time. Matthew 18:21-22 says, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
My prayer for all my bloggers is that God will use you in mighty ways and as you seek to honor God in all you do and SAY...that he will bless you abundantly more than you can ever ask hope or think!
Your Friend in Christ,

Courtney David

Life is Good

Hello All,
I have officially been away from home for 23 days! WOW! =) I have been enjoying the company of my sister and her husband, and my 9 cousins from TX for this past little while. <3 My dear cousin Cassandra, 19, and I have both found out that we are very unhealthy for each other seeing we are both blondes. Life never gets dull when we are together! lol ^_^ Seeing that it has been a while since I have written a blog I thought it would be cool to share a story from down in the warmth/cold (depending on how the weathers mood), letting you have a sneak peak into my crazy, wonderful adventures with Cassie. <3 It starts at de famous, "WALMART". Cassandra, Whitney, A. Cindy and I had just finished getting groceries and my A. Cindy wanted to get her hair cut so me and Cassie decided to take the groceries out to Whit's car. After putting them all away, we sat inside the vehicle to get out of the wind. After chatting for a while, I got out of the car and sat in the driver's seat. Cassie, being the cute person she is asks, "What are you doing?" I responded that we were going to hijack Whitney's stick shift car and go for a spin. =) muahahahaha. Cassandra then asked, "Do you know how to drive a stick shift?" I responded, "Of course I do." Cassandra, "How long has it been since you have driven one?" Me, "A month....or two...or three..." So I started the car, and stuck it in reverse. (Take note I CAN drive stick-shift, I just have problems with first gear or reverse ^_^) Anywho, I got the car moving...but just about only half way out of the parking-space. When the car stalled. *Whew!* Good thing...cause I decided that MAYBE...just maybe...I couldnt do this. Sooo...our joy ride came to an end and I started the car and stuck it in first gear...AND!!!! two inches later, it stalled. *Darn* Lets try again, I thought, car on, first gear,AND!!!!! two inches forward...STALL! POO! Lets just say it took a few trys to get it back to its original space. ^_^ During this whole terrible experience, Cassandra sat/lay in the back seat trying not to be seen by all the people walking by, laughing her head off! I thought, "How rude" lol...jk! Anyway our joy ride had officially come to an end and so we went back inside to Whit and A. Cindy, promising not to tell what had happened. UNFORTUNATELY, Whitney smelled suspicion as we came in laughing and handed her the keys....so she asked if we had gone for a joy ride. We both replied, "I guess you could call it that." ~THE END

Life is good. Lesson for today…don’t forget to smile and don’t ever be ashamed of the unique personality God has blessed you with…no matter how corny <3