Tone Deaf

Theme for August: Communication

Verse:

 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." Proverbs 21:23

Mom's Musing: It's all in the tone. Words themselves don't carry a lot of weight. The tone attached to them however sends a powerful message. I wonder how many misunderstandings have been caused by tone-related situations. When pressed for time I can go into business-like mode; giving a short, crisp response to an inquiry. The efficiency I hope to gain is slowed down by the need to explain and reaffirm."No, I'm not mad at you. Just in a hurry. I didn't mean to sound angry."

Parenting Tip: Convey your message with a loving tone the first time. This way your words will not only be effective but will end up being efficient, too. (I need to remember this!)

Talkin' Turkey

Theme for August: Communication
Verse:

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25: 11

Mom's Musing:
What comes to mind when you hear the word, turkey? Thanksgiving, a bird, Ben Franklin, bowling, an insult? How odd that one word has the power to present so many divergent thoughts. A couple of weeks ago my husband and I went bowling with a group of family members. I had a crazy streak of skill and got  two strikes in a row. As I clutched the ball for my upcoming turn, my husband called out, "Get a turkey." I had no idea what to make of that comment. As it turns out a turkey in bowling is like a Hat trick in hockey. Three strikes in a row makes a turkey. Unbelievably I did get that turkey! I won with an all time personal best of 136 points. Normally I don't break 100. Unwisely I chose to play a second round, finishing the game with a low of 90. In that second game, I was the turkey!
Parenting Tip: Avoid talkin' turkey. Be clear and direct when giving your children instructions to avoid a misunderstanding.