Pause, Think, then Speak

Hello Fam!

I trust the month of July went by sweetly

As the month rounds up, I will like to share a true life story, not mine but a friend's. I hope it inspires and blesses you.

Here we go...

"When next you have the privilege to be in any car I'm driving, it's either you shut the hell up or simply get out and walk. You certainly cannot be Mrs *** in my car." 

Those exact words were what I received by WhatsApp from my loving husband ❤

To say the fact, this jolted me back to reality.  It got me really thinking. The truth is that I was wrong and I overreacted. Let me narrate the genesis of this. Sit tight please 🙏 

...

Some years ago, while we lived in one of the countries in the Middle East, about seven years thereabout,  I went to visit a family friend in some other part of the country.  Not just once did I witness the wife rudely speak to her hubby  - about the way he drove. 

"Didn't you see that bump?", "Slow down now!"

"Trafficate left " etc. 

I felt very uncomfortable witnessing these scenes honestly and I got back home and narrated the entire episodes to my hubby with my big mouth😂😂😂

Some months after, this marriage came crashing down.  You may want to ask, "just because of these talks?" Well, many other things that I did not witness also happened.  

Be aware that a marriage doesn't just collapse or fall apart in a day - little,  little foxes spoil the vine. 

Back to my story, I was so quick to point out many wrong things I saw and heard and felt like I would do no such thing.  Alas, here I was in the car with my own hubby and I was talking and directing him like I was his 'Driving School Teacher' or 'The Traffic Warder'😞😞😞

On this fateful day,  I had an appointment in a school and my hubby agreed to drop me at a place where I could easily get a cab. To make matters worse,  I was to go along with my 10 months old baby.  We set out to begin and for your information,  there were so many traffic signals on the way. As we were at a particular signal,  the green lights suddenly blinked and the red light warmed up to come on. Hubby stopped abruptly and I reacted suddenly.  I told him "Go now! You could have gone still!" It was evident that I was irritated - so add that to the tone of my voice. 

Just after crossing that signal, he was supposed to drop me where the taxis were parked. Then I started again,  "Drop me here! Park the car now!" God knows I was really irritated.  Unfortunately,  because there were many cars behind him and a long line of cars already parked, hubby couldn't get a space to park safely so we could come out of the car. He had to go further up and then stopped.  "Oh my gosh! Not on a day like this.  I have an appointment for God's sake and here I am with my baby girl also." These were my thoughts and they did well to add to my already irritated feelings. At this point, I did not utter a word. I just bundled myself, my handbag 👜 and my baby's bag 🎒,  hissed and banged the car 🚗 door 🚪.  "Gbaaaaaam!!!" 

Excuse me! Did I just do all of these? I felt really bad immediately but shoved all the feelings aside so I could face the task ahead - getting a cab to take me where I was going. 

On my way back home after the successful interview, that was when I suddenly remembered I had a phone. Lol., you know there are certain days like that. I'm sure you can relate. I brought my phone out of my bag and guess what. The message from my hubby was staring at me. I read it and felt terribly bad. I quickly typed a message and sent to him. I told him I was sorry and I didn't mean to offend him. Lest I forget , that wasn't the first time I was being nasty or naggy. But I made up my mind that was going to be the last. So the next day, I started praying in the spirit, singing,  talking to my baby etc just to keep my tongue 👅 under control and not misyarn again.

And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power!  Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness  and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire body  and is a hellish flame!  It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence. James 3:5-6

I reminded hubby about this experience while writing this but he couldn't even recall the entire conversation we had back then. His ability to forgive and let go of the past is one thing I admire about him. Till date I depend on the Holy Spirit to help speak right, not just to hubby but to everyone I meet.

I hope my story blessed you

...

I sure was blessed dear. Thanks for sharing. I had to laugh at some points...lol

It is amazing how we are shocked at what others do, until we do the same thing😂😂😂 May we be guided as we speak and also be guided on how we speak. Both are extremely important.

I am praying that the month of August will be nothing compared to what we have ever experienced. May it be sweetness-filled, favour-filled, opportunities-filled and dollar-filled.

Yspot!