Oh be careful little mouth what you say
Oh be careful little mouth what you say
For the Father up above,Is looking down in love
Oh be careful little mouth what you sayI grew up hearing/singing this song but hadn't really thought about it in years. Over the weekend it came rushing back to me. I was in the car with Rand driving her to a swimming party. During the course of conversation I said to her, "We're bringing Mildred (name has been changed) home after the party."
She answers, "We had to bring her to the party and take her home last year. Can't her parents ever do anything for her? Why do we always have to bring her home?"
Uh-oh. Those are not words from a 9 year old's mind. Those are words from a 30-something year old mama's mouth: MINE! Rand was parroting back the same words I had not so subtlety mouthed off to DK when her dad called to see if we could help them out.
Guess whose little ears heard my nasty and grossly exaggerated words?
I had to quickly repent and tell Rand how wrong I was and that I should never, ever have said such things. I was wrong and we should be thankful for the opportunity to help Mildred's family.
Isn't it amazing how children's songs are oh-so applicable to our grown up adult lives? I am so grateful for their simple yet profound truths!! Hopefully I have learned my lesson.
14 tweets and twitters:
So true...and also body language is well read. I was thinking just last night that I don't know what we do for our kids, but our kids make US better people.
Oh dear...that has happened to me a time or two. A lesson I am coninutally learing. Funny how they can so easily show us our weaknesses....thanks for the reminder!
I have also had to ask for forgiveness for my words when the kids parrot what they have heard me say!
God has humbled me through my children more times than I can count!
;)
Amazing how well those kid ears work, especially when we would not want them to. Oh, the things my children have repeated!! Not good. Have you heard Slow Fade by Casting Crowns? It starts out with that same song. I have it on my blog if you want to hear it.
Elise
I love that you chose Mildred for the made up name!
I had to give my first lesson on not gossiping yesterday. SLC was upset that this boy in the neighborhood came over to play. One that I find particularly annoying as well. Well I heard her out the window later telling the other kids that this boy had come over that morning in a very nasty tone. I told her that she was gossiping. Reading your post I realize that she was just immitating exactly what I say! Oh me, oh my.
You are not the only one who has learned that lesson the hard way...I'm not so sure I have fully learned that lesson yet, still trying!
Wow...this is an incredibly honest post. It's a bummer when things like that happen. And they happen far too often in my family!
Don't I know this lesson! Now that Evie's vocabulary is rapidly growing, she repeats so many words back and when I slip and use a word that isn't bad but certainly not appropriate for a two year old, I am very much reminded of how I need to be mindful of what I say.
We are dealing with that same issue in our home right now. I have found myself explaining a lot of things to a certain four year old. I am working on it! :)
What a lesson - I have caught myself in that same situation. Something I am working very hard at!!
Thanks for the gentle reminder. Even though my children are no longer little ones, this is something I still need to work on.
YES!! ... lately my three year old is running around saying "What In The WORLD??!!!"
I don't know ... two toddlers ... leave the room for a minute ... come back ... you know the rest ... :-)
That NEVER happens around our house with four little ones. :-)
Thanks for being honest. What a great reminder for us parents!
Oh I know. I need to be so careful what I say. And my kids remember everything.
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