My oh my,

Remember the  saying, “Cat got your tongue?” Sometimes I wish he (the cat) would just take my tongue!  I never seem to be at a loss for words. Maybe this isn’t something you struggle with…but I do. I would imagine if we sat down for a  heart-to-heart you might tell me you struggled with controlling your tongue, too. Just this last week,  feeling convicted about this very topic, I fasted from critical words. Without even knowing it, I had allowed my mind to run into the dangerous territory of critical thinking…and then I allowed the words to journey just as freely out of my mouth. This is one fast I am going to continue because the benefits were so impressive! Better attitude, better relationships, and better self-control.

In your relationship with your daughter. I can’t stress how important your behavior is in this area. Your daughter is watching, imitating, and in some cases holding up your behavior to God’s standard. This week, plan on doing the discussion section and activities with your daughter in  The Companion Guide to Beautiful Girlhood, and I want you to carefully consider this topic for yourself and your daughter.

Check Your:

Tone – How does your voice come across to your family’s ears? When we reply to questions or comments or even make requests in a snappish or harsh way we are conveying that we are impatient or angry. On some levels, our tone gives others a cue on how to respond to us. (Proverbs 15:1)  Train yourself to speak in a gentle tone…even if you are perturbed!

Text- Do you realize that out of the abundance of your heart your mouth speaks? (Matthew 12:34b)  In other words, your mouth reveals what is in your heart right now. It is like a snapshot of what is happening in your thoughts and emotions. Scary, huh? Take note of the inner dialogue that is going on in your mind. Line it up to what the Lord says about the topic! (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Time – We have all been around someone who would not, or could not, take the cues that they were talking too much. In an effort to communicate their thoughts and feelings, they overlook the need for two-way conversation and end up saying way too much! (Ecclesiastes 10:14) Make sure you are not over talking and giving

                                                                           TMI-too much information

                                                                           TMW-too many words

                                                                           TMT– too much time conveying your thoughts.

This week my prayer for you is that you will allow God to examine your use of words and you will be encouraged to grow in this area of tongue control with your daughters!

Minding my mouth!

Activities

• Read Chapter 7 Beautiful Girlhood and The Companion Guide to Beautiful Girlhood

• Want to put that tongue of yours on a diet? Take a fast for one week from critical thinking and unkind words.
• Read and meditate on these verses about the tongue.

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just (Psa. 37:30).

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked (Prov. 10:11).

The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse (Prov. 10:31, 32).

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value (Prov. 10:20).

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools (Prov. 15:7).

Memory Verse

Psalm19:14

May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Ponder and Post

• Think about ways you can develop better control over the words you speak and the thoughts you think about and post them for all of us to be encouraged!
• What are some ways to cultivate self-control in this area for yourself as well as your daughters?