I shared yesterday with the congregation that I never really asked Kathy to marry me on the day that I planned to. I had it all worked out in my mind, the way I wanted things to unfold and really never considered it going any differently... I'd take her here...and then we'd do that...and then I'd say this and she'd respond like so...you get the picture. So everything was going fine until I got down on my knee and prepared to actually "pop the question" (never really cared for that phrase). Out of nowhere it occured to me that she might say "no"...and I froze. I realized that the success of my mission hinged on her response to the proposal.
It was all a blur to me...we managed to get married and all, but the other day, one of the kids inquired as to how I asked her to marry me and she responded, "He never really did." Huh?!? Now, I was sharing this yesterday to encourage our people to feel the freedom to verbally engage the Sunday morning message when it is spoken over them. I know how it charges me to deliver the Truth with confidence when people say a heart felt "Amen!" (or their response of choice)...but here's my point...
Might this apply to our everyday lives? How encouraged are our children when we send them to school with a big spoken "Amen" over them? What goes on inside the heart of our spouse when we comment positively about how they look or how smart we think they are? I'm not big on the whole "power-of-positive-thinking" agenda, but I do believe the words we speak to one another should be seasoned with love and demonstrate just how much we are loved by our Savior...in fact He said that this is how people will know we are His disciples.