Kind Words = Sweetness and Good Health

Kind Words = Sweetness and Good Health
Yesterday, I exposed my DELIGHT for chocolate -- that SWEET, savory, God-given, delicacy of DELIGHT and I exposed my DELIGHT in God and His Word. I must be all about sweetness, because today, I was led to carry on in that same vein.

KIND: friendly, generous, considerate, loving, warm, caring Proverbs 16:24 says "KIND words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."

"KIND words are like honey - sweet to the soul" (That reminds me of honey on a biscuit or roll - YUM!), and whenever I think of something healthy, I think of fresh tomatoes, avocados, basil picked from my little herb garden (garden is an overstatement -- it's a little patch of my favorite herbs: basil and cilantro) slathered in balsamic vinegar glaze, perfectly guilt-free and healthy to eat.

The words SWEET and HEALTHY are rarely mentioned in the same sentence yet that is exactly how this proverb describes KIND words. They are like honey. And it’s both sweet to the soul (our soul -- our will, mind and emotions would be in sweetness -- not anger, fear, anxiety) and healthy for the body (our body would reap the rewards of our kindness). Just imagine what a steady diet of our kind words could do -- not only for others, but for us!

What if we chose to use our words, the ones we speak and the ones we write, to bring KINDNESS into the lives of everyone around us? What if we actually saw each and every KIND word we say as an agent of healing, a sweet balm for another’s soul AND our soul? What if we became very intentional about being a bearer of KIND words?

There are enough of harsh, bitter, angry, stinging words being thrown around today. What if we were KINDNESS dealers, handing out doses of KINDNESS everywhere we go? Kindness costs little but pays huge dividends in our own lives and in the lives of those we touch. It’s a habit that paves the way to a sweet and healthy, joy-filled life.

Lord, we give our words to You. We pray that Your words of loving kindness will fill us to overflowing to others. Help us to speak only kind and encouraging words. Help us to be a people of love. Thank You for being the Giver of all true kindness. We recognize that all kindness comes, first and foremost, from You and You alone. And we thank You. Through Christ our Lord, we pray! Amen! So be it, Lord! AMEN!

Aw! Chocolate! What a DELIGHT it is!

Chocolate: the preparation of seeds of cacao, roasted, husked and ground, often sweetened and flavored
Delight: to please, take pleasure in, revel in, gladness

Hello. My name is Donna Wuerch and I am a recovering chocoholic! I was once addicted to sweet, DELIGHTFUL and delectible chocolate treats – and when eating them, they DIDN'T go to my hips! LOL! The addiction has diminished, though I still enjoy the DELIGHT of an occasional morsel.

One of my earliest kid memories was Mom's chocolate gravy and after Sunday night church, my dad taking me to the little store next door for a chocolate soldier drink. And, then there were the ice cream trucks in my neighborhood that screamed my name. Well, not really, but they sure bolstered my taste buds for a chocolate fudgesicle. So I blame this addiction on my parents. LOL! That only started my addiction -- from there, it was chocolate cake, chocolate candy, chocolate pie, chocolate brownies, chocolate malts.....you can see how my "chocolate" enthusiasm spiraled out of control!

I've never outgrown the DELIGHT of indulging in creamy, dark or light, or white. You're probably thinking "I know somewhere in here Donna has a devotional for us"!! And I do!

The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 37:4 "DELIGHT yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," and in Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

The question is "Do our eyes light up in DELIGHT when we hear God's words like these I just quoted? Do our taste buds heighten when we read His Word? Do our eyes light up in DELIGHT when we hear the name of Jesus or when we share that morsel of DELIGHT with someone else? Or has it become a ho-hum routine love affair where the “chocolate” has lost its appeal and the DELIGHT has diminished?"

Oh, that we would spiral out-of-control with our love for our Lord -- to DELIGHT in His presence and rejoice in His love. And, then, with that fresh, new love to spread the Good News to light up and DELIGHT someone else's life.

May we delight in our Savior and may we savor His goodness and mercy to us and then may we share the light of His love--a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement -- and yes, some CHOCOLATE too to those who need His “flavoring” in their lives!

Hello. My name is Donna Wuerch and I am addicted to my Lord and His Word. I pray this addiction only increases until I can’t live without delighting in Him. How about you?

I LOVE Chocolate

Day 12 in this Month of Love -- I LOVE Chocolate
How can I be celebrating the Month of Love without celebrating my LOVE for chocolate? Actually, I am a recovering chocoholic. I'm not near as addicted as I was when the sweet, savory and delectible chocolate treats DIDN'T go to my hips! LOL! Last April, while on a Northern European cruise, one of our ports was Hamburg, Germany -- the home of the Chocoversum by Hachez factory and museum. My dear shipmates indulged me by going by train with me to get there for their famous "German" chocolates.

One of my earliest kid memories was Mom's chocolate gravy and after Sunday night church, my dad taking me to the little store next door for a chocolate soldier drink. Remember the ice cream trucks coming through the neighborhood? Chocolate fudgesicle!! So I blame this addiction on my parents. LOL! That was just the beginning. From there, it was chocolate cake, chocolate candy, chocolate pie, chocolate brownies, chocolate malts.....you can see how my "chocolate" enthusiasm spiraled out of control!

I've never outgrown the delight of indulging in creamy, dark or light, crunchy or nutty chocolate. You're probably thinking "I know somewhere in here Donna has a devotional for us"!! And I do!

The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" And in Psalm 34:8 he wrote, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."

The question is "Do our eyes light up in delight when we hear God's Words like these I just quoted? Do our eyes also light up in delight when we hear the Name of Jesus or when we share that morsel of delight with someone else? Or has it become a ho-hum routine love affair where the chocolate's melted and the wonder is gone?"

Oh, that we would spiral out-of-control with our love for our Lord -- to delight in His presence and rejoice in His love. And, then, with that fresh, new love to spread the Good News to light up someone else's life.

Let's delight in our Savior and then share the light of His love--a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement -- and yes, some CHOCOLATE too!