In the mornings sipping hot coffee drowning in vanilla cream is one of life’s luxuries. The rich, heavy, sweet cream to me is considered a precious and beneficial commodity, regardless of all the hype about it being bad for you. Lets face it, if I am expected to smile and be sweet there better be something more in my cup than black coffee. I expect nothing less when I sip hot tea, the mug is laced with sweet, thick honey and a dash of cream. Trust me it’s all for medicinal purposes.

I like my conversations to be the same as my morning beverages, sweet. There is no way that I could jump through a hoop, but if it were possible I’d do it for a few kind, loving, courteous and sincere words. I especially like my commands, demands and instructions to be laced with sugar. As the old saying goes “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

When I was in the thrones of labor pains about to deliver our daughter, I needed some extreme kindness. My labor coach was also my Hubs, and he is the strongest kind of coffee there is, with a dash of vinegar. Oh he was pumped up, excited and ready to roll giving me those drill sergeant instructions to breath, push, stop, breath, push, don’t push! Isn’t it remarkable that just when we are going through something painful or rough somebody inevitably says something unkind and rude that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Well now, they might not always mean to come across that way but, some people just have that strong kind of personality, like truck stop coffee. It’s for those times and conversations that I carry in my purse a small baggie of powdered vanilla cream. Lord, forbid if I were ever pulled over, I’d make the front page news “Cops wife arrested for strange powdery substance in purse!”

Are you as strong as truck stop coffee? Or are your words sweet like honey?

I hope you’ll join me…..and always use kind words, even when we aren’t getting shown any kindness.

“God, thank you for your love and kindness even when we aren’t being kind or lovable. Give us the desire to speak tenderly to others, to use our words to heal and not destroy. In Jesus name Amen.”