Does your life make for good reading?

My life is pretty much an open book.

I enjoy living in the country, going barefoot, digging in the dirt, snuggling up to Mr. Wonderful at night and watching the fireflies from my porch swing.

I forget that everyone is not as open, so I'm forever being surprised by "new " knowledge or attitudes that surface from time to time. " Where did that come from?" I think, wondering what kind of hidden baggage I stubbled upon.

Good communication occurs not only when we know what we want to say, but also when we know the person to whom we are speaking. To know another person requires a willingness to let others know our weaknesses and limitations also.

A young boy and his stepfather had difficulty communicating with each other. The man was outgoing; the boy was quiet. The stepfather love to fish; the boy loved to read.

The stepfather, wanting to get close to the boy, took him on a fishing trip. The boy hated it but didn't know how to tell his stepfather directly. So he wrote him a note saying he wanted to go home. The man looked at the note and stuck it in his pocket.

The fishing trip continued 4 more days. When they finally returned home, the boy shared his frustrations with his mother and told her that his stepfather had paid no attention to his note.
His mother said to him, "Son your father can't read.....hasn't he ever shared that with you?"

Paul urges us as believers to speak truthfully with each other (Ephesians 4:25). He also admonishes us to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another." (v.32) Good communication starts when we can provide a safe envirionment in which to fail. (Just a thought!)