Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say!

Today was a sad day for Momma B. Let me give you a little history before I tell my sad story. In college I rebelled. I chose to rebell by using crap as an explitive. Yes, I know, I am quite a rebel! It was my way of exherting authority over my life. Proving to all those college guys what a free thinker I was. Then I got married to a Youth Pastor and he felt it wasn't becoming of a minister's wife to use such harsh language. I agree, but part of me still rebells against these standards. I agree with all my heart that I should set an example for those we are in contact with. I know that no matter what the word is a wrong attitude is not pleasing to God. That should have been reason enough for me to stop using this word. Not to mention that my husband asked me to. It isn't the word that is wrong, but my attitude and reason for using it.
Well, depending on how well you know me, you know that I sometimes balk under the authority of, well, those I don't agree with. And this whole word issue, I thought, was a joke between Dan and I. So occasionally, I would use this explitive just to push Dan's buttons. (In a fun sort of button pushing way.) I am a provoker. I like to make people a little crazy and then act like I don't understand what the big deal is. (My parents, my sister, and dear, patient husband are nodding their heads as they read this.) I never meant for my children to hear this joke of ours, apparently I was not diligent enough!
This morning after my morning shower, while the girls were having room play time I overheard this statement from my three year old daughter, FaithLyn. "Hey Elise, what is this crap? Elise, look at this crap!" She repeated this about four times and I let her because I thought I was surely misunderdanding her.
It is so hard to tell your kids that you made a mistake. I didn't punish FaithLyn for using this word today. Today, I made sure that she knew it was not ok to use this word anymore. I knew she learned it from me because that's the only place she could have heard it. It broke my heart! I told her that Mommy shouldn't say that word either and Daddy has asked me not to. We promised each other not to use that word anymore.
I can't really blame Dan for being somewhat smug when I told him what happened. He HAD asked me not to say it. And he KNEW this would happen. He was, once again, right. If you think that your kids will not pick up the things they hear in and around your house let this be a wake up call for all of us! I am thankful that the Lord uses my children to teach me important lessons. I am glad that we can learn some things together.
Children are sponges! They take in everything around them! So remember the song: Be careful little ears what you hear, Be careful little eyes what you see, Be carelful little mouth what you say, Be careful little hands what you do. As parents, lets make sure that we are providing pure, clean water for our precious little sponges!