What I meant to say...

Words are funny...sometimes.  They can also be mean, rude, spiteful...kind, loving and endearing.  They can be all of those things and none of those things, at the same time.  Words are hardly ever words; I mean, they are rarely taken at face value.  Obviously words have meaning, they always will, but that hardly is ever where we stop.  There are so many underlying things that go into a conversation, email, text or even a book we read.  The tone, context, timing and other non-verbals change the way a message is delivered; and that's just on one end.  On the receiving end of the message there are often other issues: there is my perception of the message being delivered, my mood, my feelings about the person, my emotional state, how hungry I am at the time.  I'm sure there are a lot more...

still following?...

Don't get me wrong, I think all of that extra "stuff" helps deliver the message, sometimes.  In other instances the words are just the "words".   See, if we try to add to much of the "stuff" to the message, often times, the message gets lost.  We immediately forget about the "words" and start thinking about the "stuff"...we forget about the meaning, and we focus on all the underlying "stuff".  See, we forget about the actual context, the real heart of the message, the actual message.  But, why?  Well, if you're asking me (which I am) it's because we don't ask questions to clear up the "stuff".  Instead we guess or assume...we go around thinking we know what is going on, what someone "really meant", instead of asking questions, instead of really finding out.  

What have you said lately,  or what has been said to you lately, that has been misunderstood?

That was thought #1, now on to thought #2...

A few nights ago, I couldn't sleep.  Something was on my mind.  I'm not sure if there was any reason for it to be on my mind besides that God wanted me to do something.  So, I sent an email and fell asleep.  I got a response the next day.  The response was simple, but the words impacted me...it was like asking a question and then getting the answer you wanted, but didn't expect at the same time.  As if I didn't really need to send the email, but it was so much better that I did.  It hit deep.  I think God can give us real confirmation that what we are doing is right, real or good...this one was in an email.  

I don't say things by accident, I mean what I say.  I'm not planning on changing.

Words are funny...they can mean a lot of things.  When did you last say something that impacted another person?  When was the last time you were impacted?

Confused?  It happens.