saying the good stuff.

One of the things I've learned from being the children's ministry director at the Bridge, is that its just as important to say the good stuff as it is to say the bad.

I'm a perfectionist by nature. Its one of those things that comes with the territory of being the first-born. Add to that my natural inclinations toward order and details, and you can bet that I am always much harder on myself than anyone else is. My guess is that most of us are. Its too easy to notice the bad.

Sure, there's a time and a place to deal with conflict. When something isn't working, its important to take the steps to make it right, and being afraid of the tough conversations doesn't really get us anywhere. But recognizing the good, and even more so, talking about it - that's important, too. Maybe even more so.

When a child is eager to meet and welcome new friends (something that, let's face it, most of us struggle with as adults!), I want to celebrate that. When a kis looks at a photo of a child in Africa, notices their bare feet, and asks if we can buy them shoes, I want to honor that. When I see something that touches my heart, that makes me smile, I want to share it.

Writing a quick email, posting something on Facebook, even sending a short text message only takes a few seconds of our time, but when you combine our moment of obedience with the work of the Holy Spirit, those words can encourage someone, challenge them, even turn their whole day around.

I'm trying to make a habit of not just noticing the good stuff, but talking about it. I think it really is a habit, and like any habit, the more you do it, the more naturally it comes. It really just comes down to time - taking the time to notice what's going on around you, and then taking the time to put it into words.