Welcome Jane Choate to Thyme for Writers! Jane is such an inspiration to so many of us… . Thank you for sharing!
“Are you humbly grateful or grumbly hateful?” (from a Hallmark movie)
When Karen asked me to write a post for her excellent “Thyme for Writers,” I didn’t know what I could write about. I tried on several ideas, but none really fit. They chafed at me, like a too-tight sweater. And then I heard the above piece of dialogue from a movie, and I knew I had my subject.
We are all charged with being grateful to the Lord, but I think writers bear a special responsibility to use our words to praise Him, to give thanks to Him. It is the Savior who has given us our talents, and it is to Him we owe our best. What does it mean to give “our best?” Words have power. When we use ours to show our gratitude to the Lord, we give our best. When we use ours to lift another up, we give our best.
What about the “grumbly hateful” part of the above? Most of us have probably known an individual who uses words as weapons, as a means to put others down, to demean and to humiliate. Words have power for the grumbly hateful as well as the humbly grateful. Those of you of a certain age may remember a playground chant: “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Even as a child, I recognized the falseness of this, for I knew that words hurt. I knew it from personal experience. My heart knew it from my torment when I was bullied.
I have not always been kind with my words; I have been among the grumbly hateful, and sometimes I still am. I have used words as sticks and stones. Today I resolve to do better, though I know I will slip at times.
Humbly grateful or grumbly hateful? The choice is yours.
Jane McBride Choate is a proud mother and grandmother as well as being staff to a cat who believes she is of royal descent. Writing is Jane’s dream job, an avocation as well as a vocation. Sharing her belief in God and in the power of love is the perfect reminder for her that the best things in life are not things.
(C) 2018 Jane Choate
What Jane didn’t mention in her biography is that she is an amazing author and prolific writer with a multitude of published books and short stories. Her latest is High-Risk Investigation, a romantic suspense I could not put down. It’s a must read!
Jane, thank you for such a nicely written reminder that we have so, so much to be grateful for and the call to praise never stops. We’re blessed as writers to use our words for good. Cheers
Jane, it is so easy to complain. Your post was a great reminder to use our words to love ft people up cause we never know all that’s going on inside others. Do I want to be responsible for pushing the person over the cliff or for keeping him or her from discouragement? Thanks, Jane.
I often think about the “sticks and stones” quote, since I heard it frequently as a child, and I agree with you that it’s false. Totally, completely false. Words can indeed hurt us. That’s why it’s our responsibility not only as writers but as human beings to remember that and to use our words carefully.
Words can rip a soul apart. Sometimes, even when we think we’re paying someone a compliment, our words can be taken the wrong way. Excellent post, Jane. In my ever-so-humble opinion, you are definitely GRATEFULLY HUMBLE.
Or make that Humbly Grateful. It’s all in how a person reads it, right?
Thank you Jane for giving us all a reminder of the power of words. I agree with Audra, you definitely are Humbly Grateful — a blessing to all those whose lives you touch.
Thank you to those who commented on this. I appreciate your kind words.
Jane