With the unrest occurring in Ukraine and other parts of the world, it is very important for all of us to strive to get a more balanced perspective on LIFE and how we can live each day to the fullest extent. In that regard, here are some things to think about:

(1) It is far more important when OTHERS discover our good qualities without OUR help;

(2) No one seems to be listening until we make a mistake;

(3) We are born naked, wet, and hungry - then sometimes things get worse;

(4) If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments;

(5) A closed mouth gathers no foot.

I have written in the past about the power of words. We have a choice each day to use our words to cut or heal - either to make others feel great - or horrible. Words not only affect us temporarily, they may actually affect us permanently.

Do you remember when someone's words hurt you? Perhaps you were called "dumb," "Stupid," "four eyes," or "Ugly." But how about when someone's words made you feel great, such as "you're wonderful," "great job, or "I LOVE YOU!"

It's been many years since I was on the football team at Chesterfield High School, but I will never forget the words the coach spoke to me at the close of one of our practice sessions. He said, "Reece, I am proud of you." Now, in the great scheme of things, that doesn't seem like much, but to me, at the time, it seemed like EVERYTHING!

In our Sunday School Class at Faith Fellowship a few years ago, the topic was "The deadly poison of the tongue," which led to a discussion about how man has learned how to capture and tame wild beasts, birds, and serpents, but not the tongue, which can be more deadly than the venom of the viper. And speaking of vipers, there are some 20 poisonous snakes in the eastern Mediterranean area, and one of the smallest of these is called the Horned Viper.

Small, but capable of inflicting great harm, like the tongue, this small viper has been known to strike at and bring down very large animals like, for instance, horses. It buries itself in the sand and waits to ambush an unsuspecting victim. Sound familiar? Words can comfort or humiliate us, make us laugh or cause us to cry, lead us to seek peace, or cause us to incite violence. Words have created fist fights, divorces, murders, and wars. Words left UNSAID can also hurt.

I vividly recall an incident that occurred a few years ago when I was in the construction business. My brother Fred and I were in the office of an architect in Wilson when a call came to him that his brother had died. It so happened that they had not spoken with each other in 35 years because of some disagreement that had occurred between them. This gentleman, usually so composed and "in charge," sat there and wept for several minutes.

Finally he was able to speak, and he said, "Oh, how I wish I had called him and let him know that I loved him and that everything was all right between us, but now it's too late."

So how are we using our words today? Think about it!

Now to close on a humorous note. Sometimes we really don't recognize some of our wonderful possessions. One day a man saw a sign on a storefront that read, "Talking dog for sale." He went inside and was informed that the dog was in the backyard. He went outside and engaged the dog in conversation, asking, "So what is your background?"

To the man's amazement, the dog went into a long list of things he had done and places he had traveled to. The man then rushed inside the store and asked the owner how much he would charge for the dog. The owner replied that he would sell the dog for ten dollars. The man was astonished and exclaimed, "Just ten dollars for this amazing dog? Why would you sell him so cheaply?", to which the owner replied, "Because he's a liar. He hasn't done any of those things he claims to have done!"

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!