four letter words

words matter

the ones we speak

the ones we hold inside

some of my least favorite words in the English language are four letter words

• tear
• stop
• wait
• nope
• shut
• hurt
• died
• sick
• lack
• late
• foes
• dark
• ruin
• quit
• lies
• lost
• fake

some of my favorite words in the English language are four letter words

• grin
• love
• hope
• yeah
• open
• heal
• life
• well
• give
• time
• ally
• lite
• help
• save
• true
• find
• real

sometimes some of those words cross categories

other common four letter words that are part of my everyday life

• Lord
• need
• like
• talk
• hear
• rock
• hold
• lean
• word
• Word
• read
• next
• done
• work
• rest
• move
• stay

I have a "new" word in my vocabulary:

flux: continuous change, passage, or movement

it seems to be an accurate description of life

at some point 
most of us need someone to listen to our words 
as we try and figure out where we are in the flux

disclaimer:
when someone who is grieving
gets up the courage to speak honestly to you 
here are some things that you may find helpful as you listen

we do not expect you to fix it for us (we know you can't)
we do not want you to fix it for us (again, we know you can't)
we would appreciate your simply listening, patiently, with no agenda

*words matter

use them wisely 

listen intentionally 

*The most important Word is Jesus. 

What you choose to do with this Word, Jesus,

 has eternal consequences.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through Him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him,who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about Him, and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’”) For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, He has made Him known."
John 1:1-18

and this Word, 
Jesus-
He is never in flux

 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Hebrews 13:8