“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart…For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”   Luke 6:45 (NIV)

My two-year-old son learns so much through copying the actions and words of those around him.  My older son gets so tired of his baby brother following him around and repeating him word for word.  For me, my young imitator is a reminder to be aware of how I act and speak, and how intentional I am about expressing the good in my heart.

When I am upset or tired, my oldest son knows that what I need most is a kiss, a hug and an “I love you Mommy.”  And my youngest son will sometimes say to me “You’re so beautiful Mommy!” (He is learning well from his daddy!)

In the busy times how is my “overflow”?  When I’m tired or stressed, what words do I speak to my family?  Do I act with kindness towards them?  I’ve often heard that you can tell the true nature of a person by their reactions to negative events.  Ouch!  I know I’ve failed that test a few times!

It’s up to me to store up good in my heart.  I need to be aware of what I watch on TV, what I read, what music I listen to and what words come out of my mouth!  I definitely need help – I find myself praying MANY times throughout the day-quick prayers like “Help me God!” or “Sorry about that!”  And when I manage to read a few verses from my Bible during the day and read a devotional I am much better equipped to focus on the good, and let go of the bad.

The words and actions of my sons warm my heart every time.  I love my young copy-cats and I’ll do my best to set a good example of a positive overflow of the heart.  And when I fail, I’ll apologize and start again tomorrow!

– Written for the November 2007 issue of Mom’s Moments.  www.momsmoments.ca/pdfs