231022 What I learned in my studies this morning 3

Good words, future gifts.

Ripples through deep channels.

See how the boat turns?

Today's Meditation(s):

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

I've used that epigram enough my keyboard's predictive text finished the sentence for me as soon as I'd typed "Never miss...."

But there's another side to this coin: kind words, good words, last forever as well.

My nephew and a wonderful young woman exchanged their vows this weekend. Now that the ceremony and the celebration are done, they move on to their honeymoon.

A solid, kind, good young man, his father died when he was very young. He's grown up the way he has because of his mom: she raised him and his sister by herself. 

My dad, my brother, and I have all done what we could to help him become the man he is, in loco patris, but it was she who did the heavy lifting.

One of my privileges this weekend is that my sister asked my brother and I to write letters to the newlyweds, offering words of encouragement about marriage.  She knows the strength of our bonds with our wives and feels that this is one of those chances for good words to have great impact.

I'm taking my time crafting my message. He's going to be distracted by the honeymoon for the next week, so I've got the time to be careful. I've got time to make sure these are good words.