Communication

Communication. It's the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking the harder it becomes to know what to say. Or how to ask for what we really need. - Greys Anatomy...
Ok so kinda cheesy to use a Grey's quote, but I read it some where and it really hit home with me today. I mean communication is pretty important in my life, I am a Communication Major. But communication is funny, so many different types, different uses, different ways. And although it is the first thing we learn, I think it is the first thing we start to lose as well. It's funny to watch little kids. I mean as infants they cry, because it gets them what they want. As they progress they move on to other forms, and start to use words. The great thing is that kids use words with no inhibitions. No one to telling them to not just say what they are thinking. Now as much as this revels many funny situations, it also makes me wonder why we have such a hard time just saying what we are thinking.
This Grey's quote is so true, the more we learn our words, and their meanings, the harder time we have using them. The harder time we have asking for help, voicing our fears or concerns. The harder time you have telling your friend something that needs to be said. And the worst part of it, the more we learn words, and communication, and their meanings, the harder we judge. The more we take things that people say the wrong way, instead of just asking them what they might have meant. Which, in return of the cycle, makes people not say things.
I wish people didn't take things you say the wrong way. I wish they would take a second to think through the communication, and think through how well they know you. The combination of these two things would make them realize that whatever you might have said is undoubtedly not on purpose to hurt them. Yet we live in a fast paced World of miscommunication. It's like those commercials where the line goes dead right when the person is going to say the important part. We let our minds go dead when we quickly judge, and don't take the time to hear people out. This truly harms the depth of our relationships.
This lack of communication also makes it harder to admit we need help. Admit to those around us that you could use some support. And even more so, admit to God that we need help. I think we would all like to believe that we are fine, I'll wait to ask God for help on this one. I don't want to burden God, I don't want to ask for too much. But that is what God is there for, that is what he wants to do. He wants to help us through this complicated world of sin, he wants to help us... and yet we don't know how to ask.
When I taught bible study to 6th graders when I was in 8th I learned this good analogy to share with the girls on God's blessings. It's a story about a man who passes away, and gets to the Gates of Heaven, and as he is standing there they let him through and he is immediately met by God. And God tells him that he has something to show him, and he walks him into this large warehouse looking room that is just full of shelves full of boxes. I mean just line after line after line of selves full of boxes. And as he looks around he realizes all of these boxes are beautifully wrapped with name tags on them. All of the name tags have his name on them, all of them. So he asks God, "What are these boxes, why is my name on them". And God replies, these are all the blessings I could have given you while you struggled your way on Earth, if you would have just asked.
God is so willing to give us blessings, to answer prayers (even if it's not in a way you expect), to help us through our day to day live, and yet we are too afraid to communicate, to afraid to communicate our needs to him.
So as you go on today I encourage you to take two things with you...
One, don't quickly judge what someone says to you. Take into account the situation and the person and what they really mean... because I am sure they don't mean to hurt you.
Two, life is sooo busy, and we can add all we want to everyday. But remember... at the end of the day, we are left with just us and God... so maybe ask him for some help through out the day. God wants to bless us, pour blessings upon us... we just need to be willing to ask.