Important Words

One of the first news stories I heard this morning on the radio was how the medical profession have identified a particular type of Y chromosome passed from father to son which increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%.

Bearing in mind Andrew’s dad had his first heart attack at the age of 49, Andrew died from a heart attack 2 weeks short of his 49th birthday and we have two sons I understandably pricked up my ears to listen.

I have just found the report again on iPlayer, it has not made the news anywhere else and I wanted to check my facts.

A friend of mine “thriving” after breast cancer put a comment on Twitter today that the first word she heard on the radio this morning was “cancerous”.

Maybe we are just extra sensitive to these words and stories because they touch a nerve. They cut deep, piercing our scars.

Time to switch off the radio perhaps, which reminded me of the TV programme from the 70s and 80s “Why Don’t You”. I can still sing the annoying theme song…

“Why don’t you 

go and switch off the television set 

and go and do something less boring instead.”

It always sounded a silly idea to my brother and I advocating the viewer to turn off the TV just as it was about to start.

Sometimes we need to distance ourselves from the negative influences and words that wound.

I wrote briefly yesterday about being called "tree trunk legs" one day as I walked home from school. I remember clearly even now the boy who said it and the exact spot along the route where it took place.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones 

but names will never hurt me.”

A chant my parents taught me to say in the face of bullies, thankfully it is not a phrase we pass on to our kids today because it is absolute rubbish!

The other week while driving to the hospital for an appointment (read Squished) I listened to a Christian CD by Cathy Burton. I had borrowed it ages ago from a friend and had meant to return it but was so glad I had these words to give me hope of a good outcome…

Songs of healing

songs of hope

hands that never let me go

the Father who made us watches and knows us

carries us through

You can hear Cathy Burton talking about Songs of Healing here. She says she hopes it is a song people will listen to in their car that “will touch them where they are” – well she has certainly had that prayer answered.

Words can sting and pierce and wound.

Words can heal and sooth and mend.

These are some of my favourite words in the Bible about God singing over us.

“God … will take delight in you with gladness. With his love he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

                                                                             Zephaniah 3.17

Maybe we should switch off the radio and TV more often, turn away from the gloomy news and soak up some positive words instead, be they words from a good book or a positive CD.

The words that bring you peace may be totally different to mine, I’d love to know what’s really spoken to you recently and given you the boost you needed.