Proverbs 17:27
He who has knowledge spares his words, and a person of understanding has a COOL spirit. (!!!)
Proverbs 17:27 (this one is right next to my bathroom mirror :-)

Hey everybody! I sure have missed you all. Winter presents challenges for me and I don't have the same ability to be on here. I covet all your prayers to get through the winter with a good, cheerful attitude. This is the first time I have written in awhile, but felt led to share. This prayer (see below) is from 2002, but it is something I am still learning deeper and deeper as I go with the Lord. It is a fresh and awesome thing the Lord does when he works in strategic layers of healing or alterations to create us,  his art. It is cool when you realize you have already been through this before, and yes, God is still working on you with it, but now you are like, in graduate level rather than intermediate as the last time it seemed you went round this mountain. Just as the Lord often will use the very same scripture I have known for years to show me a deeper truth, He often shows me a deeper revelation birthed from an earlier revelation He gave personally to me. That leads me to the topic of my prayer from '02, the one that is still the prayer of my heart today in a new and deeper way.

I have... the "Gift of Gab" Not a bad thing, but kinda hard to follow Proverbs 17:27 without some supernatural assistance!

I have heard some ppl have trouble knowing what to say, so they don't say anything. I have heard some ppl can't quite figure out the right thing to say, so they don't say a whole lot. I have even heard, and this one blows my mind, that some pll don't have much of an opinion one way or the other on many issues!!- so they don't say much either! What about when a person is gifted in communication and can easily both know what and how to say what is on their heart and mind? What if words are nearly never in short supply and a person is one who has well thought through reasons for having opinions about almost everything from laundry procedures to diapering to fast food ordering etiquette at the drive through?

Well, then you have the makings of a great minister and leader~ or the makings of a person who is a giant pain to live with! The only determining factor; listening to the guidance and teaching and constant leading of the Holy Spirit.
Funny how it is harder to "hear" that in our spirit when we are talking.

Anybody else "gifted" out there that can relate to what I am saying here?

My wonderful husband can't. He is not a natural born communicator. I have often wished I could be a visitor inside his head, where he seems to live unless he puts effort forth to "think out loud" as I am always asking him to do! We just had his Mother over here for our Christmas dinner with her today, and she said, "Yeah, Bob always was a quiet one, kind of a loner." If that is the memory his own Mother has of him from childhood you can imagine that personality trait has had time to sink in deep over his life. I have finally learned when I ask my husband a question that may only take me one or two min to answer, he may need an hour or two! A question that may make me take pause to pray and think for 10 min, may take him all day until tomorrow to know what he thinks or wants! AGH! How is that even possible for a normal brain functioning person, even a sleep deprived parent? It is possible, b/c that is just his wiring.
I am learning... slowly, how to alter my "giftings" to fit the person I am supposedly giving the "gift" of my communication to. I am learning to allow God to shape the giftings within me to match the criteria He has set before me to do His work and will for His glory and His kingdom. Awesome thing is, His plan will also include my marriage being deeper and better for it, for my submitting to the Holy Spirit guidance of my gifts. All my other relationships, too! Awesome thing is, when I do things such as submit my gifts to Him, for His purposes, He turns around and uses that to bless me in ways I can't even dream up... and I am a good dreamer!
Here is a poetic prayer from 2002 I feel led to share with you all, I pray it will bring inspiration both to those of us with the "gift" of communicating... and maybe some who may be married to such a person, insight on how the other half ticks  :-)
I pray it blesses you.

Lord God!
Shut My Mouth!
Please tightly shut it up
Let me be a quiet listener
Let me be a graceful example
Shut my Mouth Lord!
By the Power of your Holy Spirit
Shut my mouth
That I may learn, and serve
Oh how I long to Listen
to all the things in his heart
He doesn't know he wants to say....cuz I don't Shut Up

Shut my Mouth Lord
Open his heart
Quiet my thoughts
Open his eyes, ears, heart
Open my ears to hear


I Long to Listen
Let Him Speak
Let me Be Still
Let Him Speak Although
I do not ask...
Just listen, with a smile, a shut mouth smile of Understanding

Thank you Lord for your love, your light, your might
and merciful power
Your great gift in Jesus is now my hearts focus.
Focus me there Lord Jesus.
I Love you
Amen

Proverbs 17:27
He who has knowledge shpares his words, and a person of UNDERSTANDING has a cool spirit.