It seems impossible to have a conversation lately that does not revolve around our weather. We get rain almost every day. Driving to the store today was an adventure that almost demanded an ark for transportation. Creeks are rising up beyond the banks and into the woods or even the roads. One can barely remember the last sunny day we enjoyed. We lived through a hurricane last year that did not dump as much rain as we are seeing. God said that He would not flood the world again but it looks like He is coming close! The weather has been so dreary that it almost makes me want to swear. But no worries, this blog is rated G for no ugly words.

The same cannot be said about our current state of affairs. Swearing almost seems to be the fashionable thing to do today. You cannot watch a sporting event without hearing the athletes cut loose with cussing. If you are a lip reader then you can easily make out which phrases are their favorite. A political news website wrote the other day on the overwhelming amount of foul language being used by politicians. What was once cleaned up by the news is now being reported word for word. You do not have to be an expert to read between the expletive deletions in journalism. Swearing among politicians appears to be as regular as kissing babies.

It's my policy to avoid using ugly language. It also helps that my job fairly discourages such talk on a regular basis. However, my family history details the ability of relatives to use colorful language in intriguing ways. My maternal grandparents seemed to appreciate the turn of a colorful phrase. My grandmother had the ability to take a single syllable swear word and turn it into at least three syllables. No doubt but if I were given the chance that this ability was probably passed down to me. Still, cussing would be something to be avoided rather than embraced. Now my job does allow me to use a few lesser words often used by those who do cuss. It's just that my use of the phrases are in terms of being adjective and not adverbs. That is as close as I want to come to swearing.

Do not think of me as being a prude on this subject. I know all the words plus how to effectively use them. But what does it say about us as a whole when we simply choose to air out our blue language in public? Years ago, George Carlin did a comedy routine on the seven words that you cannot say on television. He had to rewrite that piece before his death. Some of those words are now allowed on even "free" television. It just seems to me that cussing is terribly boring compared to finding alternative expressions. Our biblical characters were quite familiar with using strong language. This does not mean they were content with cussing.

My personal approach is that of the cartoon character Charlie Brown. We share the use of the phrase "good grief." Years ago a couple of high school radio announcers broke out a "good gosh a mighty Joe Friday." That one seems to be very creative in expressing disappointment. You cannot go many places without hearing the big bombs being dropped. No wonder our children pick up the ability to swear at an early age. Jesus said that our words do matter. They reflect our closeness to Him as well as the condition of our heart. Maybe the tide will turn and cussing will again be out of fashion. My mind and heart tells me this is wishful thinking. We will probably have to live with the increasing amount of swearing around us. May we have ears to close out that noise. May we have a heart that is committed as well as clean.

Bro. Trey