My brother in Ky sent me the photo below on his way to work this Thursday morning. They got about 7 inches of snow last night. Meanwhile I’m sitting in my kitchen typing this and watching large flakes of snow fall outside – the last remnants of our storm. Steven, our son in Columbia, said this morning the frozen rain on top of their snow was so hard you didn’t sink when you walked on it.

Interestingly I’ve exchanged text messages and photographs with eight people in Ky since the snow started, some of them family and others friends from high school days and beyond. I’ve also heard from friends in other states. Texting is a quick and easy way to stay in touch with family and friends. While the snow started the exchanges, we also discussed other matters: work, health issues, a child in drug rehab, recipes…We also skyped with Jacqueline, Evan, and Liam in Italy – they’ve gotten a lot of rain this winter, not snow. Liam is attending an Italian school and picking up a few words.

Staying in touch is important and talking, texting, skyping, communicating is a BIG part of that. It seems some people do it more easily than others, but everyone needs to do it. And not just do it, but do it well.

A lot of relationships falter because people just don’t talk…or at least don’t know how to do it in a good way. Whether it’s not talking at all or bad talking, either one can end a marriage or a friendship.

God gives us some very practical and clear guidance for how to talk. Starting Sunday we’re going to look at some of the things God says in the Bible about talking.

I know I need do it better than I sometimes do. I imagine the same is true of you. So I hope you’ll join me Sunday and together let’s learn how to talk. Why not go ahead and get ready for Sunday by talking to someone and inviting them to come with you. They could probably benefit from what God says – just like you and me.

Pastor Steve Hogg

Here are two photographs my sister sent me