From why did God give us two ears and one mouth…to The Purpose Driven Life

At one of our family dinners, my husband asked the kids,

   “Do you know why God gave you two ears and one mouth?

He paused, looked at the kids' expression and said,
 So that you’ll listen twice much more than you speak.”

I guess if it was in one of Adam Sandler’s movie, my husband would have said,
    “So that you’ll shut up and hear me speak!”

This was the topic of our conversation that night because our youngest (9yo) does not seem to run out of things to say. We wanted him to learn the value of listening to others – not just his own voice.

There are a few quotations or phrases that helped me growing up. Unlike my children, I went to school that taught Theology, Religion and Philosophy from Grammar School through College.  And unfortunately, I don’t currently belong to a church that engages the creative and inquisitive minds of the young – and the old. (For me, anyway.)

I question my religious affiliation, or is it religous affliction? Up until a few years ago, my kids and I went to church regularly. We even attended the daily services during Holy Week. But something happened that I lost touch – or lost interest.

I missed the days when I get out of the services and I feel “Yes!!”

   Could it be that I stopped listening?
   Could it be that I was just hearing the words but not really taking them in?
   Could it be that I just didn’t stop talking?

And even the kids said,
   “Mom, I tried…but it seems like it’s the same thing over and over.
     I don’t get it...what’s the point after all?”

One of the kids asked,
   “Why can’t the services be more interesting and more engaging like the temple?
     How come other churches have members who seem to come out jolly?"

So last night when a dear friend was over for a visit, the question about religion came up.

The topic must have been destined to be explored. When my friend asked,
       “Have you read Ric Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life?”

I jumped with joy because the first time I heard about “The Purpose Driven Life” was during the 2008 Presidential Debate. I wanted to get that book but totally forgot it. So what are the odds of me being reminded of it once again?

I was surprised to hear that my friend has read it – before I did! As he described the experience, I mentioned to him that I have been slowly reading Joel Osteen’s “Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day” but that I can’t wait to start my 40 day journey of reading “The Purpose Driven Life!”

    "It's bashert!" as my mom (in-law) would say.
There are lessons we can learn just by listening twice much more than we speak.

So if you’re about to start to go on the “40 day journey of the Purpose Driven Life”, let us do this journey together.

As the book quoted,
   “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up…Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break. “  - Ecclesiastes 4:9 (TEV)