{"id":2512,"date":"2012-05-02T09:00:19","date_gmt":"2012-05-02T09:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/?p=2512"},"modified":"2014-09-23T11:41:14","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T11:41:14","slug":"speak-once","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/the-welford\/speak-once\/","title":{"rendered":"Speak Once"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I have a big gob. I often put my foot in it. When I was a teenager I worked, for a time, in Safeways. This time was characterised by complaints. One day I was on the till serving a member of staff who had just got off work. She noticed my WWJD band and asked about it, and I promptly explained. The elderly couple next in line seemed somewhat fidgety and were looking around quite a lot. After I had finished serving the member of staff they approached and I learned what their problem was.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Do you think it\u2019s right\u2019 started the old lady \u2018that you spend all that time talking to a member of staff when there are customers waiting?\u2019 Now let me state for the record that I hadn\u2019t taken any longer than usual, our conversation had lasted the time it took me to scan her shopping and take her money, with that in mind, I retorted politely \u2018Ma\u2019am if you knew me you would know that I am a polite young man who talks to all my customers, because that\u2019s just the way I am.\u2019 At this reasonable reply the old lady\u2019s husband made to storm off to customer services. \u2018Leave it\u2019 said the old lady \u2018We have never had this before.\u2019 To which I replied \u2018Unfortunately I get it everyday.\u2019 At which the old man promptly stormed off to complain.<\/p>\n<p>I was speaking to a group of men about being disappointed with God and how within that, we can run our mouths off to Him and whoever will listen. Before we know it the reason for our disappointment starts to define us rather than being defined by our creator. Listen to Job after God reminds him of who his Creator is:<\/p>\n<p>Job 40: 1-5: \u2018The Lord said to Job: \u2018Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!\u2019 Then Job answered the Lord: \u2018I am unworthy \u2013 how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer \u2013 twice, but I will say no more.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Could we learn from Job \u2013 that once we have got our grievance, rant, point of view, or whatever it is out, once we have spoken, we will not speak it out again. But instead put our hands over our mouth \u2013 forcibly if needed. And the reason? So we don\u2019t dwell in the pit of despair, but instead sit before God in reverence and awe, holding our hands over our mouths.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"linkwithin_hook\" id=\"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/the-welford\/speak-once\/\"><\/div><script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png?w=750\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have a big gob. I often put my foot in it. When I was a teenager I worked, for a time, in Safeways. This time was characterised by complaints. One day I was on the till serving a member of staff who had just got off work. She noticed my WWJD band and asked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[312],"tags":[20,23,74,90,110,125,287],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7PoLK-Ew","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6241,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/serving\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":0},"title":"Serving","date":"13 August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As we get older can we say 'we have had a life of service\u2019, 'given a cup of kindness' or supported and encouraged someone? It brought it home to me, relating to one of the key events in my life, when we read about St. Paul going to Rome, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/CVM-50plus-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8235,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/red-white-or-a-tomato\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":1},"title":"Red, White or \u2026.  a Tomato?","date":"6 November 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Red or white? There has been a lot of debate about the colour of poppies this year. Not sure where you stand on this issue, especially on this 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, but I would like to throw something else into the mix: red, white or \u2026.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/marten-bjork-725296-unsplash-e1570782298541.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1575,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/friends-of-cvm\/minute\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":2},"title":"Minute","date":"6 July 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"It was only for an hour or so, and I was adamant that it would be productive. I really didn't see a problem. I didn't really need to be anywhere else. I get paid very little for what I do; nowhere near enough, frankly. The teachers look down on us\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Friends of CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/friends-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2949,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/reflections-from-olympic-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":3},"title":"Reflections from Olympic Park","date":"27 September 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Sitting in the stadium, on the middle Saturday night of the Olympics, soaking in the atmosphere with the sun setting and a kaleidoscope of colour decorating a fading blue sky. All of this just enhanced the atmosphere and experience for those who were there that night, for as the events\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/CVM-50plus-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7740,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/who-are-you-remembering-this-remembrance-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":4},"title":"Who are you remembering this Remembrance Day?","date":"8 November 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I am remembering Ian. Ian was a mate who I served with in the Royal Navy. Ian died on 25 May 1982 when HMS Coventry was bombed and sunk during the Falklands conflict. Ian was 21, Ian and I had been \u2018run ashore oppos\u2019 for a couple of years going\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Remembrance.png?fit=565%2C350&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8516,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/7-ways-jesus-showed-amazing-love-pt-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":2512,"position":5},"title":"7 Ways Jesus Showed Amazing Love [Pt 5\/7]","date":"25 June 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us. 5. Serving Jesus called them over and said,\u00a0\u201cYou know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/loveoneanother.jpg?fit=600%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2512"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5652,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512\/revisions\/5652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}