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Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words.
Psalm 64:3 (NKJV)

Picture this. Carrying a bow and some arrows, you walk into a room full of people. You then start shooting arrows all over the room. Some of those arrows hit the wall. Some hit the furniture. But some hit the other people. You look over to see one of those arrows sticking out of the chest of your spouse. You cry out that you didn’t mean to. You were just shooting around and weren’t planning on hitting anyone. But you did. And now they’re badly hurt. That arrow is out there and you can’t bring it back.

Your words can be like those arrows in that they can be devastating. People are hurt by words that are thoughtlessly spoken as much as words that are said with the intent to harm. And like those arrows, you can’t take them back. They’re already out there. Those wounds can take a long time to heal. Many people are still hurting from words that were said years earlier.

And even worse, many are silently suffering from things said by their husband or wife.

Your mouth is NOT a weapon. So don’t use it as one.

Is your spouse walking around with an arrow sticking out of them? An arrow that YOU shot?

Whether you meant to or not, those words hurt.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

It’s said of a person who can come up with a quick remark to something someone else said that they are quick witted. In actuality, that would really be slow witted. They would be quick mouthed, but their mind hasn’t thought quickly enough about the pain they may cause if they shoot off their mouth. Many people are hurt while someone is trying to be smart or funny. Make sure your quick remarks aren’t tearing others down.

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath
James 1:19 (NKJV)

Start taking time to think about what you are going to say to your spouse…and other people for that matter. Consider what negative affect your words may have on that person. Is what you are about to say something that you would want someone to say to you?

Remember you can’t take those arrows back.

Posted by JOn.G Da Don at 12:54 PM | 0 comments  

Labels: marriage

Posted by JOn.G Da Don at 4:55 PM | 0 comments  

Labels: nba, sports

(via NorthJersey.com)

A truce between the Meadowlands’ Izod Center and the Prudential Center in Newark appears to be imminent — and if the deal is signed, it could have the Nets moving to Newark next fall for two seasons (or more) and the Izod Center becoming the long-term concert and family show mecca for North Jersey.
Carl Goldberg, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, and Jerry Zaro — Governor Corzine’s economic czar — confirmed Thursday that they have been meeting for four months, at Corzine’s insistence, with Devils chief owner Jeff Vanderbeek to complete such a deal.

Those talks also have included Nets chief executive Brett Yormark in recent weeks.

Zaro said détente between the arenas is critical.

“You can’t have two venues that close together fighting each other and have that be productive for the state,” Zaro said. “The governor recognized that this was going to be a festering wound.

“I think this deal works for the Devils in terms of getting another tenant, if it comes to pass,” Zaro added. “It works for the Nets, and it works for Izod, because it’s incontestable how well they stage family events and concerts.”
Goldberg said the key was ensuring that both facilities could be economically viable — something that was in question at both sites, in part because competition for events allowed promoters to play one arena off against the other.

A foreshadowing of the deal came Tuesday night at the Prudential Center, where Nets officials talked up the merits of “The Rock” in light of a crowd of more than 15,000 for a preseason basketball game against the Knicks. The Nets previously have focused all their long-term franchise discussion on their intended move to Brooklyn by the 2011-12 season.

On Tuesday, however, those same officials — including Yormark — raved about the energy and size of the crowds for the two preseason games in Newark, as well as the value of playing at a site with extensive mass transportation connections — even though a significant portion of both crowds either got in free or paid only $10 for a ticket.

The Nets’ franchise is in a critical moment in its history. The team needs to win a ruling in the New York State Court of Appeals next month and sell at least $600 million in bonds for Barclays Center construction, while also breaking ground in Brooklyn before year’s end — when a crucial Internal Revenue Service tax loophole will expire. Failing any of the three, the Nets’ tentative transfer of ownership to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov would be off, and the franchise could be up for sale to the highest bidder nationwide.

If the Nets fail to move to Brooklyn, the franchise may be more attractive to local bidders if a deal to move to Newark already is in place.

Zaro said that because there are so many “moving parts,” it would be difficult for the agreement to be signed before the gubernatorial election on Nov. 3. But he called the deal “non-political,” suggesting that even a new administration would find reason to be supportive.

“They say there’s no Republican or Democratic way to pick up garbage,” Zaro said. “Well, since this is beneficial to all parties, I can’t imagine why partisanship would get in the way here.”

Chris Christie, the Republican challenger who polls suggest is in a dead heat with Corzine, told The Record’s Editorial Board earlier this month that it was important to keep the Nets in New Jersey. But he did not express a preference for either of the two arenas.

The sports authority is entitled to a penalty payment of $7.5 million from the Nets if the club moves to Newark, as a result of lease renegotiations in 2006. The fee is expected to be waived as part of the deal — a move that could be palatable to board members as part of a deal to ensure the long-term fate of Izod.

Plan's outline
These are the key points in a tentative deal reached between Prudential Center, Izod Center, the Devils and the Nets via negotiations with Governor Corzine’s office, based on a memo by administration economics czar Jerry Zaro obtained by The Record:

*The two arenas would enter into a joint venture called “Jersey Presents LLC,” which would operate cooperatively to book, operate and manage concerts and family shows.
*Izod Center would be home to most of those events.
*Prudential Center would become the “sports venue,” with the Devils, Seton Hall, indoor soccer, lacrosse, etc.
*The Nets would “consider” an agreement to move to Prudential Center, beginning next season and continuing until their move to Brooklyn.
*The Devils would agree to pay more than $2 million in back rent to Newark — money that has been withheld pending a settlement of alleged penalties the city owes to the Devils.

More info on deal ALSO on NJ.com

Posted by JOn.G Da Don at 10:39 AM | 0 comments  

Labels: nba, newark, sports

(via NJ.com)
Newark Mayor Cory Booker got a ton of free publicity, a trip to Los Angeles and a sizable donation to his favorite charity as a result of his weeks-long comic feud with "Tonight Show" host Conan O’Brien.
"You played this thing beautifully!" O’Brien joked mid-way through Booker’s Friday appearance on "Tonight."The "feud" started last month, when Conan joked in his monologue that "The mayor of Newark, New Jersey wants to set up a city-wide program to improve residents’ health. The health care program would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark."
Booker responded quickly with a rebuttal on YouTube banning Conan from Newark Liberty International Airport, and the two went back and forth for several weeks until Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked both men to get together and make their peace.
When Conan asked why Booker chose to go after him, out of all the comedians who have ever told jokes about Newark, Booker joked his political director had taught him, "When a herd is coming at you, you have to go after the weakest gazelle." He then admitted that he’s a big Conan fan, and that it hurt to hear one of his favorite comedians making fun of his city.
Attempting to make peace, Conan introduced an oversized Newark Joke Jar, in which he can insert $500 whenever he makes a joke about Newark.
"You can rest assured that the money’s safe because the jar isn’t in Newark!" he cracked, before immediately going to dump cash in the oversized Jar.
After the commercial break, things got more serious, as Booker got a chance to discuss many of his crime reduction initiatives in Newark, and Conan concluded by donating, with the help of NBC, $100,000 to Booker’s Newark Now charity.
"I just want to say one thing," Conan said: "It was one joke, and man was it expensive!"

Posted by JOn.G Da Don at 12:40 PM | 0 comments  

Labels: newark, tv

(via NJ.COM)

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who has garnered national attention for his passionate defense of New Jersey's largest crime-plagued city, is taking his act to airwaves.

Host Conan O'Brien, who has been engaged in a playful feud with Booker since Sept. 23, has booked Booker to appear on his Oct. 16 show.

The exchange began when O'Brien poked fun at Booker's new health care plan for gritty Newark — long an icon for urban decay — saying it consisted of a bus ticket out of town.

Booker fought back with a humorous response on the YouTube video Web site in which he "banned" the 46-year-old redhead from Newark Liberty Airport.

Posted by JOn.G Da Don at 3:21 PM | 0 comments  

Labels: tv