American VS. British English

Harry and I watched English Parents VS American Parents on our good friends Facebook page a few months ago and we were cracking up. It was spot on. It reminded us so much of us minus the whole baby thing because we haven't reached that phase of life yet. We've also watched Michael M making fun of American English years ago. Both of these videos prompted us to start making a list of the different words in our relationship. For those who don't know, Harry is from Kenya and I am from the Land of 10,000 Lakes so we have been in these situations numerous times before.

Stupid : Daft

Hood : Bonnet

Trunk : Boot

Crib : Cot

Horse Back Riding : Horse Riding

Bathroom : Loo
Ketchup : Tomato Sauce

Hoodie : Jumper

Swimsuit : Swimming Costume

Stroller : Pram

Semi : Lorry

Tired : Knackered

Sidewalk : Pavement

Crosswalk : Zebra Crossing

Shopping Cart : Trolley

Chips : Crisps 

Cookies : Biscuits 

Diapers : Nappies 

Chutes and Ladders : Snakes and Ladders

Yard : Compound

Waste Basket : Bin

Apartment : Flat 

Dresser : Chest of Drawers 

Eye Glasses : Glasses, Spectacles

Notepad : Foolscap

Vacation : Holiday

Candy : Sweets

Undies : Knickers

2- 0 : 2- nill

Mom : Mum

Line : Queue

Gas : Petrol

Corn : Maize 

License Plate : Number Plate

Period : Full Stop

Soccer : Football

Stove : Gas

Takeout : Takeaway

Blinker : Indicator

Snow Pants: Ski Suit

Call : Ring

Ibuprofen : Paracetamol 

Peptol : Actal 

Pen : Biro 

Eraser : Rubber

Closet : Wardrobe 

Pants : Trousers

Classes : Standards

Robe : Night Gown

Flash Light : Torch

Butt : Bum

Airplane : Aeroplane

Napkin : Serviette 

Cat : Pussy 

Rain Boots : Gum Boots 

Mad : Cross
Shovel : Spade
Fries : Chips
Middle School : Upper Primary
Burp : Belch
Flip Flops : Thongs
Goose Bumps : Goose Pimples

Words are Powerful

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

I was at the vet the other week with my dog. I overheard the veterinarian telling a girl my age that her dog may have heart failure. They took out a liter of fluid around the dog’s lungs and will call her with the other test results. I felt prompted to go over and comfort her so I stood up and immediately started bawling. I couldn't get my words out at first, but gave her a hug. As we sat there petting her dog, we talked a bit and I told her I was praying for her. Putting an animal down is never easy, but I hope I was able to comfort and brighten her day just a little bit!

Our words are powerful. We can use them to build each other up or tear a person down. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.” How will you use your words to build a person up today?

Speak Life

Ephesians 4:29 reads, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” On Toby Mac’s newest album, he wrote a song called, “Speak Life.” He based the song off a quote he read in Brennan Manning’s book, Abba Child. Brennan wrote, “Anyone we come in contact with we either offer them life or we drain them. There is no neutral exchange.” Toby Mac said, “That means that everyone I talk to, I have the opportunity to offer life to. Literally, I can speak life to people. My words can be used to turn someone’s life around, to encourage him or her, to be compassion, to be love.  

A month or two ago, I received a text from a friend who has been in California for nine months doing missionary work. In her text, she wrote, “Praying the verses in Colossians 1:2-14 over you tonight.” I grabbed my Bible and began reading those verses. Friends, I can’t even begin to tell you how meaningful that text was and how it changed my entire outlook on that evening. If her text brought me that much joy, I started to wonder, how my words might affect others lives. There are many ways we can speak life. We can mail an encouraging card, send a supportive text message or make a phone call to a friend or family member. Last week, I left a bottle of A&W root beer on a stressed out teacher’s desk with a note reading, “You’re an AW-some teacher.”

Words are powerful. They can build a person up or tear a person down. We have an opportunity to speak life in every conversation we have. I am working on being more intentional in speaking life to people not only face to face, but with the people I don’t see everyday let alone every week or month for that matter. I’m making a conscious decision to speak hope, speak love, and speak life. How will you use your words to speak life this week?