Please Tell Me If My Breath Stinks...

Why don't people mention the "elephant" in the room? Is it propriety? Is it out of fear of hurting someone's feelings? Is it not to look or sound stupid? My breath stinks...why won't anyone tell me? It stunk really bad tonight...really bad. I ate the onion onion dip at the Tastefully Simple party I went to tonight. I could have easily curled my own hair with my breath. There was a haze in the room..some say it was from candles burning, I say it was my breath following the onion onion dip. So did I buy some? Of course I did. Nine dollars worth. It's not just any dip that can cause small continents to rip apart...or your insides for that matter. Of course, all of that being said, I knew my breath stunk. Heck, I could smell it myself, that's impressive. But everyone was too nice to tell me. I bet they talked about it when I left though...

But I digress. I really wanted to blog about the social aspect of a hug. I have to say, I wouldn't blame anyone for not hugging me tonight, after all, green vapors were oozing from my mouth. But what are the social rules to hugging? Is it a long time friendship? Is it the approachable or non approachable huggableness (I swear that is really a word...I think) of the person? Every time a friend or acquaintance of mine makes a move to hug me, it's like they take a second thought to it and back up, or look the other way. I promise, I do not eat onion onion dip all the time! I don't think I have an approachable huggableness...that makes me slightly sad. At the same time, I have to recall the first time I met my husband's aunt, we'll call her Agnes. She took one look at me and kissed me on the lips. Yep, right smack dap in the middle of my mouth. Come to find out, all of his Mom's family follows this oddly uncomfortable practice. It's like a rite of passage with the Byrums...really, it is. So I've come to the conclusion that either I am kissable and not huggable, or some of my family is just very friendly and outgoing, while some of my family and friends are a little more reserved. I'll opt for that, since I don't like to think I'm not huggable...I mean, really, I'm a pleasantly plump, heck, a chubby chick with lots to love...very squeezable I think!

All this being said...I wonder why some people have no problem telling others that they are going to hell...while others treat it like the "elephant" in the room. Ignorance can be plead for part of it. I mean, really, not everyone realizes there really is a Hell or if they do, they don't realize people actually go to it...not people they know anyway. It's like Paul's family that don't hesitate to kiss one another square on the smacker...some people will tell you straight up, Hell is real and if you don't have the relationship with Jesus that you need, you're going. Of course, I suppose some folks wouldn't take too kindly to that...so one might need to approach it a little more gracefully...more like a peck on the cheek...but then there's some that approach it like Ellen Griswold does when Cousin Eddie tries to kiss her...she avoids it all together. I guess there needs to be a happy medium, but avoiding it altogether is a big no no. One day, we will stand before God and He will point out every opportunity we had to lead someone to Christ or to witness for Him...and then He'll examine how we handled it. Did we hit the subject head on? Did we dance around it? Did we avoid it altogether ... ignore it like the elephant in the room? Obviously every situation can't be handled the same...but to completely ignore another person's eternity...that's one we as Christ followers will answer for one day.

I know I've missed opportunities...I regret that. I pray that the next opportunity I get, I'll know it, I'll sense it through the Holy Spirit and I'll have the confidence in Him to jump in and tell them they have onion onion breath, kiss em smack on the mouth, tell them about Christ's love and sacrifice for them. I'll pray the same for you :)