Dear Cathy,<P>I have been having some mean conversation in my thoughts too today: funny you should post this mail. I keep praying on top of them and trying not to dwell in them.<P>They are like little serpents biting you at the ankles - it's a temptation to dwell in the land of vicious comebacks (or worse). Say Jesus' name when it happens. Ask Him to purify your heart. You do have to literally swat those thoughts away or the little serpents get their venom into you. If you dwell even a little bit with fantasy ideas or mean conversations, the attacks get worse and worse.<P>I am not perfect at it but I have realized that these attacks leave me after a day or so if I literally push away the thoughts and try to pray on top of them.<P>Jesus, Cathy is humble enough to realize she needs help fighting these nasty temptations. So do I, Lord. Please help us both and all those who read this to drive away the temptations by invoking Your Most Holy Name. <P>Lord, Jesus Christ, please purify our hearts so that our thoughts and words can be clean as well. Our mean thoughts are our protection because of our hurt but you want us to be hurt and not angry, meek and forgiving like you. Lord, we can't really do it without Your intervention. Please purify us so that the Holy Spirit can dwell within us. We don't want even one snake to get his venom into us. I ask this through the Name of all names, Jesus Christ, my Lord, my Savior, my God. All praise, glory and honor to You, Almighty God, Creator and Father, Savior and Son, Holy Spirit. Amen.<P>
