y Blue and Gold Macaw, Pepper, screams a loud jungle scream when she sees a dog go by or sees anything she perceives as dangerous. Thank goodness she reserves this alarm only when she truly feels threatened - because it is quite ear shattering. To comfort her, I tell her that it is OK and that she is inside where nothing can harm her.

When Pepper shrieks her fearful call, our Timneh African Grey parrot, Deuce, has learned to use words to comfort her. He tells her, "It's OK. Don't be scared," in his little cartoon voice.

My Red Fronted Macaw, Ace, tattles on Pepper when she climbs off of her cage and gets into things. When I hear my Red Front saying, "No Pepper. Don't. Stop it," then I know I better go see what she is doing.

As by now you probably realize, my husband and I share our home with three parrots. They are highly intelligent and entertain us with their antics. They are also unique in the animal kingdom because they can talk.

Research indicates that parrots can speak because of tongue movements that are specific to them. Animal experts used to say parrots could only mimic sound, but now most agree parrots are aware of what they say, at least some of the time. Actually, I think they use cognizant speech and mimic, too.

It is rare that they don't say "Night, night" to me when I cover their cages for the night.

It never fails to make me laugh, too, when all three of them engage in a laughing session.

Their words can be amusing, soothing, act as a warning, or just be background noise.

It is really no different from our human use of words. But as the Bible states in the third chapter of James, our tongues can be powerful weapons. The tongue is only a small part of the body, but it can do some major damage if we do not tame it.

Just one word spoken thoughtlessly can tear at the fabric of a relationship. Taming our tongues is one of the most difficult tasks we will encounter. There can be a lurid satisfaction in just spewing whatever is on the tip of one's tongue, but the ramifications of this can be long lasting, if not permanent.

Usually when we give in to our tongues, this satisfaction is very short lived, and regret is almost instant. Once we speak words, we can never take them back. It is easy to say, "I'm sorry," - but the damage is already done.

On the other hand, our words can be a balm to those needing comfort or encouragement. Choosing words carefully and wisely can be the best gift you can give to a hurting person.

When I watch my parrots play and listen to their speech, I am reminded of how greatly tongues affect us. A simple laugh or a cheery "hello" from one of my birds can put me in a better mood almost instantly. My goal is to be as wise as they are.

James 3:5-6, 8-10: Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ...but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.