Profitable Table Conversation

Good morning,
Today I have been thinking about conversation. How is it with your family, is there plenty of convesation at the dinner table (you do eat at the dinner table don't you? That's another topic for later). At any rate, I'm wondering if you have pleasant conversation at meals?
When our young people were teens, it seemed some of the dinner conversations were less than pleasant and others were amazingly sweet. Sometimes we'd get on controversial subjects that led us down some unsightly paths. What can be done about this? Not all of these converstaions were unfruitful but how can you ensure that not all conversations are about controversial subjects?
I have one suggestion that comes in a little box, it's called: "Food for Talk." Julienne Smith put it together and it consists of cards that have family conversation starters on them. One set is made for the dinner table (breakfast or lunch table), another set is for travel and another for husband and wife.
In the travel deck one cards says: Describe your Perfect Day...Where would you go, who would you be with, and what would you do?
Another card says: What is the best advice you have ever heard or received? Wouldn't you like to know how your children or teens would answer these questions? You can learn a great deal about their likes and dislikes by answering these questions.
You can google: Food for Talk and get a package and try out the conversation starters. We have used these sets off and on and it has been a help!
Proverbs 15:23 "A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!"
Table conversations can be extremely helpful and encouraging and mother's can find tools to help make these conversations enlightening and meaningful. Don't let the negative tops continue for days but be ready to "change the subject." Being prepared is always good.

Chalk

Do you ever have a problem with ants during the spring or summer or perhaps early fall coming into your home? I've just been reading an article that says if you take a piece of chalk and draw a thick line around the area's perimeter with it, that it discourages the insects from entering. It's unclear exactly why this deters them; it may be the calcium carbonate in chalk or simply that ants don't like the feel of the particles underfoot...perhaps it throws off their direction because they can no longer feel the right path that they have been following that leads to their food and to life?
What path are you following? Is it a godly path well worn by others before you or are you being side lined by a layer of chalk someone put down to get you off the right path? Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." The Lord has a path for us to follow and it leads to life. It is a good practice to daily ask Him to direct our paths, so that we follow where He is leading.
We maybe challenged by chalk, by the ways of the world luring us to change directions. We may even fall for it and get off the path but thank the Lord for His grace and mercy! He is waiting for us to get back on the right path that leads to righteousness.
Today will you take a few moments to think of the path you are taking and ask yourself if the Lord Jesus is directing your path or have you been sidelined by the chalk of the world? Then will you correct the situation if it needs correcting, with the Lord's help?
His planned pathway is always best.