The convenience of speedy electronic mail delivery has put new strains on personal communication. Words quickly typed on a keyboard and fired off into cyberspace can be easily misunderstood. The reader will more than likely be in a different setting, experiencing an entirely different set of circumstances. He or she may be from a different national or business culture. They will read that E-Mail message without any clues of the sender's tone of voice or facial expressions. There are no signals such as those often expressed in body language to help you discern the communicator's intentions.

A shorthand version of expressing moods emerged on the Internet, called 'emoticons' or 'smileys'. Supposedly this new form of keyboard hieroglyphics reduces potential for misunderstanding by inserting symbols composed of punctuation marks that will let readers know what we are feeling. It makes you wonder what future anthropologists will have to say about these peculiar primitive cartoon symbols that appeared on documents at the end of the twentieth century.

By the use of this shorthand 'mood language' the writer clues you in on the particular feelings behind their written text. You now know whether they are:

   happy
   or sad
   or just kidding, notice the wink.
   Having a bad hair day
or whether their mouth is agape and their hair is standing on end in absolute shock.

      More speedy mood communication demands that you eliminate the noses, of course. I am now
   or      or   

There are some more blunt emoticons:
 Put your money where your mouth is , or if you are a more sophisticated emoticon collector, you might want to have a smiley by Pablo Picasso.

All of this only highlights the importance of the face in our communication. By looking at the face you can tell whether a person is delighted, suspicious, confused, approving or disapproving. Are the eyes sparkling with joy, or are they squinting skeptically? The eyes are called 'the windows to the heart'. They can be very telling.

What about our relationship with God? The Scriptures remind us to seek His face. "My heart says of you, 'Seek his face! Your face, LORD, I will seek..'" (Psalms 27:8 NIV). Unlike zapping off a quick E-Mail, seeking God's face involves time. It means that we exercise our spirit as well as our minds in prayer. We develop our spiritual sensitivities. As we commune with God personally, we trust that He will not just reveal His text, but He will show us His face.

May you know the Father's smile,