Love! It's a powerful word.

I believe in the power of words.  The bible tells us that words can bring life or death.  Words can pierce the heart leaving a stinch of bitterness or lift the heart up like never before.  Words can give life. 

I want to pour life and goodness into my children's souls.  I have had this thought etched in my mind and heart this year.  Pour life into your kids!  Pour life into them!  What an easy word to say, but so difficult to do.  How many times do I lose my patience and instead show them harshness and essentially, death.  My unkind words do not speak life into them.  So, I will again and again choose to speak life into them.  When I mess up, I will ask for their forgiveness because they know Mommy isn't perfect.  Oh, how they know that! 

This year for Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something for each of our children that will let them know with our words how we love them.  They need to hear specific things that we love about them, not to puff them up, but to encourage their souls.  This wasn't fancy.  I cut out a heart from construction paper.  On one side, I wrote a few of the things that I love about them.  And, I tried to make it short and sweet, and understandable for them.  On the other side, their daddy wrote things that he loves about them.  Tonight, we were writing these and Lance said, "I forgot to tell Ella that she's beautiful."  I reminded him that I had written that, had it covered..."No, she needs to hear it from her daddy", he said.  So, he found a way to squeeze that on there. :)...Words can give life.  Our 20 month old, Ella Kate, will hear that she's beautiful. 

We will also share with them who is the giver of love, God our Heavenly Father.  We love only because He first loved us. 

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son.  Whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life."