Do you love me?
I remember before my children even took a breath of Earth's oxygen--telling them I loved them. I would rub my swollen belly and talk to them. I would tell them stories of how much they were already loved.
Most mothers feel this way about their children. Love for our children is something God roots deep into the fabric of our souls.
However, somewhere along the way, we have the tendency to quit speaking this love over them. We think it, but we do not say it.
The older our children get, we decide that they already know how loved and cherished they are.
Or maybe, we just aren't affectionate by nature. Kind words are not easy for us to summon up, even if we feel them.
Our children need to hear those words. Over and over and over and over.
We need to take their little faces in our hands, lift their little chins and say, "Do you know how much I love you?'
Or maybe if are children are grown and taller than us, reach up to their little chin and point it down to our eyes and say, "Do you still know how much I love you?"
Words are powerful. God's Word tells us over and over the power of the spoken word.
The book of Proverbs teaches us point blank and bold that our tongues have the power of life and death.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
What is our tongue saying to our beloved children?
What are our children hearing when we speak?
Listen, we will never be perfect parents. Ever.
We will have regrets, and probably many.
However, God's word says in 1 Peter 4:8 that "love covers a multitude of sins."
And all the momma's in the house said AMEN.
What would your child say when asked the question, "Does your mother love you?"
Have they been told enough to know. Have they been held and hugged and kissed on their little foreheads enough to believe that we really really do love them.
We learn this so well from Jesus.
Jesus was tender. He loved. And loved well.
He touched. Touch often brought the healing. Isn't that something to ponder?
Maybe you were not brought up in a home with affection. It doesn't come easy for you.
It's okay. Let's do it anyway.
Let's do it awkwardly if we must.
Our children need to see us, feel us, hear us.
Our children really won't remember a lot of things that we think are important.
Like, how clean our floors were. Or that all the laundry was perfectly ironed and folded. (NEVER going to happen)
What they will remember is how loved they felt.
Speak it over and over and over.
Have you noticed in the Bible that God often repeats Himself when He wants to get a point across?God knows we need to remember and to know and to believe what He is telling us.
It is the same with our kids. Tell them. Over and over. Pretty soon they will remember, know, and believe it.
They will roll their eyes when the teenage years hit, and say back to you, "I KNOW."
Keep telling them anyway. Those are the years that they especially need to hear it from us.
Years ago my nephew (very young at the time) spent the night with us. I overheard him tell my son, "Your mom loves me soooo much. It's almost weird."
I giggled when I heard it from the other room.
Something struck deep when he said those words to my son.
Yes. Yes. Yes. I thought to myself.
That's it.
He knows without a shadow of a doubt, he is loved. (even if he thinks I'm weird!)
Momma's, we cannot let another moment go by without telling our kids we love them.
Yes, actions are good, but words are POWERFUL. They stick to our bones.
When actions are combined with words, it is the absolute perfect storm of love.
Our kids will never be too old to hear us say we love them. Never.
Ask any adult that had a parent who never said those words....they have deep scars.
Let's speak the words, "I love you", over and over and over into their listening ears.
Make them get tired of hearing you say it.
Draw them close, big or small, and let them feel your arms wrapped around them. Kiss their foreheads and tell them how loved they are.
We will never be perfect. However, my prayer and hope is that our children know despite all of our shortcomings, we love them fiercely.
becoming a broken record of I love you's,
jill
Most mothers feel this way about their children. Love for our children is something God roots deep into the fabric of our souls.
However, somewhere along the way, we have the tendency to quit speaking this love over them. We think it, but we do not say it.
The older our children get, we decide that they already know how loved and cherished they are.
Or maybe, we just aren't affectionate by nature. Kind words are not easy for us to summon up, even if we feel them.
Our children need to hear those words. Over and over and over and over.
We need to take their little faces in our hands, lift their little chins and say, "Do you know how much I love you?'
Or maybe if are children are grown and taller than us, reach up to their little chin and point it down to our eyes and say, "Do you still know how much I love you?"
Words are powerful. God's Word tells us over and over the power of the spoken word.
The book of Proverbs teaches us point blank and bold that our tongues have the power of life and death.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
What is our tongue saying to our beloved children?
What are our children hearing when we speak?
Listen, we will never be perfect parents. Ever.
We will have regrets, and probably many.
However, God's word says in 1 Peter 4:8 that "love covers a multitude of sins."
And all the momma's in the house said AMEN.
What would your child say when asked the question, "Does your mother love you?"
Have they been told enough to know. Have they been held and hugged and kissed on their little foreheads enough to believe that we really really do love them.
We learn this so well from Jesus.
Jesus was tender. He loved. And loved well.
He touched. Touch often brought the healing. Isn't that something to ponder?
Maybe you were not brought up in a home with affection. It doesn't come easy for you.
It's okay. Let's do it anyway.
Let's do it awkwardly if we must.
Our children need to see us, feel us, hear us.
Our children really won't remember a lot of things that we think are important.
Like, how clean our floors were. Or that all the laundry was perfectly ironed and folded. (NEVER going to happen)
What they will remember is how loved they felt.
Speak it over and over and over.
Have you noticed in the Bible that God often repeats Himself when He wants to get a point across?God knows we need to remember and to know and to believe what He is telling us.
It is the same with our kids. Tell them. Over and over. Pretty soon they will remember, know, and believe it.
They will roll their eyes when the teenage years hit, and say back to you, "I KNOW."
Keep telling them anyway. Those are the years that they especially need to hear it from us.
Years ago my nephew (very young at the time) spent the night with us. I overheard him tell my son, "Your mom loves me soooo much. It's almost weird."
I giggled when I heard it from the other room.
Something struck deep when he said those words to my son.
Yes. Yes. Yes. I thought to myself.
That's it.
He knows without a shadow of a doubt, he is loved. (even if he thinks I'm weird!)
Momma's, we cannot let another moment go by without telling our kids we love them.
Yes, actions are good, but words are POWERFUL. They stick to our bones.
When actions are combined with words, it is the absolute perfect storm of love.
Our kids will never be too old to hear us say we love them. Never.
Ask any adult that had a parent who never said those words....they have deep scars.
Let's speak the words, "I love you", over and over and over into their listening ears.
Make them get tired of hearing you say it.
Draw them close, big or small, and let them feel your arms wrapped around them. Kiss their foreheads and tell them how loved they are.
We will never be perfect. However, my prayer and hope is that our children know despite all of our shortcomings, we love them fiercely.
becoming a broken record of I love you's,
jill
