Mom Heart Moments #206

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God.

“WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER with kindness, gentleness, and respect.” This was one of the principles that our children heard and wrote down over and over again when they were young, so it would become a pathway in their brain, an ingrained way of behaving. We also came up with ideas over the years to help them practice taking initiative to extend words and actions of love towards people they cherished.

Once, we made a list of twenty friends who were special to our family. Together, we spent a whole day baking —cookies, bread, and cinnamon rolls. While we waited for the treats to bake, I provided doilies, markers, paper, ribbon, and glue to craft “I love you. I am so thankful you are my friend” and “I appreciate you and thank God for you” cards. Each was of the kids’ own making, and each child chose which friends to present his or her cards to.

Finally, we all gathered our plates of goodies, ribbon-ed and card-ed, placed them gingerly into the car, and were off. It took four hours to deliver them all to the homes of those we had chosen to give our words of love to, and it delighted and filled all of my precious ones with memories of how much a tiny thoughtful gift can mean to someone who needs to hear the words “I love you.”

These patterns we practiced are part of who my children perceive themselves to be now as adults —lovers of others. The habit of being thoughtful was a learned value, as we practiced it regularly.

The fruit of a soul that emanates love comes after that soul has been planted with seeds of intention that are then cultivated and watered with deeds of kindness.

How might you encourage your children to love someone intentionally and with effort today?