As I have been raising my children, one of the things that has been very important to me is that they know they are precious and that they are loved. As soon as they were born my husband and I began whispering "I love you! You're precious!" in their ears. As a result of that, as soon as they could talk, they began to express to us that they loved us as well. I can still hear Caleb at age 2, yelling from his crib, "I yuv you, you're peppie!" It was sooooo wonderful to start hearing that from them when they were little, and I love to hear those words even to this day! I still tell them several times a day that I love them and they are precious.
They need to hear it.
I need to hear it.
When my son was first learning to write he secretly got out several sheets of red construction paper, ripped them up into little pieces, and wrote "I love you" on each piece of paper. Then he hid them all over the house...In the freezer, in our drawers, under pillows. I still find little red pieces of paper! I want to save each one.
I don't think there are many parents out there that haven't covered their refrigerator with notes and pictures that their children have given them. There is just something about the expression of love from your own child!
I have always loved to cuddle with my kids. When my son was about two years old he went through a time when I referred to him as the "energizer bunny"! If you picked him up his legs kept moving! He never stopped! It was during those days that he didn't want to cuddle as much. When I would hold him he would squirm to get off my lap. I longed for him to sit in my lap for awhile.
God has often brought these memories to mind as I ask Him how I can love Him "better". These simple pictures of the parent/child relationship have helped me see a glimpse into the heart of God my Father. If I love and long for an expression of love from my children, how much more must He long for that from His children. It is comforting to know that I don't have to do or say anything complicated. Just like those simple words "I love you, you're precious" make my day, I can express those same simple words to God. I can write it on little pieces of paper and spread them all over the place!
...And I can make sure that when I am "sitting on His lap" that I am not in a hurry and squirming to get down!!!
When my son was first learning to write he secretly got out several sheets of red construction paper, ripped them up into little pieces, and wrote "I love you" on each piece of paper. Then he hid them all over the house...In the freezer, in our drawers, under pillows. I still find little red pieces of paper! I want to save each one.
I don't think there are many parents out there that haven't covered their refrigerator with notes and pictures that their children have given them. There is just something about the expression of love from your own child!
I have always loved to cuddle with my kids. When my son was about two years old he went through a time when I referred to him as the "energizer bunny"! If you picked him up his legs kept moving! He never stopped! It was during those days that he didn't want to cuddle as much. When I would hold him he would squirm to get off my lap. I longed for him to sit in my lap for awhile.
God has often brought these memories to mind as I ask Him how I can love Him "better". These simple pictures of the parent/child relationship have helped me see a glimpse into the heart of God my Father. If I love and long for an expression of love from my children, how much more must He long for that from His children. It is comforting to know that I don't have to do or say anything complicated. Just like those simple words "I love you, you're precious" make my day, I can express those same simple words to God. I can write it on little pieces of paper and spread them all over the place!
...And I can make sure that when I am "sitting on His lap" that I am not in a hurry and squirming to get down!!!
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4 COMMENTS:
Gina,
I am so glad a friend had your blog on her list. You encourage me and inspire me.
Hugs
mel
I just found you recently and I want you to know what a lovely fragrance your words are.
Thank you for sharing from your heart.
I still long to climb up into His lap. If I miss a day or two, the desire increases even more.
What a sweet reminder of how He sees His time with me too!
Thanks Gina
What simple & beautiful words...I never thought of it that way.
I say the same things to my kids, lots of times every day. But for me to go to my Father & say those things to him like my kids do to me? It just never occured to me!
I love that you call them precious...that's my hubby's nickname for me :)
And at bedtime every night he says to each of our children "I love you so much and I always will. But Jesus loves you perfectly & He always will." Our daughter whispers that to her dolls when she puts them to bed sometimes...so sweet!
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