2.19.2016

Love Letters

This week has been CRAZY.  I have no idea how many times my post was shared, but I can see how many times the page was viewed.  25,000+.  Ya'll. That's all God.  I'm sure for some bloggers that's a drop in the bucket, but I literally thought a few hundred people might read it.  I love to write, but had really been struggling to find my purpose for doing so.  Well.  I think I found it.

Today I wanted to share quickly how to start the journal together.  I thought I'd break it down into a few steps today and see where that goes.

Step 1: Buy a journal and a good pen.  I prefer the kind that are spiral bound.  I don't really know why...I just like way I can fold it all the way back.  I buy them at the TJ Maxx or Marshalls for $4 or $5.  Just yesterday I was in Marshalls and saw this cute one...



Step 2:  Find a starting point.   I like to write, so words come pretty easy to me.  I know that is not the case for a lot of people.  In fact, in my work with teachers, it's the one subject that even teachers skim over because none of us feel "good" at it.  If asked, most people consider themselves readers.  Most people do not consider themselves writers.  Writing for me is a conversation.  So when you think about this between you and your "person" think written conversation.  
I started our journal for our 10 year wedding anniversary.  I decided to start with a little about what our life was like at that moment so when I read it back in 50 years {God willing} I could remember.  I included our wedding vows in that first letter.  If you wrote your own vows, this is a great time to dig them out and rewrite them.  We did not write our own, but I think we would today.   

Step 3: Be specific.  I'm going to sound like a teacher here for a minute.  Don't just write "I love you", "You are a good husband/wife/boyfriend/partner/friend", "Thank you for all you do for me".  

Say that and then TELL THEM WHY.    Why do you love them?  What about them makes your stomach flip? What do they do that defines a good husband/wife/boyfriend/partner/friend in your mind?  What do they do that makes you feel loved?  NAME IT.  If you want them to keep doing it, name it.  Affirm it.  Do not make them infer what you mean by those things.  Be specific.     

Some of you are thinking at this point, "He/she doesn't do or say anything to make me feel loved."  In that case, you are going to have to remind them of why you fell in love with them in the first place.  What did they do?  When was a time you can remember when you felt completely in love with them, infatuated? Remind them.  

Step 4: Need inspiration?  Use a quote, a poem, a song {maybe "your song"}, a Bible verse.  I do this all the time when I blog because I read so much and I can't keep all the good stuff to myself.  Read other love letters.  Go to Pinterest and search love letters.  You will find more inspiration that you know what to do with.  

Step 5: Bleed first.  We had a sermon series a while back that spoke to being vulnerable and our pastor used this illustration.  This is what I did the other day.  I bled first.  And you know what?  It felt good and freeing and people went out of their way to say they appreciated the honesty.  Put yourself out there first.  What do you have to lose?  You aren't posting it to the internet for everybody to read!  Unless you're me.  lol  


I thought you might like to see the first love letter in our journal so here you go...



Leave me a comment if you think this is something you will do or if you'd like more post on journaling together!  

It has been a long amazing week here.  Lee has been out of town since Monday.  The kids were only tardy once and we only ate out once!  Success in my book. 

I have to give you a good laugh for this Friday.  Last night at dinner, at 8:00 because he had baseball, Tradd spilled ranch dressing down the front of his favorite sweatshirt.  I told him to throw it in the laundry room before he went to hop in the shower.  This morning he asks, "Mom, where's my Pirate sweatshirt?"  I said, "Tradd don't you remember you spilled the ranch all over it?"  To which he replied, "I thought you were going to wash it?"    To which I responded, "When was I suppose to do that?  After I got you in the bed and cleaned up from supper and made the lunches?"  

And here it comes....he said, "Well what time did you go to bed?"  I literally could not breath I was laughing at this kid so hard.  Time to teach somebody how to do their own laundry.  Happy Friday!  



2 comments :

  1. That is such a beautiful idea and a perfectly expressed letter. Congrats on your anniversary and God bless you and your growing family.
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    http://runwright.net

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