Originally published Thursday, 14 February 2013.
Ahh Valentine’s Day. We meet again.
I’ve got this love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day this year. Because wouldn’t you know, I just gave up sugar {again}. And what is Valentine’s Day without some chocolate? :)
Nevertheless, I will still love this day because it helps me remember the people I need to love well {all year long}.
But especially today, I’ve got my 3-girl crew on my heart...
Sometimes I struggle to know how to love these 3 girls well.
I do the standard “I love you” in the mornings before school and before they go to bed but lately, I’ve felt a stretching on my heart to love them {well}.
So to help celebrate this day of love I’m thinking through 14 ways I’m learning to love my daughters well. And if you’ve got a special girl, or two, or three :) in your life, maybe these ideas will inspire us together.
1. Invest time each day to pray for her.
2. Speak life into her mistakes.
3. Get a new bottle of nail polish and paint your toenails together.
4. Ask her a million questions. [Yes, she’ll roll her eyes and act like you are driving her crazy but she needs this.]
5. Use encouraging words often.
6. Have an awareness of how quickly time is passing. [You’ll put down the phone more, clear your schedule more and take in the moments that are so simple.]
7. Ask her opinion.
8. Help her be creative.
9. Let her find her own rhythm.
[This is how my youngest daughter went to school yesterday. I started to stop her but then… I just let her go. She’s finding her style, and I kind of like it. :)]
10. Tell her your proud of her every chance you get.
11. Defend her when she needs you to, but step back when she’s got it covered.
12. Teach her how important responsibility is.
13. Show her what friendship is about.
[Invite her friends over often, drive them places. Help her work through conflicts and see the best in her friends.]
14. Thank God for her… every day.
What are some ways you can think of to love our daughters [or sons] better than ever in 2013? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comment section today.
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