Words of affirmation

Before the first lemudim camp in 2013
We were invited to reflect on our gifts.
Brian kept my application
And read it back to me
on our wedding day in California.
In it I articulated without apology
My joy and gift of encouraging others.
That was my introspection at 18.

In my mid twenties I was reluctant to admit it
Because it didn’t make sense.
I was not showered with words of affirmation as a kid.
On the contrary.
But my parents always spoke the Truth in kindness.
And they did give me precious gifts of encouragement
Never watered down. But only the purest insights.

Conrad thinks I’m weird that
I enjoy reading the Bible so much.
His love language is quality time and gifts.
And physical touch.

This year Conrad bought the book about
God’s speaking our love languages.
And this fresh perspective changed everything.

Conrad spends quality time in nature with God
And admires the wild flowers, the mountains.
He often takes off his gloves
and gives them to a person in need on the street.
He is a great gift giver.
Insightful, specific, generous.
And he also receives abundant and lavish gifts from God
His family always says he is sprinkled with faith and fairy dust
He attracts good gifts from God.
Or he just has eyes to see God’s gifts as gifts.

We are not serial offerers of love
But as we remain grounded into the rich soil of God
We learn to express our love in specific contexts.

So I decided to open my ears wide
To listen to God speaking to me
And then open my mouth and not waste opportunities
To share love.
As an introvert it’s so easy to be silent.
Therein lies the tension.

Maybe 2021 will be my year expressed in poems
Enriched by the quality time
spent reading God’s Words of affirmation.