Go ahead and say it..... Now was that so hard?

Why is it that we have such a hard time expressing the way we feel sometimes?

This is what I thought about today while I was riding around on my lawn mower. It’s funny some of the things that I think about while I’m cutting grass. I hate to do it, but I do some good thinking while it’s going on. Anyway, so I’m riding around thinking that most of us, including myself, have a hard time saying the things that we want to say.

For example, how hard is it to tell someone about Jesus? How hard is it to invite someone to church? How hard is it to tell someone that they did a good job? Many of us have wanted to do one or all of these things, but for one reason or another we didn’t.

The thing that had most of my attention was this: “How hard is it to tell someone that you love them?” I know from experience that those three little words are some of the hardest to say. It’s easy for me to tell my girls that I love them, because they are little. Will I be able to continue saying it when they are big? I sure hope so. I plan on it. I tell my wife everyday that I love her, and I plan on continuing to do so.

It seems the ones that I have such a hard time telling are the ones outside of the four walls of my home. I have a mom and dad that I love with all of my heart, but for some reason I don’t tell them that I love them as often as I think I should. I also have a little sister. Growing up I think she always knew that I loved her, but I didn’t tell her. It just wasn’t the cool thing to do to go around telling your little sister that you loved her, but I should have done it anyway.

So I have decided that this is going to change. Next time I see the family I plan on telling them that I love them before we part ways. I can imagine that it might be a little difficult at first to express those feelings, but it will be worth it.

How about you? Do you have someone in your life that you have been holding back on telling them how you feel? You say, “They know that I love them.” This may be true, but I bet they would like to hear you say it every once in a while.

A friend of mine lost someone that was very dear to him a few years ago. This person’s death was totally unexpected, and way too soon. He said that if he learned one thing from the experience it was that you should never tell someone “goodbye” without also telling them that you love them. I’ve watched him live up to that since. I’m proud of him for doing so.

I don’t want to have regrets. I don’t want to stand at a casket of a loved one wondering if they really knew how much I loved them. How about you?

So, there it is. I hope these random thoughts have spoken to you in some way. It doesn’t seem right to write a blog about telling someone that you love them without mentioning that Jesus loves you. Jesus did what many are not willing to do. He proved His love to you by dying in your place. It takes a lot of love to give your life in exchange for someone else, but that is what He did. Jesus loves you.

To my wife, you are the love of my life. To my little girls, I love you more than life itself. To my family, know that I love you and I always will. (Next time we get together I’m going to tell you before I leave so don’t be shocked and think I want to borrow money or something.)