I grew up in a home and church that did not observe the Lent season. Easter was a fun and festive day of worship, a delicious meal, Easter egg hunting and family photos with my cousins in our new “Easter outfits,” but I honestly hadn’t given much thought to Lent until several years ago when our pastor introduced it as a season to be observed and celebrated. I didn’t have a context…
“Please secure your own oxygen mask first.” Virtually every time I hear a flight attendant voice those words, I have one thought: Could any piece of advice be harder for a Mom to follow? As intentional Moms, our first inclination is to care for others. So what happens when Mommas care and care and care for everyone else, without first breathing in the help they need?
Who comes to mind when you hear the words “toxic person?” Is it your friend from college, your mom, your brother-in-law, a coworker? I bet your shoulders feel a little bit tenser and your blood pressure a little bit higher just thinking about them. Take a deep breath. And another. You’re going to need it. This is not a how-to about breaking up with friends and family members. Unlike conventional wisdom, we’re going to talk about loving your person well.
In February, on the Council Road Women blog we are chatting about several different ways we can show love. Of course we talk about the love that naturally come to mind, like our spouse, but we are also looking at ways to show love to some of the most vulnerable around us. When I think of loving the vulnerable, my friend, Carisa Wilsie immediately comes to mind.
Before you decide what to do with your significant other this Valentine’s Day, my advice to you would be to learn your person’s love language. Yes, it is helpful to know their Enneagram, their Myers-Briggs, and any other personality test you may like. However, speaking a person’s love language is the way to their heart and you have plenty of time…
