Have you said the words?

I started a post a few weeks ago. I never finished. I don't know if I ever will. It is one of those things that we have the best of intentions to finish but now it has lost its luster and my excitement for those particular words has gone.

I thought.

As I logged on today to check on other bloggers I noticed that one that was unfinished. Why had I started? Something made me start, something also made me not finish.
I quickly read through the little bit that I had managed to complete and realized why I hadn't finished. I wasn't ready. It wouldn't have been enough at the time. It was all timing.

So, here I am, almost a month later ready to finish. Rather, start over.

Here goes my second shot.

A month ago I attended the Lifelight Festival with my family and as some have come to call it, Framily. It was a great experience. One that took an entirely different meaning this year for me. The past Lifelights that I had attended were 95% for the music, 3% for the great food and maybe the other 2% for the worship and fellowship.

This year was different. I am not going to give percentages, but I feel if you know me you can probably do the math. Might I also add that I didn't have any boughten food this year.

Also, if you look at the picture posted with this blog you can see the main reason this year took on a whole new meaning.

LOVE!

We heard about it all weekend. Story after story of how love can conquer so many things. Last year for more than a month I posted on a different format daily. Almost every time it was ended with "Love to all". I meant it!

It's not a word that in the past I have used very freely. More reserved for those within my very tight circle and even then used very sparingly. Even my own step-father wasn't privileged enough to hear those words for many years. I felt that if I told him I loved him that it would take something away from my dad, Larry. How wrong I was.

"Standing" at Lifelight this year, thinking back one year and looking around me got me thinking. Real Hard.

What is Love? Why have I been so tight with the word?

Today is the fifth birthday of the little man that truly taught me what the word LOVE is all about and why it shouldn't be kept in. It needs to be shared and it needs to be heard.

It's a word that in the past 13 months has come from my mouth, and more so from my heart, more than ever.

It has also been truly felt by me.

It is not always easy to tell someone you have only known for a short time that you Love them but it sure feels good. For that matter it isn't easy to tell someone you have known for a lifetime that you Love them, but it sure feels great.

It can be a little intimidating to look at 475 pound man and say those words, but when the giant says them back it can make your day.

The words might not come as easy as one would want them to, or they might not feel as comfortable the first few times they appear.

But it is worth it.

Look at the picture above again. It was the Love I saw and felt when I looked right next to me at Lifelight. That is the love of a mom holding a son that means the world to her. The love in that picture is indescribable.

Can you see the LOVE?!?

Have you told the people you need to that you Love them?

Please do so!

Stop holding onto the words that can change someones life!