Love is Spoken Here

February 2008 - One of my favorite pictures

It is no secret that my kids have a hard time being patient with one another. My sleepy teenager staggered into the kitchen this morning. She was met by a wisecracking brother. Jonathan stuck his arm out to keep her from getting to her spot at the table. Fred was tired and didn’t feel good, so he reacted pretty harshly.

From the bathroom, where I was getting ready, I could hear wailing coming from Jonathan. He was beyond upset, gasping for air and frustrated by the injustice that he felt. Surely it was all Jessie’s fault that he got in trouble. He wailed, “She gets to act like a princess and I get in trouble all the time.” Of course, this isn’t true. They are equal offenders, and are equally disciplined for their offenses.

One of my favorite Primary songs is Love is Spoken Here.

I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.
I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.
Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,
And I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where ev’ry hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r,
With father and mother leading the way,
Teaching me how to trust and obey;
And the things they teach are crystal clear,
For love is spoken here.

I can often feel the Savior near
When love is spoken here.

I asked Jonathan if he remembered that song. Then I asked him what he wanted spoken in our home. Sobbing, he mumbled that he wanted love spoken in our home. Then he acknowledged that the Holy Ghost can only be felt in our home when love is spoken.

Those were the words that I wanted to hear, but will they ever truly sink in? I hope so!