I promise that this will be the last post about the power of words for a while…a week or so anyway. Many will recognize “Love is Spoken Here” as the name of a children’s song, an especially moving one when sung with the sweet and beautiful voices of the little ones.
A few months ago, I heard a young woman singing it on Steffie Lynn’s blog, and I was captivated. I listened to it several times before finally downloading it to my desktop so that I could enjoy it as often as I wanted to without having to log on to the internet. Yep, it’s that good.
During this time period, I was visiting my niece Katherine and noticed that she had the words “Great is Thy Faithfulness” written (painted?) above a window in her dining room. It looked so perfect, so right, that I had to get all the details about how she did it. It was easy. Katherine went to a local art shop and simply placed an order for the words and picked up the decal a week later. The words look like script that someone painstakingly painted on her wall, but actually someone made a decal for her that she applied to the surface. Copycat that I am, I quickly followed Katherine’s example but used my own words: “Love is Spoken Here.” Those words are now above the archway in my dining room that faces the living room/family room, and it’s amazing what an impact they have had on us.
Whenever anyone is tempted to gossip, speak sarcastically, lash out in anger, or speak hurtful words, that little reminder stops him or her. During the Christmas holidays, it wasn’t unusual to have someone point to the words to remind me that perhaps I needed to be a little gentler, kinder, or more patient. Sometimes I’ll get wound up about something (don’t we all?) and think about how I need to really let so-and-so know how it is in no uncertain terms. Then I’ll pass through the dining room and feel a little ashamed of my thoughts.
Just as importantly, the verbal reminder prompts us (me anyway) to actually speak more loving words, give more compliments, use more courtesy words, and watch my tone of voice. In my case, sometimes the people I love the most end up getting the leftovers, so to speak, so lately I’ve been working on changing this. Saying, “I love you. You’re the best!” is a frequent phrase. So are, “You look nice,” “I’m glad you’re in my life, ” or “I’m proud of you.” No need to go on and on about it. I think everyone gets the picture.
Speaking of pictures, I love the way the phrase looks so much (white letters again a russet red wall) that I snapped a photo of it and will upload it just as soon as I locate the cord. Hmmmm. I guess my wonderful, handsome, sexy, generous husband must have put it away somewhere. See, I told y0u I was working on speaking love. Try it. You’ll be pleased and perhaps surprised at the element of peace it will bring into your home.
mom's musings 
Oh, the power of words. I grew up with a Mother that loved the power of words. (after all she is a writer) She taught us when we were younger to say “Love me” after she would say “What am I going to do with you”. So when my Mom got mad at me and she would say “Laresa, What am I going to do with you”. I would say “Love me”. Boy did her mood change. Now that is the power of words.
I love this! I’m going to share this with my family and suggest that we try it. You know the person who asks me that question (“What am I going to do with you?”) most often? My husband. I’m forever losing things, and he good naturedly says, “What am I going to do with you, Crazy Woman?” Now I have the perfect answer for him.
Thank you, Jayne. I really needed to hear these suggestions and read this. Thank you, I think you wrote this just for me. Yes, wow, the power of words.
Valencia, I wrote it for ALL OF US. I need this reminder all the time. Did you read Laresa’s comment? I’ve already put that into practice with my DH and one of my daughters.