I love you! I love you, too!

You know the drill.  You tell someone, "I love you."  Then, they say, "I love you, too." It usually occurs in that order. My two year old, Holland, uses "I love you, too" a little differently.

• I smile. She says, "I love you, too."
• I kiss her knee after she has fallen.  I hear, "I love you, too."
• I snuggle her after she wakes up in the morning.  She whispers, "I love you, too."
• We fall on the floor laughing after dancing to our favorite song, "Shake" by Mercy Me. She looks over and says, "I love you, too."

What a lovely reminder of how my children see love through my actions.  She feels my love in my acts of kindness so much so that she responds with those three special words without waiting for me to say them  first.  Every time she says, "I love you, too." It warms my heart.

We love because He first loved us.  1 John 4:19

My sweet daughter's words made me think about my walk with Christ.   Am I showing my love for my Savior with my actions and not just proclaiming it with my lips? My love declared during prayer isn't enough to show my God how much I love Him. It takes my thoughts, my words, my time,  my actions, my all.

He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'   Luke 10:27