Blessing
On Monday I talked with someone about a book I had read more than 10 years ago. “The Blessing” by Gary Smalley and John Trent, PhD, is based on the Old Testament practice of first-born sons receiving the blessing from their fathers. Of course, many of today’s sons and daughters have never experienced such blessing from either of their parents.
Perhaps that’s why the book made such an impact on me. I recognized the fact that I had not been a recipient of “the blessing.” On a scratch piece of paper, I wrote the five ways parents can be intentional about blessing their children. I’ve kept that paper in my Bible for all these years, referencing it less frequently than I’d like to admit. Feel free to print the list below and put in a special place so you’ll be reminded to offer blessing to those you love (not just children):
- Meaningful touch - warmth and nurturing
- Spoken word - affirmation, love and acceptance
- Expressing high value - acknowledging intrinsic value
- Picture a special future - hope for God’s plan and destiny
- An active commitment - helping people realize identity, purpose and destiny in Christ
Validation
About the same time I was reflecting on blessing, I came across this video about validation. It’s a light look at how validating others can make a huge difference. Sometime today or tomorrow, take a coffee break and watch the video. Share it with someone who needs it and then be intentional about offering blessing and validation this Thanksgiving. You’ll be glad you did.
Have you received the kind of blessing noted in the earlier part of this post? If so, share your story here. If not, can you imagine how it would have felt to be a child and receive that kind of blessing?
(And for the record, I didn’t write backwards. Who knew photos taken in photobooth would take mirror image shots? Oh well. Consider it artsy.)