Love Languages

In our class on Sunday mornings for the last few weeks, Chris and Stacie Hatchett have been teaching on marriage. They've done a great job! They spent one Sunday on the five love languages from the book by Gary Chapman. John and I read this book together before we got married and it has been very helpful to us in our relationship. It was interesting talking about it again because we both felt we had changed a little in our strongest ones. We had a great talk about what makes us that way and how we feel about the ways we express love to each other. I know that this is also important with our kids and our conversation made me think - I would love to know my friends better and how they like to give and receive love. What is it that makes you feel loved and how do you tend to express it?

If you're not familiar with the love languages, they are:

• Words of Affirmation - Hearing those three little words and have loving things said or written to you, compliments, praise
  

• Physical Touch - Snuggling, sitting close, holding hands, being near those you love

• Quality Time - Focused time and attention, doing things together
  

• Gifts - Thoughtful gifts that show the person knows you and was thinking of you
  

• Acts of Service - Doing something where you don't have to do it, taking care of jobs, housework, chores, kids, whatever is on your plate

Apparently most people have one or two that are the strongest but usually appreciate any of them. I must be needy or something because I want them all! : ) If I stop and think about the ones I really can't do without, though, it would probably be words of affirmation and quality time with physical touch right up there. I've always been a note writer and wanted to say things to people I loved. I'm not afraid of being mushy. It has also taken maturing to teach me that someone can love me without wanting to spend a lot of focused time with me. I used to think that if we were friends, we would be together all the time. I also struggle with wanting all of John's attention. Even an evening doing two different things is hard for me even though he is usually great at paying attention to me when he's around. I'm also a MAJOR snuggle person and only keep that at bay because of the risk of embarrassment to myself or others. I'm sure John feels like he married a puppy dog sometimes because I kind of sound like I'm describing our labrador - she wants to be cuddled and petted, and she wants you to talk to her and play with her all the time! Maybe tomorrow I'll blog about the people I know who show these five languages the best because I know people who do all of these really well!

Meanwhile, while you are breathlessly anticipating my next blog, what is your love language?