Well...Bless Your Heart

I'm called a typical “southern girl” because I speak those words quite often when someone is sharing their concerns or difficulties with me. It rolls off my tongue like water off a duck’s back. But when I say those words “Bless your heart”, I sincerely mean them, because I’ve had a broken and aching heart and I needed my heart to be blessed by someone, so I want to bless others.

Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of our will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when we will the good of another person, we realize only God is capable of bringing that.

When I was in a store on Valentine’s, I saw this little “Bless YOUR heart” sign and I bought it for ME. Two reasons: 1) After all, it was Valentine’s and since my Sweetheart is in heaven, I knew I wouldn’t be getting another love letter like I received for so many years. I was a little on the wimpy side on that special day, so I encouraged myself with that little “southern girl” statement, and 2) My Mom had coronary heart disease so I wanted that little plaque with those "Bless Your Heart" words to face me while I'm sitting at my office desk that speak blessings over my own heart.

I placed that little plaque by a Certificate of Appreciation I received in April at the conclusion of months of walking out a faith journey with a beautiful young woman in our RCIA classes (discipleship classes). The scripture verse on that certificate is “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:2). The inscription on the certificate says “Because you have served the Lord in His Church through the faithful exercise of your gifts, and because the Body of Christ has been enriched by your faithfulness.” My "heart" was blessed by those words.

A few days ago, that little plaque and that certificate spoke to me more than ever before. I was having one of “those” unexplainable and very recognizable days of wimpiness. Truly I have no good reason to ever be discouraged. I’m way too blessed to ever complain, but sometimes those days just come and I know I can wimpy-along all day there OR, as I did at the store on Valentine’s day, when that wimpiness hits me, I can encourage myself with those words “Bless your heart!” Blessing (encouraging) myself. I remembered King David’s model: “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him… but David ENCOURAGED himself in the LORD his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)

Uh – no! I don’t think I’m in any danger of being stoned, but I’m learning to take David’s example into my sometimes-weary-wimpy-heart, and when those times come, I’m going to also encourage myself in the Lord my God! Another scripture of King David was this one in Psalm 103:1 “Bless the LORD, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”

Yes, we can and must bless and encourage ourselves! After all, we are our closest ally and friend to ourselves. Isn’t that the kind of friend we need and want? Bless YOUR hearts, dear friends!