Showing posts with label love others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love others. Show all posts
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
What About Love? (One Word in Review)
As some of you may remember, my One Word for 2018 has been LOVE. And what a year it has been!!
I feel as if I have learned so much about love this year... and that I still have so very much more to learn.
I've learned that the greatest commandment is to Love. Jesus said it Himself:
I've learned that it's not about who loves you, but who (whom?) you love. We are supposed to love everyone. Not just the people that love us. Not just the people who look like us. Or think like us. Or live where we live. Or vote the way we vote. Or dress the way we think they should dress. Or act the way we think they are supposed to act. Or look the way we think they should look.
EVERYONE. Period.
We are told to love others as we want to be treated. Not as we are treated. Not as we think they deserve to be treated.
We are even told to love our enemies. The people who are mean to us. Who are hateful. Who hurt us and/or others. (Admittedly, that's a hard pill to swallow. I'm still working on that one and I confess that I have a very very long way to go.)
I've learned that we can't really love others until we love ourselves. And we can't really love ourselves until we love God, and realize how much He loves us. It's only through seeing ourselves as He sees us that we can really love who we are. Then, as we learn that He loves everyone this way and to see others as He sees them - we can learn to love them as he does.
I've come to believe that love really is the answer. If everyone truly loved others. If we were all kind to everyone else. If we took care of others from a place of love. If we were generous and thoughtful and loving... then everyone would feel worthwhile. No one would feel lonely. Or meaningless. Or angry.
I could go on and on. I believe I could spend year after year in this word alone and never learn everything there is to learn about God's Love for us and how He wants us to love others. However, I already feel as if I am being pointed to a new word for 2019. And we'll discuss that one soon.
Until then... Love one another.
I feel as if I have learned so much about love this year... and that I still have so very much more to learn.
I've learned that the greatest commandment is to Love. Jesus said it Himself:
I believe that every little thing in the Gospels comes down to this - God loves us. So much more than we can ever even begin to fully understand. As a response to that kind of Love, we should love Him. And as a result we should also love others.
I've learned that it's not about who loves you, but who (whom?) you love. We are supposed to love everyone. Not just the people that love us. Not just the people who look like us. Or think like us. Or live where we live. Or vote the way we vote. Or dress the way we think they should dress. Or act the way we think they are supposed to act. Or look the way we think they should look.
EVERYONE. Period.
We are told to love others as we want to be treated. Not as we are treated. Not as we think they deserve to be treated.
We are even told to love our enemies. The people who are mean to us. Who are hateful. Who hurt us and/or others. (Admittedly, that's a hard pill to swallow. I'm still working on that one and I confess that I have a very very long way to go.)
I've learned that we can't really love others until we love ourselves. And we can't really love ourselves until we love God, and realize how much He loves us. It's only through seeing ourselves as He sees us that we can really love who we are. Then, as we learn that He loves everyone this way and to see others as He sees them - we can learn to love them as he does.
I've come to believe that love really is the answer. If everyone truly loved others. If we were all kind to everyone else. If we took care of others from a place of love. If we were generous and thoughtful and loving... then everyone would feel worthwhile. No one would feel lonely. Or meaningless. Or angry.
I could go on and on. I believe I could spend year after year in this word alone and never learn everything there is to learn about God's Love for us and how He wants us to love others. However, I already feel as if I am being pointed to a new word for 2019. And we'll discuss that one soon.
Until then... Love one another.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Saturday Coffee: Caffiene and Tears
Grab a cup of coffee (or tea - or whatever your beverage of choice is right now) and let's talk!
I don't even know where to start when it comes to the past week.
Wednesday was a Valentine's Day. And Ash Wednesday. It should have been a day where our only thoughts were on love and the upcoming Lenten season. Instead it was a day when we once again had to cope with young people being terrorized and murdered by one of their own. In a school of all places.
I can't really discuss this with any clarity. I have so many thoughts and emotions. So many opinions, many of which seem to completely contradict each other. As the young people say "I just can't even..." (how old does that make me sound?)
The only thing I know with any certainty is that my heart is broken for every single student, parent, family, staff member, law enforcement officer, and fire and rescue worker who had to face this horror.
I saw somewhere that today is Random Acts of Kindness day. And perhaps that's the best thing we can do this week. Be kind. Love on others. Give of ourselves. And maybe, in doing that, we can help to overcome a tiny bit of the evil we have seen existing in the world this week.
With Love,
Wednesday was a Valentine's Day. And Ash Wednesday. It should have been a day where our only thoughts were on love and the upcoming Lenten season. Instead it was a day when we once again had to cope with young people being terrorized and murdered by one of their own. In a school of all places.
I can't really discuss this with any clarity. I have so many thoughts and emotions. So many opinions, many of which seem to completely contradict each other. As the young people say "I just can't even..." (how old does that make me sound?)
The only thing I know with any certainty is that my heart is broken for every single student, parent, family, staff member, law enforcement officer, and fire and rescue worker who had to face this horror.
I saw somewhere that today is Random Acts of Kindness day. And perhaps that's the best thing we can do this week. Be kind. Love on others. Give of ourselves. And maybe, in doing that, we can help to overcome a tiny bit of the evil we have seen existing in the world this week.
With Love,
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Somebody to Love
The following is a repost of a something I wrote several years ago. (with a few minor edits) My view of the subject remains the same, so I felt it was appropriate to share it once again...
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. The day of Love. Hearts, cupids, flowers and chocolates run wild in every store. And just so you know - Yes, I can hear the groans from here. The quiet grumbles of "made up holiday" and "why should I have to show my love on that day just because Hallmark says so", etc, etc, etc.
And you're right. Although it's roots go back to a religious day to observe St. Valentine - the more modern idea of Valentine's Day is pretty much a made up holiday. And yes, the card companies and candy makers and florists are getting rich off the romantic madness. But you know what else? I don't care!
I can't believe that any reason to show love and affection could be a bad thing. Sure, we should be showing those we love how we feel about them every single day of the year. Goes without saying. But what is one day set aside to remind us of that and encourage us to go all out going to hurt? Any excuse to be loving and affectionate sounds like a good thing to me!
And yes, I know not everyone is involved in a romantic relationship. And some of those persons might feel left out of all the lovey-dovey going around. But is there a law that says one must use Valentine's Day only to show romantic love? Maybe you have a family member you can show a little appreciation and love for on this day of hearts. Or a close friend you love like a sister. Or maybe the person you need to show a little love is yourself!!
You don't like chocolate? Flowers just die anyway. Maybe the gifts aren't your thing. But I bet there is someone who would just appreciate your time and attention. Or maybe you just need a little time to yourself to read that book/watch that movie/take that bubble bath/paint your toenails like you've been meaning to do.
Take advantage of the day meant for love. Show someone some love. Show yourself some love. Just love somebody!
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. The day of Love. Hearts, cupids, flowers and chocolates run wild in every store. And just so you know - Yes, I can hear the groans from here. The quiet grumbles of "made up holiday" and "why should I have to show my love on that day just because Hallmark says so", etc, etc, etc.
And you're right. Although it's roots go back to a religious day to observe St. Valentine - the more modern idea of Valentine's Day is pretty much a made up holiday. And yes, the card companies and candy makers and florists are getting rich off the romantic madness. But you know what else? I don't care!
I can't believe that any reason to show love and affection could be a bad thing. Sure, we should be showing those we love how we feel about them every single day of the year. Goes without saying. But what is one day set aside to remind us of that and encourage us to go all out going to hurt? Any excuse to be loving and affectionate sounds like a good thing to me!
And yes, I know not everyone is involved in a romantic relationship. And some of those persons might feel left out of all the lovey-dovey going around. But is there a law that says one must use Valentine's Day only to show romantic love? Maybe you have a family member you can show a little appreciation and love for on this day of hearts. Or a close friend you love like a sister. Or maybe the person you need to show a little love is yourself!!
You don't like chocolate? Flowers just die anyway. Maybe the gifts aren't your thing. But I bet there is someone who would just appreciate your time and attention. Or maybe you just need a little time to yourself to read that book/watch that movie/take that bubble bath/paint your toenails like you've been meaning to do.
Take advantage of the day meant for love. Show someone some love. Show yourself some love. Just love somebody!
Because love is a many splendored thing!
Love makes the world go 'round!
All you need is LOVE!
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Sunday, October 15, 2017
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