Tag Archives: love

To Apologize

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In relationships, many of us struggle to deal with the idiosyncrasies of our significant other. We sometimes overreact to little things that are part of our partner’s nature and fail to see our own faults that could be just as irritating to our spouse. This sometimes leads to a diminishing of feelings on the part of one or the other parties…or maybe both. When this happens a little more love is called for…not less. It isn’t conducive to a good relationship to live with hurting hearts; it is necessary to accept each other’s individuality and recognize the need to apologize when necessary.

BUT WHEN WE DO

Is to love those more

who love us less,

the answer to

broken-heartedness?

Love heals all things,

the pain subsides,

though tears at times

still touch our eyes.

Help us, Lord,

to learn from pain,

that we may not

cause hurt again.

But when we do,

may we be wise

and brave enough

to apologize.

©2014

(Reposted)

You Be the Judge

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Have you ever asked a departed loved one for a sign that they still exist somewhere?

The second love of my life died in 2007, after twenty-seven years together. We had shared a good life which included our pet Yorkshire terrier who was almost twenty years old when he went to doggie heaven.

I’m one of those cloud scanners…that is, always looking for meaningful cloud shapes, like angels for example. I’ve seen them along with elephants, ducks, pigs, whatever.

One day I silently asked Jerry to send me a cloud-shape of our beloved little Yorkie…just to satisfy my hunger for a sign.

It happened while visiting an out-of-town friend. We were enjoying a summer afternoon outdoors when I looked up and saw the distinct shape of my long deceased pet.

“Look at that cloud,” I exclaimed to my friend, “what does it look like to you?”

“Looks like a dog,” she said.

“Yes, but what kind?” I pressed, needing reassurance.

“Looks like a Yorkshire terrier,” she responded.

Need I say more? Of course I breathed a silent “thank you” and have carried that sign in my heart from that day to this. Who or what was I thanking..Jerry, God, the universe? You be the judge..

“Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” Isaiah 7:11

Tomorrow: The double rainbow.

Some Pointers for the Blackboard of Life

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Get your chalk brushes ready…you may want to brush me off today as I offer up some pointers for the blackboard of life.

1. The Golden Rule – do to others as you would have them do to you.

2. Love your enemy – it`s healthier than hating.

3. Don`t spend a thousand dollars worth of emotion on a five cent irritation.

4. Don`t worry – it is a totally unproductive pastime

5. Don`t procrastinate – it is the thief of time.

6. Smile often – it increases your face value.

7. Stop and smell the roses – before their fragrance fades.

8. Laughing and crying are comfort for the soul – they each soothe in a different way.

9. Grieve when necessary – but remember to continue to live.

10. God runs a beauty parlor – have a regular faith lift.

11. Live, love and be happy – advice to be given and taken in heaping doses.

12. It is never too late to be baptized – Jesus wasn`t baptized until he was thirty years old.

13. You are never too old to do something new – just begin.

14. Try to have twelve hugs a day – even if you have to hug yourself.

15. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at     all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can. (John Wesley)

And now, put away the pointer, the brushes, the chalk…tomorrow the slate will be clean again for you to chalk up some lessons of your own.

A Secular Wedding

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It was different for me to observe a wedding where everything was of an earthly nature only. The bride and groom expressed their own written vows. This in itself is not unusual. The bride’s uncle performed the ceremony and expressed his love for his niece, spoke about the bond she was making with her husband-to-be, and the commitment the two young people were making to one another for the rest of their lives. There were tears and laughter, embraces and smiles, the exchange of rings, and the much loved matrimonial kiss. And then an officiant oversaw the signing of the documents, adding her own signature to legalize the marriage.

The bride and groom were radiant in their happiness and the venue was filled with jubilant celebration.

It was a very lovely wedding. Family and friends enjoyed a sumptuous meal, clinking glasses, lively music and dancing: a wonderful time was had by all, and I especially enjoyed the festivities because it was my first-born grandson’s wedding.

Did I miss God at the wedding? Not in the least, for two reasons: the first is that I believe God is with me wherever I go, and I am certain that he was there at my invitation. Secondly, love abounded and God is love.

Here are some thoughts on love, written by St. Paul himself.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

My prayer is that my grandson and his lovely bride’s secular marriage be forever blessed with heavenly love.

l

Our Daily Bread

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Following are some wonderful quotes for every day living. They are from a little booklet, Our Daily Bread, which is available through Discovery House Publishing in one-hundred and fifty countries.

Here, then, are a few nuggets for your living enjoyment.

God has not promised that your life will be easy…indeed, it may not be. But he has promised to sustain you in your struggles and uphold you with his mighty arm. If you trust him, he will empower you to make your way bravely through extraordinary difficulties with faith, hope and love. God will not allow you to be pressed beyond endurance.

Unexpected changes are opportunities in disguise.

God’s love cannot be explained, it can only be experienced.

If God has already told you what to do, you don’t need to ask him again.

God’s commands are given to enhance our lives rather than restrict them.

To multiply your joy, count your blessings.

You don’t need to know where you are going if you let God do the leading.

God uses ordinary people to carry out his extraordinary plan.

In God’s garden of love, you are his forget-me-not.

Each edition of Our Daily Bread is packed with inspirational stories and quotes such as these. I love it!

Joy vs Sorrow

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Yesterday I encountered both joy and sorrow, not personally, but via social media.

The first story was about the death, on Mother’s Day, of Lauren Davis, the beautiful twenty-four old daughter of a well known media personality, Erin Davis, co-host of the Toronto radio station CHFI morning show. The tragic details are unknown at this time but the news is definitely one of sorrow…deep, deep sorrow.

The second story is about love. It’s about a couple who lived in Ottawa, dated for four years in their teenage years, drifted apart, each married other people, and became widowed in recent years. Happenstance caused them to reunite in Ottawa and rekindle the old flame. Today they are eighty-two and eighty-four years of age and planning to marry in June of this year. This is a story of joy…deep, deep joy.

These stories touch me deeply. I feel the sorrow of a mother losing her daughter to death; it breaks my heart. I also feel the bliss of the couple reunited after sixty-five years; it fills my heart with joy.

Joy and sorrow…each capable of filling the soul with heartfelt emotions…each capable of holding the heart captive…each a part of life…joy and sorrow.

Be Blessed

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Whether living or dying…be blessed

Whether laughing or crying…be blessed

Whether happy or sad, whether saintly or bad…be blessed.

Whether young or old…be blessed

Whether meek or bold…be blessed

Whether idle or active, aggressive or passive…be blessed.

Whether loving or hating…be blessed

Whether lonely or mating…be blessed

Whether wealthy or nil, healthy or ill…be blessed.

At the end of the day…be blessed

As you go on your way…be blessed

Waking or sleeping, safe in God’s keeping…be blessed.

Be blessed, be blessed, be blessed.

To Your Self Be True

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In 2003, for whatever reason (memory fails me), I wrote the following for someone special in my life.

To Your Own Self Be True

Act in the way that is true to your own intelligence and beliefs.

Remember that no one can rob you of your own power unless you allow them to do so.

Stand tall and face indignity with dignity, and indecency with decency.

Look truth in the face and use it to overcome deceit.

Remember the respect you have for yourself and those you love, and let no one rob you of that respect.

Always use your inner strength to walk away from a bad situation, and where possible, take someone with you who needs to lean on your strength until they discover their own. The life you save may be your own or that of a friend.

Remember that you are loved dearly by those who matter. Love yourself just as dearly, always.

 

 

 

 

A Time to Love

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A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:8)

Is there ever a time not to love? There are many kinds of love and many people to love. We love our families, our spouses, our friends; we love babies, our pets, our jobs; we love to sing, to dance, to play, to eat, to sleep; love encompasses a myriad of things. And hate? I even hate that word! There should never be a time to hate unless it’s all the things that go against the grains of humanity. I strongly urged my children to intensely dislike something or someone rather than entertain the emotion of hate.

War and Peace…a great book by Leo Tolstoy! There have been many times of war, both in Biblical times and in our world today. Does there need to be a time of war? Some say yes and I guess it’s true, but a time of peace is to be sought after, longed for, and I suppose…fought for.

The way I see it, love begets peace, and hate begets war. But Solomon says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

 

A Definition of Togetherness

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I love quotes, especially when they pertain to real life situations. This one by Kahlil Gibran from his book, “The Prophet”, is one of my favourites. A short form of it is “let there be spaces in your togetherness, for the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow”. It is a lovely reminder to allow each other room to grow in a relationship. I have enjoyed the writings of this author for many years, especially “The Prophet”.

Kahlil Gibran > Quotes > Quotable Quote

Kahlil Gibran

“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”

Beautiful!