Tag Archives: love

Real Love

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Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting a couple still in love after sixty-one years of married life. They are a joy to behold.

That visit brought to mind a sentence from one of Robert Schuller’s books, Living Powerfully One Day at a Time. It reads as follows:

…the source of real joy is real love, which tears you from your own projects to care about someone else; bearing another’s burdens, sharing yourself with another person alone; truly being an instrument of God’s love.

Everything about this couple reflected God’s love, especially their love for one another which was so evident in every word and look that they shared.

I would be remiss in not mentioning another couple I know who have been married the same length of time and are truly devoted as well.

It was a blessing to have all four of these people and their real love touch my life on the same day.

It’s About Time

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Don’t ask me why I thought about this topic; it’s just the way my mind works sometimes. These are just a few of the things we say about time:

Time heals all things

Time is money

Time stood still

Time is of the essence

Time flies

It’s about time

The time is right

Time out…

And this from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)…

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

 

 

Sweet and Sour Love

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Why does a once sweet love go sour? Physical beauty, passionate intimacy, whispered promises of undying love; these are the sweetness. But then, in some cases, venomous accusations, disrespect, hurtful remarks, begin to take their toll on sweet love, leaving one or the other party wondering, rightfully, what went wrong.

And then comes the time to reflect. Does physical beauty really matter? Is passionate intimacy the crux of a relationship? Were those whispered promises made in the heat of the passion?

Unkind comments made under the guise of love are like razor blades in sweet dough.

Wise old Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:6, Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

Sweet and sour love? Only if it’s tasty to both parties with no heartburn to either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is Love?

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Love is always present in life, in all of our wonderful experiences—and even our tragedies. Love is what gives our days their deep meaning, it is what we are truly made of. Whatever we may call it—love, God, soul—love is alive and tangible, living within us all. Love is our experience of the divine, of sacred holiness. Love is the richness all around us. It is ours for the taking.

The above is an excerpt from Life Lessons by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler.

Where is love? Everywhere—let’s not lose sight of it. Give someone a hug right now and if there’s no one to hug, hug yourself, and feel the love.

 

Another Helpful Prayer

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Ralph Waldo Trine (1866-1958) was known, among other things, as a New Thought author. Having said that, part of his education included Knox College. Of his many books, In Tune With the Infinite is the only one I have read and refer to often. It includes the prayer I am going to share today. This prayer has brought me much peace, courage and strength over the years. Take from it what you will.

My Father in Heaven, Infinite Spirit of life and love and wisdom and power, in whom I live and move and have my being, whence cometh my help, manifest Thyself in me. Help me to open myself to the highest wisdom, and insight, and love and power, that I may serve Thee and my fellow men and all my fellow creatures faithfully, and that I may have the divine guidance and care, and that all my needs be supplied.

Oh Christ within, enfold and lead me and reign supreme, that the one life that is my life, I may realize and manifest ever more fully. I am strong in the Infinite Spirit of life and love and wisdom and power. I have and shall have the divine guidance and care; for it is the Father that worketh in me–my Father works and I work. Amen.

Blessings.

 

Rejoicing Anyway

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Psalm 30, verse 5 says rejoicing comes in the morning, but there are those of us who find that a shallow promise when our joy is sabotaged by some of life’s events.

Dreaded diseases, death, loss of love, soured relationships, and sometimes just life itself can leave us feeling joyless.

However, Jesus tells us in John 16:20 that our grief will turn to joy. I take this to mean whatever we are suffering will turn to joy.

I really like this promise, and in spite of all else, because of it, at times find myself rejoicing anyway.

 

Sunday Morning Prayers

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Upon occasion I have been asked to do “prayers of the people” at church. It is a good way for me to learn to pray outside my own box. Thank you for letting me share one of those prayers.

Good morning, Father God. We thank you for this beautiful morning and for letting us be a part of it. We thank you for all our blessings, for all our answered prayers, for forgiving all our sins and we thank you for loving us, sometimes in spite of ourselves. We thank you for being with all the people on our prayer lists, for those who are struggling with many difficulties, for those who are grieving, for those who are suffering illness, for those on the road to recovery and we pray for those who have yet to become aware of your presence in their lives.

We thank you for being with your people all over the world, Father, for those in war torn countries, for those courageously coping with natural disasters, and for those loved ones of ours who live in other lands. Please grant them your peace and protection.

Father, we thank you for this opportunity to worship you, to praise you, to appreciate you and to show our love for you by showing our love for one another. We thank you for our awareness of your Holy Spirit present with us this morning.

We thank you for being with each and every one of us as we go about our daily activities and pray that you will keep us safe from all harm and evil and help us to be the best we can be for you today and always.

Above all, Father, we thank you for Your Son, our Lord Jesus in whose name we pray and who taught us to pray The Lord’s Prayer. Amen.

The congregation then prays The Lord’s Prayer in unison. I’m sure many churches follow a similar procedure, and I find it very spiritual and comforting.

A Way to Happiness

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Here is another little tidbit I found among my collection of wonderful quotes and sayings. This one is from Robert Schuller.

A Way to Happiness

Keep your heart free of hate.

Keep your mind free from worry.

Live simply, expect little, give much.

Fill your life with love.

Scatter sunshine.

Forget self, think of others.

Do as you would be done by.

RHS

Have a pleasant weekend.

In Flanders Fields

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In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place;

and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing, fly…scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;

to you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die we shall not sleep,

though poppies grow in Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Lest we forget.

 

A Meditation

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Recently I have been asked to post more poetry, so here is a poem I wrote in 1979. Thank you for asking.

 

A MEDITATION

Thirst a little

That you may appreciate water

Hunger more

That you may enjoy the feast

Suffer some

That you may earn tranquility

Die a little

That you may hunger for life

Love abundantly

That you may know you’re alive.

©1979