Of all the four letter words bandied about in everyday life, my favorite is…love…L O V E…love.
I love to say it, I love to hear it, I love to feel it, I love to express it.
Love is the most mentioned word in the Bible.
Love makes up most of the world’s songs.
Love means the same in any language.
Love is like wisdom; there is nothing better to be gained.
I will always be in love with love; it really is a many splendored thing.
Don’t you just love it?
Yesterday I wrote about seeing God, and that we’d been told that no one has ever seen Him.
Today I found out where I had heard (or seen) that phrase.
1 John 4:12 says No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (NIV)
Is it any wonder I saw God on Saturday? Love was everywhere that day!
Today’s title is from Isaiah 65:24
Until tomorrow….or whenever 🙂
The following is a result of challenging a young man to read the book of Job, after a lengthy discussion about God, Jesus, Satan and the Bible in general. Because of his claim to atheism, we agreed to disagree on a number of things, but he did agree to read Job and here are his thoughts, posted with his permission.
Above all else the Book of Job is an allegory for people to appreciate what it is that they have, and to persevere when times get tough. This, in my opinion, can be understood by believers and non-believers alike, since the main message is quite clear. However, I don’t think that you need God in order to use this story in every-day life. Every person goes through trials and tribulations, some that are more challenging than others, but in the end one has to persevere and continue to work hard to make those hard times pass. For me, a deity is not the main source of either good or bad times, and it is only through what we do during those hard times that shapes and influences us as a person. Ultimately, I believe that we as humans must accept all that happens as our own responsibility and not blame or praise any one or any thing else since we can only control what is in our power to control.
There are many things from the Bible and the Scriptures that we can take and make good use of, since the main message is to be a moral and contributing member of society. However, that message was passed down from mankind for centuries since it helps to serve our own needs and our own purposes, and we do not need a God to tell us not to hurt other people since we fully understand that hurting people leads to a dysfunctional community. When the Bible was written some 1800 years ago (and as early as 1500 years ago), society was quite primative in that clearly defined laws were still rudimentary and people were still trying to figure things out. Societies around the world rose and collapsed as they tried to codify laws that worked for their civilization. Christianity survived because the main political leaders found utility in it (yes, I know that makes me sound like a cynic) and that’s how it was able to spread. But the message, the essence of the Bible, to be a good person is something that should be instilled, but I do not think that an omnipresent and omnipotent God is needed to hold it all together. To give praise to a supreme being for when things go well, and to accept full “blame” for when things go bad is in complete contradiction to human nature and human ego. You are right in that humility is something that all people need to practice–to know one’s limitations and to accept one’s shortcomings–but, again, for me, God does not factor into that.
There are many things in this world that I will never understand, and there are things that humans cannot understand, and may never understand, but thats OK since the fact that we live on this floating rock orbiting a giant star is the most random occurrence out there (in my humble opinion).
I am curious to hear what you have to say about this, and look forward to reading what your opinions/beliefs are on the matter.
My responsive thoughts will appear tomorrow. (God willing).
This post is for those who have not already read My Precious Life. It is Chapter Twenty-Nine, The Way I See It, in its entirety. It is about laying down our lives for our friends.
I need to persevere in promoting my book if it is to become a best seller some day. So here is Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Way I See It
A Lesson in Laying Down Your Life
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
The way I see it, this doesn’t mean that you trade places with the guy tied to a railway track with an oncoming locomotive barreling down on him, or with Jesus on the cross.
In 2004, I worked three days a week at the Canadian Bible Society book store. It was a part-time job that I loved, and had done for close to five years after my forced retirement from the Mustard Seed Gift Shop. It was a perfect match for my spiritual beliefs, retail background, and love of books.
Volunteering at Providence Health Care Centre every Tuesday morning was another activity I loved. A dedicated man and wife team conducted a hymn sing for the residents of the long-term care facility there. My responsibility was to help bring the people to the hymn sing, turn pages for them if they were unable, and just generally encourage them to sing along. Again, it fitted perfectly with my love of music, and a closeness I felt with the older generation, (of which I am one).
Lunch or coffee with friends or family was also a weekly occurrence. At church, I was a member of the Worship Committee, and sang in the choir.
That life gradually changed when Jerry was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2000. It wasn’t debilitating until symptoms of dementia became noticeable in 2002. A once strong and active man became a victim of the dreaded disease known as Alzheimer’s.
In January, 2004, it was obvious that he could never be left alone again, and my life took on a whole new dimension. God had given me an awesome responsibility as Jerry’s full-time caregiver, and in order to carry it out, I was forced to give up my part-time job and the volunteer work I loved so much. Church, choir, and committees were put on a back burner until only God knew when. Likewise, all social activities became painfully few and far between as the task at hand took its toll on the life I once knew.
I had, in fact, laid down my life for my friend. That’s the way I see it.
“….whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
My Precious Life is available in E-book, soft cover, hard cover, and can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Noble, Westbow Press, and numerous online book stores as well as your local book stores.
Thank you for persevering with my perseverence!
Free from fear…that’s courage
Free from jealousy…that’s trust
Free from hate…that’s love
Free from anger…that’s peace
Free from ego…that’s freeing
Free from war, bullying, murder, crime, meanness, unjust judgement…and the list goes on…that’s ideal
Free to live life better than our own ability to do so…that’s freedom.
A Family is a deeply rooted tree with branches of different strengths all receiving nourishment from an infinite source.
A Family is where character is formed, values are learned, ethics are created, and society is preserved.
A Family is where all members contribute and share, cooperate and work, and accept their responsibilities toward the good of the group.
A Family is where holidays are celebrated with feasting, birthdays acknowledged with gifts, and thoughts of days gone by kept alive with fond remembrances.
A Family is where each can find solace and comfort in grief, pleasure and laughter in joy, and kindness and encouragement in daily living.
A Family is a haven of rest, a sanctuary of peace, and most of all a harbor of love.
I believe most, if not all, of these quotes were written by Manny Feldman.
I’ve recently met a young mom in “Bloggersville” who has three special gifts from God: boy/girl seventeen-year-old twins, and a fifteen-year-old daughter. She tells us that they keep her on her toes and on her knees. I can relate to that, having raised three daughters and two sons, all eighteen months to two years apart except for the youngest who came along seven years later. It was not an easy task, but would I trade it for anything else in the world? Not on your life…or mine! In 1977 after a particularly trying time coping with four teenagers and a ten-year-old (yes, Family to the 5 Power, I know where you’re coming from!) the words of one of my most popular poems came to me. Here then, is On Being a Mother.
Nobody warned you
How great was the task
Of being a mother
How long it would last
It’s no nine to five job
You don’t punch a clock
It isn’t routine
You have to take stock
There isn’t a pension
Or retirement plan
It’s all overtime
You supply on demand
But you know you’ve been paid
When your daughter or son
Softly kisses your cheek
Saying, “I love you, Mom.”
©1977
In my opinion, motherhood is the most important job in the world. Someone may argue that point and say, “Well, I happen to think rocket science or brain surgery is the most important job in the world.” Please be reminded that without a mother there would be no rocket scientist or brain surgeon. So Moms, keep on keeping on. Even though nobody warned you how great was the task, it is a great task.
I love love; not necessarily just romantic love, but love of all kinds. I love babies, animals, friends, family. I love sunshine, moonlight, stars, trees, flowers. I love oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. I love singing, dancing, laughing, writing, daydreaming, night-dreaming, holding hands, hugging, being happy and seeing others happy. I love God and how he spent so much time talking about love in his Book of Books. Love is the most written about topic in the Bible, and the greatest commandment of all time is “Love one another!”
I’m going to share another of my poems here, and what’s it about? Love of course.
SHADOWS IN THE WIND
Perfect love is fulfillment
in perpetual motion,
seeing with the heart’s eye
that which the mind cannot grasp,
acknowledging the human need
for closeness under all conditions,
realizing that aloofness is a
suit of armor worn by those
who fear perfect love
is beyond their realm,
understanding the merest
reaching out of a heart’s desire,
passion and compassion hand in hand,
longing and belonging heart to heart.
Will it ever be reality
or are we pursuing shadows in the wind?
©1982
Will it ever be reality? I’d love to think so.
Today, I’m going to again borrow from my “poetry post” for something to blog about. Yesterday, I had the privilege of picking my two youngest grandsons up from their baseball camp. They are now twelve and ten years old and a delight to be with. The twelve-year-old no longer holds my hand and is taller than I by a few inches, and his dimpled brother still has those remarkable dimples. This is what I wrote when they were three and one.
MY HEART SOARS
My heart soars with the flight of birds,
winging their way to the rising sun,
the sight of its glow on their wings.
My heart soars with the song of the cardinal
gently penetrating the remains of my night’s sleep
and the answering call of his mate.
My heart soars with the rustle of leaves
dancing to the beat of a summer breeze
and the fragrance that fills the air.
My heart soars with the insistent tug
of my little grandson’s hand in mine
and the dimpled smile of his brother.
My heart soars with the promise of a new day
waiting to unfold its miracles,
showing me the miracle that is my life.
©2005
I chose today to rewrite this poem because my heart still soars to all these things. Each new day of life is still a miracle, and God is still in his Heaven. Even if things are not all right in the world, today they are all right in mine.
Tony Bennet’s 1953 hit, “Rags to Riches” has been resounding in my mind all morning, and made me realize that it is not only a pauper to prince, magical, monetary makeover, but a spiritual one as well; not a romantic romance about to make poor old Tony feel like a king.
No, when I thought about the implications of rags to riches, it reminded me of those of us who suffer from spiritual poverty; of not knowing the meaning of real love. I mean REAL love. The kind of love that 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 talks about, “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. Love never fails.”
Ah, but it sometimes does. Sometimes our love is not always patient or kind. Sometimes our love does envy and is even rude. Sometimes it is self-seeking and easily angered. And it definitely sometimes keeps records of wrongs. Yes, sometimes love fails.
And that is the poverty part. We are never so poor as when we withdraw our love from our spiritual bank account and leave it with a next to zero balance. Oh, sure, there’s enough left to cover the love necessities, but the surplus can definitely be withdrawn. So we think. But life doesn’t work that way. If we want to keep our spiritual self healthy, which is necessary to keep the rest of life in balance, then we must replace the love that has been withdrawn. It may be difficult to do. It may take looking within to replace that withdrawal. It may take a radical act of courage to put back what was taken out. But if we want our lives to reflect “Rags to Riches” and not vice versa, then why don’t we go ahead and make a healthy re-deposit of love?
Why don’t we all sing that “Rags to Riches song?
“I know I’d go from rags to riches, if you would only say you care…”
(Apologies to all the “youngsters” out there…I’m reaching way back!)
My Precious Life 