It feels like we just did the round-up for January, and here it is the end of February already! I suppose we did do January's round-up a little later than normal though, and February is a shorter month, so maybe that is why. But anyway, let's get into some favorites from this month! (Don't forget to hop down to the comments and let me know how your month was!) A Favorite SongA Favorite Verse"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." ~Psalm 107:9 Some Favorite Events
A Favorite Book
How was February for you? Have you ever heard the song "Day by Day" or read/listened to The Swiss Family Robinson?
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So, last week we talked about love. Love is a choice to put others before ourselves and to serve them. But how can we go about serving them and showing our love to them? Not everyone feels loved in the same ways. Sure, we can all appreciate anything that other people do for us, but everyone has certain things that particularly mean something to them and that make them feel especially loved and cared for. Which brings us to the five love languages, five different ways that people feel especially loved by. Most people have a primary one of these, one that means more to them than the others. Identifying what your family members' and friends' primary languages are can be very helpful in determining how to best turn the choice to love into action. (Knowing your own can be helpful too!) Before we dive into what these five languages of love are, I'd like to add that these are not my own ideas but are the work of Gary Chapman. His first book about this, The Five Love Languages, can be found on his website (Discover Your Love Language - The 5 Love Languages®), along with several other books on the topic and quizzes to help you discover your own love language and try to identify the ones of your family and friends. (I cannot necessarily recommend all of his things only because I have not read them, but I have read and enjoyed his book for teens that goes into more detail about this, A Teen’s Guide to the 5 Love Languages). What Are the Five Love Languages?
Quality time people need you to be with them. They want to be listened to, but not while you're doing something else. They like eye-contact and your undivided attention. Going for a drive together, just asking how their day was and then really listening, playing a board game together, and these type of activities that involve doing something meaningful together are all excellent ways to show love to those with this love language.
We all can probably think of someone we know who is always giving gifts. On your birthday, they have a gift. When they go on a trip, they bring back something for someone else. On a random occasion, they may randomly get you something that they know you'll like, even though it's not a day we would typically give gifts on. These people likely speak the love language of gifts (though not everyone shows and receives love best in the same language). Remembering their birthday or anniversary with a gift means alot to them. Little gifts all throughout the year serve as reminders of your love for them. It doesn't have to be big things; it can be something as simple as getting their favorite snack at the grocery store, buying them a pen you think they'd like, or printing them a picture of the two of you.
These are the huggers. They feel close by being physically close. Of course, all touching should be kept appropriate (and should probably only be between family or people of the same gender), but simply holding hands or squeezing their shoulder speaks love to these people and reassures them that you care about them.
Doing a chore for them, making them breakfast, doing something that they like to do for fun with them, picking up something they need at the store, and any other way to be a help spells love loud and clear for people with this love language. Invest in helping them, and you've invested in them.
Lastly is those who need a kind word. These people need to be told that you love them. An encouraging note, a compliment or praise, a quick text message, a surprise letter/postcard, or a simple "I love you" makes them feel loved. Small comments such as "I love how you...", "You look great in that outfit!", "I'm really proud of you", or "You're really special to me" make a big difference for these people. (Just remember to be genuine and really mean what you say to them!) To find out more about these five love language, visit the website (Discover Your Love Language® - The 5 Love Languages®)! I'd encourage you to take the quiz and have family or friends take it as well! Do you have an idea about what your love language might be? How about family's or friends'?
What is love? Is it a feeling, an emotion? A phenomenon that happens between two people that were just meant for each other? Love is really so much more than either of those things, something that the world can't really understand. Because love is a choice. It's a choice that we make to care about someone else; true love is a choice to put them before ourselves. It's not always an easy choice, like how it may be easy to love a parent or friend who has always loved us. However, because it is a choice, it is possible, through God's strength, to love those who don't always show love back to us or who can't do anything in return. Love is vitally important for a believer. In fact, true love can only be shown by a believer. John 13:35 says, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Love is the mark of a believer! 1 Corinthians 13 tells us more about love's importance, to the point of saying that, without it, we would be nothing. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing... And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:1-2;13). These verses make it clear that, as a Christian, we are called to love those around us through our Savior. This choice to love should lead to action, serving those around us in the ways that God leads us to every day. Galatians 5:13-14 talks about this: "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." But what does it mean to serve others? Often when we think of serving others, we think of things like being a missionary or being a teacher or offering up an entire day to do something for someone else. But while all these things are certainly wonderful ways to serve others, there are many smaller things that God calls us to do throughout the day. Giving a smile to a stranger at a grocery store, talking with a family member about their day, or sending a small note are all things that may not seem huge but that make a difference when God is behind them. In Matthew, the Bible records Jesus talking to His disciples about His return. He reveals to us here how many times, though we may not realize it, that we are doing His work by serving others. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:34-40). Let's ask the Lord to lead us and show us in every moment what He desires us to do for those around us (and ultimately for Him!), because these are the things that will have eternal significance and bring true joy. After God has given us such sacrificial and incomprehensible love, how can we not live up to the calling He has given us and mirror just a fraction of that love to those around us? Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day? Do you have any ideas of ways to serve others on Valentine's Day specifically?
Most Januarys seem to be pretty calm and steady, but this month was full of variety for me. It feels like alot happened, and picking favorites has been something I've had to think on! How was your month? Hop down to the comments and let us know! Favorite Happenings
A Favorite Book
A Favorite Verse"The LORD liveth; and blessed by my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted." ~Psalm 18:46 A Favorite SongAs you may notice, this verse has been on my mind alot. ;) How was January for you? What were some of your favorites?
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