Happy Valentine's day to all my blog pals, my revgalblogpals, my methoblog pals, my friends, and my family.
I have been contemplating what to say today, and mainly I keep coming up with I love you as God loves me and you. I am learning to love you. I am learning from God's love.
So I thought I would put on today's post what I sent out in the email Thought for the day to my church members and friends of the church and family.
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Here is the thought, scripture, and prayer for the day,
| 2/14/2007 | Real love is not gazing into each other’s eyes.
I John 4:7 Let us love one another, for love comes from God. (NIV)
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Prayer for the day,
Dear God, I don't know who wrote this, but sometimes gazing in the eyes of my love is important to me and I need it. It is so hard not to be able to gaze into your eyes, I have to imagine it. But I know what this person is saying too. At some point you got to quit the gazing and googooing to begin to make a life together, and it is not an easy task. You start seeing your differences, your weaknesses, things you may not like about each other. It is so important to have a dream, a focus together. But it is just as important to keep our eyes on you, and commit ourselves to you, and seek your guidance in how we treat each other and live out our love. I confess God, I don't always do that, my pride, my hurt, my wants get in the way. Forgive me. God empower me to keep my eyes on you in my life and in my marriage. Help us to be honest with each other, and to treat each other with love and grace in our marriages, and in our relationships. Amen
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If you don't know the story of St. Valentine, you might want to take time to read about him. There are actually several versions. But perhaps there are some things we can learn from his life instead of the "Hallmark Valentine's day" we now celebrate. (You can click on the links to the articles.)
Beliefnet has a great article on St. Valentine, including a video.
Christianity Today has a good article also on the history of St. Valentine.
History Channel.com tells some also.
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My kids gave me the neatest cards today, my husband gave me earrings and a beautiful card. I am so blessed, and grateful for their love. I gave them some gifts of bathtub fizzies, magic towels, and cards. They are certainly going to get enough candy today at school. I got a card for Bob, haven't given it to him yet. I want to give it to him without the kids around. That will be later today.
Thought for the day comes from Communication Resources
I add the prayer for the day.
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My kids gave me the neatest cards today, my husband gave me earrings and a beautiful card. I am so blessed, and grateful for their love. I gave them some gifts of bathtub fizzies, magic towels, and cards. They are certainly going to get enough candy today at school. I got a card for Bob, haven't given it to him yet. I want to give it to him without the kids around. That will be later today.
Thought for the day comes from Communication Resources
I add the prayer for the day.
2 comments:
I should like to offer my most humble salutations and felicitations on this festal day of St. Valentine. I have the highest regard for our community, the “Methoblog” and wish we could make acquaintance under more auspicious circumstances as I am sure that these acquaintances may yet become a valuable and enriching friendship as we exhort and instruct each other to be conformed in the image of Christ.
I remain God’s most humble servant,
John Wesley
Dear Reverend Abi,
I am delighted to hear from you on this beautiful afternoon.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. It is good for a man - Who is master of himself. Not to touch a women - That is, not to marry. So great and many are the advantages of a single life.
Yet to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife: and let every woman have her own husband, in order to avoid fornication. His own - For Christianity allows no polygamy. Let the husband render the debt to the wife; and in like manner the wife to the husband. The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and in like manner the husband also hath not power over his own body, but the wife. Withdraw not from each other, unless it be by consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves up to fasting and prayer, and may come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence. But say this by permission not by way of precept. For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.
But to the unmarried and the widows I say, It is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they have not power over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. I would that all believers who are now unmarried would remain "eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" St. Paul, having tasted the sweetness of this liberty, wished others to enjoy it, as well as himself. But every one hath his proper gift from God - According to our Lord's declaration, "All men cannot receive this saying, save they," the happy few, to whom it is given," Matt 19:11. That St. Paul was then single is certain and from Acts 7:58, compared with the following parts of the history, it seems probable that he always was so. It does not appear that this declaration, any more than 1Co 7:1, hath any reference at all to a state of persecution.
That being said, I do not have a poor opinion of marriage. Rather the contrary! But it is best for those who are unmarried to remain in that most blessed state in order to serve God more fully.
As for the other question, I will assure thee that I will write honestly and openly in my journal about all things, my relationships with women, meager as they are, included.
I remain God's most humble servant,
John Wesley
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