Current mood: creative
Category: Life
For what its worth.... Sometimes even at my best I am weary. I face a difficult Job at work, and the worst circumstances in my life ever. Even the greatest Men/Woman face weariness. Today I was weary. My previous self would have spent the night loathing my situation. Instead in these moments I seek the company of like minded people. Tonight was such a night. I met up with a friend for coffee. And as with most of my recent acts of faith it paid dividends from the onset. I spend time at the coffee shop alot lately, one in particular. Tonight I went to a different coffee shop. My friend had a bad feeling about the one I normally hang out in. I was glad I went to this new place. Sometimes we need a change of venue. Just for the sake of freshness, and new perspective.
Smiles
I once read that smiling releases the same endorphins in your brain that true happiness does. I have used this at times, most times with little affect. Smiling through the darkest moments didn't bring happiness on. I realize that there is a flip side to the smile. ( more on that in a moment ). Though the later is true, the chemicals do really get released, the ones of happiness, they just don't reach the levels of true happiness. It is just not possible, at least for me to fake myself into some form of goofy happiness by smiling my way through it all. It is even awkward. I have a job where I have to paint a smile on my face and in essence be "on stage" all day long. By the end of the day my smile tank is almost empty. If not completely. I can no longer produce superficial smiles at the end of the day. The smiles have to come from real Joy.
As I walked into the Coffee shop tonight I was greeted warmly with a genuine smile. This is the flip side. Someone took the time to remember me and took an interest, in my uneventful boring existence. Without hesitation the smile that was so effortlessly given to me was effortlessly returned. It brightened my day. See its not just the smiler but the smilee as well. I received a smile and was blessed. It warmed my heart and thus produced joy. So whats the point? The point is that we can be thankful for each interaction and make it an opportunity to make someone else smile. To bring joy to someone Else's life. Try it. Smile at some one and see how they react. Smile from inside your heart with genuine interest and compassion. You won't regret it. Chances are that your smile will be well received and if it is not then go on your merry way smiling to someone else. The odds are in your favor when your smiling.
Love and Peace
In Him
sMitty
Love August 8th
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Today I feel Love...Today I am filled with Hope. Faith carries me onward.
What is Love?
Merrian Websters Definition---
Love Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please Date: before 12th ce
ntury
1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests b: an assurance of love 2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion 3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration b (1): a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2)British —used as an
informal term of address4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God5: a god or personification of love
The word Love is used in the Bible (NIV) 697 times
Love is a complicated word actually. We throw it about at the ends of conversations on the phone. "I love you honey bye". We use it to describe things. "I Love the Seattle Seahawks" or "I Love that shirt". We use the word Love in relationships. Sometimes one week after meeting someone, we are saying "I Love you". Truly Love can be used soley as an expression of speech. But the Love I am filled with is not some flighty version of Love it is entirely different, and often times the word Love is used in romantic relationships too lightly. I am learning there are some different forms of Love and that they all have their place in our lives.
The 3 Types of Love—
1) Eros love -
known as "erotic love". It is based on strong feelings toward another. It usually occurs in the first stages of a "romantic" relationship.
This type of Love is found in the early stages of a romantic relationship. It is a love that says "it feels good to me to love you". I have fallen in love with somone and so she looks so amazing... This type of love is one that is, at some level, self centered. It is about the way I feel when I am with you. It is just to early in the relationship for it to be real Love. (more on real Love later)
2) Philos love -
a love based on friendship between two people.
This type of Love gets closer to the real deal. It is based on friendship. It is a common Love and a Love that I have for many many people. "I Love John" Alan is my best friend, I could say for sure that I Love Alan. I simply would do things for friends. I would stand in the gap for them, I would help them move from home to home. I would rescue them in their time of need. I pray for them. This is a good Love. We all have friends that we Love, and that Love us. Romantic relationships that start with this type of Love tend to be more successful, and lasting. I heard it said that if you want to be happily married even in your old age find someone you can have good conversations with. Their conversation skills will be of great benefit after all the children are gone, and your to old and grey to do much else. Friendship Love is a good foundation for true Love.
3) Agape -
unconditional love.
Agape Love is true Love in my humble opinion. It is perfect Love. Since it is perfect Love, we in our human condition can only experience this Love at an imperfect Level. The "Self" will get in the way at times, but Agape Love is a Love that we can all strive for in our relationships. Who doesn't want to be loved unconditionaly. "I Love you no matter what". We say things like that and yeah we mean them, but truly we are imperfect and later "fall out of Love"
Agape Love is selfless. It is doing things, loving people, without expecting anything in return. It is the Love that we have for our parents. It is the Love our God has for us. It is "True Love". It is the Love that God had when he sent his son to die a painful aweful death for everyone of us. It is a beautiful Love.
It says in the Bible that a Man should Love his wife as Christ did the church. This is Agape Love. It means to die to ones self over and over. It is setting aside A mans own needs, wants desires, for the sake of those of his Wifes.
It says in the Bible that a Woman is to submit to her husband. This to me, means, respect your husband, because he is suppose to be loving you as Christ did the Church. Christ died for the Church and all of mankind. Submission at some level means Respect. Respect feels like Love to a man. Being a Man I can't emphasize that enough. Respect feels like Love to a Man. A man is put in a position of leadership in his home. A leader in many ways, but most importantly a Spiritual leader. It is His job to lead by example with His own Walk. He is to be the one blazing the trail ahead for his family straight to Jesus. If a man loves his wife as Christ does the Church, the Respect he needs will come easily from his spouse.
As Men and Woman we are created differently with different inherant skills and abilities, made to compliment one another in a healthy relationship, with God as the center and foundation. A couple whom reads the Bible and Prays together is more likely to stay together until death do them part. It is critical for me and for any Christian couple to lay the foundations of your relationship on God. He is the Solid Rock on which we can build our relationships. Without his blessings a relationship is doomed to fail and or be miserable.
That all being said, I can attest to the fact that I have failed miserably in relationships before. I have not loved as I was called to Love. I now see things with a clearer perspective, by the Grace of God. I understand my role, I understand that I am to be selfless. For me it was and will always be a challenge to set aside myself. No matter how self less I get I will need to be even more selfless. I am selfish by nature as are most all of us.
I Love. I Love so therefore I live. I live for others, and for God. I want to share the peace that comes from knowing God and walking his path. I love you. I love people. I am changed. I am blessed by the trials in my life as they have not beens stumbling blocks, but challenges that build my charachter. God does not put obstacles in our paths to trip us up and laff as we fall on our faces, they are there to mold us, make us, challenge us, to build charachter, and transform us more and more into what God wants. He wants to use us. He has a plan for each of our lives, and if he has to bring us to our knees in order to get us on the right track he most certainly will. As it was with me. Broken and on my knees. It is all out of True Love for each of us. Count your trials a blessing. They will change you when you "seek ye first the kingdom of God" ...
I Love. I Love. We should all Love, more.
I have a favorite chapter in the bible. I used to quote it alot but I hadn't considered it with my new mind. Feel free to read it as I will post it below. In closing-- Know this, You are Loved, You have the capacity to Love others, and to Love others from a well spring that is unlimited you must be first filled with Gods Love. He fills us up so that our cup over flows, it flows out of us like light from a glorious sunset to the people all around us. You then can Love others abundantly, without running dry.
1 Corinthians 13
1IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c] in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
9For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
12For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as [e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand [f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been [g]fully and clearly known and understood [[h]by God].
13And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Faith hope and Love, and the greatest of these is Love.
God Loves you, Are you loving those that have been put in your sphere of influence? Love everyone and forgive everyone of everything everyday..
Love, By Grace, In Him
Yours truly
SMitty
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