Fourty Days of Love

Have you ever been confronted with a message that changed your perspective? One church chose as its Lenten theme, "Forty Days of Love." Each week members of the congregation were encouraged to show their love and appreciation in different ways. The first week they were encouraged to send notes to people who had made positive contributions to their lives.

After the first service a man in the congregation wanted to speak to his pastor. The pastor describes the man as "kind of macho, a former football player who loved to hunt and fish, a strong self-made man." The man told his pastor, "I love you and I love this church, but I'm not going to participate in this Forty Days of Love stuff. It's OK for some folks," he said, "but it's a little too sentimental and syrupy for me."

A week went by. The next Sunday this man waited after church to see his pastor again. "I want to apologize for what I said last Sunday," he told him, "about the Forty Days of Love. I realized on Wednesday that I was wrong."

"Wednesday?" his pastor repeated "What happened on Wednesday?" "I got one of those letters!" the man said. The letter came as a total surprise. It was from a person the man never expected to hear from. It touched him so deeply he now carries it around in his pocket all the time. "Every time I read it," he said, "I get tears in my eyes." It was a transforming moment in this man's life. Suddenly he realized he was loved by others in the church. This changed his entire outlook. "I was so moved by that letter," he said, "I sat down and wrote ten letters myself."

Quoted from: www.devotions.net/devotions/files/2001/01jan/23.htm

Love Countdown

A 5min countdown that would be suitable to use before a service where you are going to focus on the subject of love - we will use this on Valentines weekend.

Next Door

Whilst caring for some of the neediest people on earth Mother Teresa entered one hovel where she confronted children with hollow eyes and emaciated parents. They hadn’t eaten in days. Mother Teresa had brought to the family a small portion of rice. When she presented the rice to the mother, the mother divided it into two equal parts, and then rose to leave the room.

“Where are you going?” she asked. The woman answered “Next door they are hungry also.”

Father's Love Letter

God loves you

And He is the Father
You have been looking for
For all your life

This is his love letter to you ....

We have used this in our Sunday worship as well as our small groups and it has always been well received and touched many hearts.

More information, the text of the letter and other resources as well as downloadable quality copies of the video are available at: http://www.fathersloveletter.com/

What does love sound like?

Jesus proved to us what love really is. He went voluntarily, suffered rejection, pain and finally death on a torturous cross so that we could be reunited with God. He proved to us what love really is. This simple clip focuses on the sounds of love. One being the sounds of love between people and one being the sounds leading up to and during the crucifixion. This clip will work well around Easter time and anytime you want to focus on the price Christ paid in order to bring us salvation.

A video 3mins 1sec. We used this as part of our Good Friday refelctions.

Treat your neighbors with love

When I was growing up, my father use to say, "No matter who they are or what they do, treat your neighbors with love."

I didn't fully understand what he meant until one Sunday on our way to church, when we spotted someone shoveling corn from our crib into a battered old truck. Dad stopped the car and got out. The man looked up and froze.

I knew this man. Everybody in town suspected him of stealing their gas! No one had ever confronted him for fear of his violent temper. Now we'd caught him red-handed. What was Dad going to do?

"If that's not enough," my father said evenly, "come back tomorrow. Take as much as you need. Remember, you're my neighbor."

The man dropped his shovel and hung his head.

He never stole from us or anyone else in town again, as far as I know. Perhaps he learned how to be a good neighbor that day. I know I did.

Louis Lehman, Albany, Oregon. Quoted from: home.att.net/~scorh3/GoodNeighbor.html

People in love

When people are in love, weird things happen. Men get more female hormones, and women get more male. Scientist Donatella Marazziti says it's as if nature wants to eliminate what can be different in men and women, perhaps to help the mating process.

Quoted from http://news.bbc.co.uk 7th May 2004

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell, who ruled England during the seventeenth century, once decreed that a certain young man should be executed at the ringing of curfew. The young man’s fiancée pleaded with Cromwell for his life; but Cromwell would not change his mind. “The young man you love will die at the ringing of curfew,” he declared.

The old and completely deaf sexton went up to the church that night to ring curfew. Unknown to him, the young lady who loved the condemned man had climbed up inside the great bell and was hanging on for dear life to the clapper. So every time the sexton pulled the bell rope, thinking it was ringing loud and clear, her body was hitting against one side of the bell and then the other without a note being struck.

When the sexton finished what he thought was the ringing of curfew, the girl made her way down, battered, bloody, and bruised. As she came stumbling down the hill, Oliver Cromwell was already on his way up to see why the curfew had not rung. Suddenly he saw her and realized what she had done. Looking her in the eyes, he said, “Curfew shall not ring tonight.”

The Scorpion

“A holy man was engaged in his morning meditation under a tree whose roots stretched out over the riverbank. During his meditation he noticed that the river was rising, and a scorpion caught in the roots was about to drown. He crawled out on the roots and reached down to free the scorpion, but every time he did so, the scorpion struck back at him.

“An observer came along and said to the holy man, ‘Don’t you know that’s a scorpion, and it’s in the nature of a scorpion to want to sting?’

“To which the holy man replied, ‘That may well be, but it is my nature to save, and must I change my nature because the scorpion does not change its nature?”

Traditional

What Kids Say About Love

WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE THINKING WHEN THEY SAY "I LOVE YOU":

"The person is thinking: Yeah, I really do love him. But I hope he showers at least once a day."
Michelle, age 9

"Some lovers might be real nervous, so they are glad they finally got it out and said it and now they can go eat."
Dick, age 7

HOW A PERSON LEARNS TO KISS

You can have a big rehearsal with your Barbie and Ken dolls."
Julia, age 7

"You learn it right on the spot when the gushy feelings get the best of you."
Brian, age 7

"It might help to watch soap operas all day."
Carin, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

"When they're rich."
Pam, age 7

"It's never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over you. That's why I stopped doing it."
Tammy, age 10

"If it's your mother, you can kiss her any time. But if it's a new person, you have to ask permission."
Roger, age 6

"I look at kissing like this: Kissing is fine if you like it, but it's a free country and nobody should be forced to do it."
Tom, Age 7

HOW TO MAKE LOVE ENDURE

"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work."
Dick, age 7

"Don't forget your wife's name. That will mess up the love."
Erin, age 8

"Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind. Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch."
Natalie, age 9

Quoted from funny(at)net153.com email list

What does love mean?

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8-year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca - age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is when my Mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 5

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend whom you hate." Nikka - age 6

"There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But God makes both kinds of them." Jenny - age 4

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"My Mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - Age 5

"Love is when Mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine - age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 8

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4

"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her." Bethany - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8

Quoted from www.cybersalt.org email list

Hunger for love

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread."

Mother Teresa

God Is Love

Charles Spurgeon once went down to visit a friend in the country. His friend had built a new barn, and above it he had placea a weather-vane bearing the text, "God Is Love". "Do you mean", asked spurgeon, "that God's love is as changeable as the wind?" "No", said his friend, "I mean that God is love, whichever way the wind blows!"

1500 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching - Pub Marshall Pickering

What does he see

What
does he see
in me
that
even though he knows
my sinfullness,
he says,
"You are precious
to my heart"?

Wellsprings p227 - Anthony de Meool

A friend is ...

A friend is one who knows you as you are,
Understands where you've been,
Accepts who you've become,
And still invites you to grow.

Spirit Level by Ann Bird, Methodist Publishing p54

The Good Samaritan

A Sunday School teacher was telling the story of the Good Samaritan to her class of 4-5 year olds.

She was making it as vivid as possible to keep the children interested in her tale.

Then she asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?"

A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, "I think I'd throw up."

Illustrations On-Line

How much you care

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Not rushing

"I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding year six at school hard enough." - Becky aged 10

Sixty Second Marriage - Rob Parsons

It's better

"It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need somebody to clear up after them!" - Lynette aged 9

Sixty Second Marriage - Rob Parsons

Getting a girl to love you

"If you want a girl to love you, one way is to take her out to eat. Make sure it's something she likes. Chips usually work for me." - Tom aged 9

Sixty Second Marriage - Rob Parson

Marriage disagreements

A couple married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip was, "I love you!"

Love Quotes

If love is the answer, could you please rephrase the question ?

-- Lily Tomlin.

If you have it [love], you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.
-- Sir James M. Barrie

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.
-- Mother Teresa

Love built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies.
-- John Donne.

Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
-- Franklin P. Jones.

Love is also like a coconut which is good while it is fresh, but you have to spit it out when the juice is gone, what’s left tastes bitter.
-- Bertolt Brecht

He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate; he who loves finds the gates open.
-- Sir Rabindranath "Tagore" Thakur

True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about but few have seen.
-- Unknown

Love is an obsessive delusion that is cured by marriage.
-- Dr. Karl Bowman.

Love is an ocean of emotions entirely surrounded by expenses.
-- Lord Dewar.

Love is being stupid together.
-- Paul Valery

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer, no disease that enough love will not heal, no door that enough love will not bridge, no wall that enough love will not throw down, no sin that enough love will not redeem... It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough, you could be the happiest and most powerful being in the world...
-- Emmet Fox

Love: Two minds without a single thought.
-- Philip Barry.

Lovers, like bees, lead a honey-sweet life.
-- Graffiti on a wall of Pompeii.

Never sign a valentine with your own name.
-- Charles Dickens

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.
-- Bertrand Russell

One advantage of marriage it seems to me Is that when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you it keeps you together until maybe you fall in again.
-- Judith Viorst

One good thing about internet dating: you're guaranteed to click with whomever you meet.
-- Mongo.

May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.
-- Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love 

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
-- Unknown

Where does the family start ? It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl - no superior alternative has yet been found.
-- Winston Churchill.

You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back."
-- Barbara DeAngelis

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) American Musician, Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter

All from: home.att.net/~quotations/love.html

The Wedding March

Someone once said that when the wedding march begins, a bride sees three things—the aisle, the altar, and him—and from that time on her motto is: "I'll alter him." And when it doesn't work that way, there is disillusionment and difficulty.

Bob Russell, Take Comfort: Encouraging Words from Second Corinthians (The Living Word Inc., 1991), pp. 91-92; submitted by Alan Beck, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Buliding Bridges

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart.

It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"

"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber over by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence at
all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."

The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.

"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have so many more bridges to build."

Love people

What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.

Author Unknown