The two little boys I care for on Wednesdays beamed with pleasure
the other morning as they came, bearing hearts for Miss Janet!
(there's a beautiful parable in the heart that was torn
much to Lad's disappointment, but then tenderly mended by his loving mother)
(We have much to learn from the pure, unprejudiced love of children, don't we?!!)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love, or the
lack thereof, my dear, makes
all the difference.... Love crowns
the common task with cheer and gladdens
diligence. The lack thereof rues thorns, unenthralled by
the rose. It frets life's mercy-brimming morns that love alone bestows.
Love whets a holy song for living's simple things, and never keeps score
of the wrongs that being human brings, but is patient and kind; not proud
greedy or rude. Love freely gives and does not mind the priceless cost
accrued. But finds the favoured key to peace and happiness. Love
fills the likes of you and me with humble gratefulness for what
will never fail, though tried by sorrow's rod. True love
withstands the gripping gale because love comes
from God, who first loved us, thus joy
for all of life depends on Love;
love or sad lack
thereof makes
all the diff-
-eren
ce
Β© Janet Martin
πππππ
Traditional form...
Love, or the lack thereof, my dear, makes all the difference
Love crowns the common task with cheer and gladdens diligence.
The lack thereof rues thorns, unenthralled by the rose.
It frets life's mercy-brimming morns that love alone bestows.
Love whets a holy song for living's simple things,
and never keeps score of the wrongs that being human brings,
but is patient and kind; not proud, greedy or rude.
Love freely gives and does not mind the priceless cost accrued.
But finds the favoured key to peace and happiness.
Love fills the likes of you and me with humble gratefulness
for what will never fail, though tried by sorrow's rod.
True love withstands grief's gripping gale because love comes from God,
who first loved us, thus joy for all of life depends
on Love; love or sad lack thereof makes all the difference
π
Cruci-form
Love, or the
lack thereof,
my dear...
makes all the
difference
Love crowns
the common
task with
cheer and
gladdens
diligence. The lack thereof rues thorns, unenthralled by the rose. It frets
life's mercy-brimming morns that love alone bestows. Love whets a holy song
for living's simple things, and never keeps score of the wrongs that being
human brings, but is patient and kind; not proud, greedy or rude. Love
freely gives and
does not mind
the priceless
cost accrued.
But finds the
favoured key
to peace and
happiness.
Love fills the
likes of you
and me with
humble gratefulness
for what will
never fail,
though tried
by sorrow's rod.
True love with-
stands grief's
gripping gale
because love
comes from God,
who first loved us, thus joy for all of life depends
on Love; love or sad lack thereof makes all the difference
πππ
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.β
πππ
Because God is love,
love helps us accomplish the seemingly impossible!
He helps us love the unlovable,
forgive the unforgiveable
and be merciful and compassionate
to the undeserving
just like God does for every one of us!
While we were still sinners, He died for us!
So there are no justifiable 'buts' to defend
bitterness, hatred, spite and unforgiveness.
Because of love's sacred 'buts' like these below
we are able to love one another!
πππ
Rom.5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
π
Eph.2:4-7
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
5even when we were dead in trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
6and raised us up together,
and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7that in the ages to come He might show
the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
π
Matt 5:43-46
3βYou have heard that it was said, βYou shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.β
44[o]But I say to you, love your enemies,
bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
π
But to all who did receive Him,
to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of Godβ
children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man,
but born of God.
π
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done,
but according to His mercy,
through the washing of new birth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
π
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult,
but with blessing, because to this you were called
so that you may inherit a blessing.
