Love

Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures throughout all circumstances.  Three things will last forever:  Faith, hope and love- and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)

Today as I enjoyed the second day of my course I was struck by the presenter's kind and caring eyes and her love for all of us.  Yesterday my daughter was similarly deeply impacted by her gentle and loving spirit expressed through her being.  It touched her heart and brought another level of healing. Today I asked Kim about how she is growing in loving spirit.  Certainly it is an area that is a priority for her.  She has given loving attention to the growth of her own heart in love.

Today on this Valentine's day I am  wanting to grow more and more in love.  Love for God, for others and for myself.  So often God is portrayed as a harsh task master, pushing us to somehow be good people.  We are frequently harsh task masters with ourselves and others too.  We are quick to notice all our  failings and harsh edges and are relentless in trying to forever change ourselves and those around us.  We push down areas of hurt and woundedness and dismiss areas that are sensitive and painful in ourselves, ever attempting to pull up our socks and move on.

My own journey of love in these last months has started with allowing God, others and myself to accept and love me.  I have often deep down felt unworthy of love.  I have not tenderly cared for my own areas of sensitivity and hurt.  I have cared for others, but somehow have felt unworthy of that same love for myself.  As I so frequently tell my children, our hearts do expand with love!  We can love God, others and ourselves.  There is room to be patient and kind with ourselves as well as with others.  Somehow this expansive love even for myself has made all the difference in my loving.  Some of my edges have rubbed away and I am able to more freely and gently love others from the core of my being which was previously tangled and fragmented with feelings of unworthiness and guilt.

May we allow love to flow freely through our lives today.  God's Spirit of love longs to fill us to overflowing.  Let go of blocks and obstacles to that love. Be gentle and kind and learn from others who are full of love.  Allow others to love you too.  Remember that love is really what is most important in all of life.  Keep love at the heart of all things.  Happy Valentine's Day!