Inspired Love

We all know how to say, “I love you” but few people really possess the ability to truly understand what it entails. This month on EEE we are trying to express that love is more than just words or emotions but rather is a powerful force that can change lives. Below is a true story of a Father who lives it every day and has dedicated his life to its very cause-to love!  Dick and Rick Hoyt is a story about committed love and how that love holds no boundaries.  I saw this story a couple of years ago and it spoke to so many places in my heart.  Today, I would like to share it with you and I pray you too will be inspired by it as you begin your week ahead.  Be sure and click on the you-tube video website to see this inspiring story of love come to life. 

When Rick Hoyt was about to be born, the umbilical wrapped around his neck, depriving his body of oxygen leaving him with very little chance for a normal life.  Initially, doctors told the new parents their son was a vegetable, with no higher brain function. But the parents didn't believe it; and hoped for more for their son.  Eventually the doctors discovered that Rick did in fact hold higher brain function.  However, the lack of oxygen did deprive Rick of the ability to control his muscles, leaving him essentially a quadriplegic.  

                 The legacy of Team Hoyt began when Rick found out about a fundraiser for a friend. The fundraiser involved running, and wheelchair-bound Rick told his Dad he wanted to participate so he could help his friend. So Dick Hoyt took his son with him and ran, rolling him around the track, raising money.  After the run, Rick told his Dad that running made him feel free for the first time. His father was so moved by his son’s freedom that he was inspired to keep that feeling alive.  Dick took Rick running, swimming, bicycling, climbing--anything he wanted to do. Today, they compete in Triathlons. Dick loved his son and would do anything for him! It's an amazing story of a father and son's courage, determination, and love.

            The best way to appreciate this story is to experience it for yourself. Please click on the website below and watch this 7 minute video. You won’t be disappointed! It never ceases to amaze me the power behind one human spirit touching another. Hopefully, you will be changed like I was.  This sisters is the kind of love that inspires, motivates and never fails.  What would God have you do today to display this kind of commitment-love?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnrLv6z-mM

Valentine's Day Giveaway Movie Questions

1)" If some lives form a perfect circle, other take shape in ways we cannot predict or always understand. Loss has been part of my journey. But it has also shown me what is precious. So has love for which I can only be grateful.

2)" And you'll just forget about me, right?"
     "Every day."
 3) "Choose between yesterday and tomorrow." 

And two more left over from the weekend:

4. "Love is like the wind...you can't see it, but you can feel it."

5. "I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it."

Movie Quotes, Oh my!

So, today I am suffering from a horrible headache that is a slight improvement over a migraine from earlier. Hence, the late post today. Still have more fun for all!

After yesterday's start, Both Jessica (Carlin) and Jody (toad) have one point. I'm going to list the remaining movie quote from yesterday and add three more. Enjoy!

1. "Love is like the wind...you can't see it, but you can feel it."

2. "May I ask your name, my lady? Or perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces."

3. "I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it."

4. “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more; that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.”

Friday Fun with Love

Learning to
Overlook
Vain
Expectations

I wrote this poem-thingie when I was in high school and had it posted to my mirror. It is a good reminder of both what love is and what it isn't. It isn't superficial, it doesn't judge. It is encouraging, kind, and all the other things you find in 1 Corintians 13.

So, now we're going to celebrate love with a party and a contest!

You can read the rules for our Valentine's Quote Contest in yesterdays post. I've brought the scrumptious looking snacks pictured above. Join us!

Here are the first quotes. We'll start off easy with some fun ones. You can answer one, or all. Whatever you think you know! Leave your answer(s) in the comment box along with what dessert you're bringing to share.

1. "Death can not stop true love, it can only delay it for a little while"

2. "If I tell you I love you, can I keep you forever?"

3. "Love is like the wind...You can't see it, but you can feel it."

Love and Valentine's

I find it quite coincidental that we are discussing love in the month of February, don't you? Valentine's Day, as romantic as it's supposed to be, is a great opportunity to celebrate the love we have for friends and family as well!

So...

Kimchi and I are celebrating our love for YOU by hosting a contest. *cheers*

Here's how it will work:

Starting on Friday, Kimchi and I will be posting love quotes from movies and songs. The first person to guess a movie/song will be awarded one point. This will run through next Friday (except for Sunday). On Saturday will have a Lovefest Bonanza with all kinds of opportunities to win more points. The person with the most points on Monday, February 14th will be awarded a special gift from Kimchi and I. If there happens to be more than one person with the most points, we'll draw names from a hat.

This all begins tomorrow! We'll be posting like normal so make sure to read the whole post for the contest quotes. :)

In the meantime, what's your most memorable Valentine?

Love and Fruit

The first Fruit of the Spirit is love. Love is a complex word. It is a characteristic, an emotion, a choice.

So, what to write about?

In my research on love, it made perfect sense to refer to one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: 1 Corinthians 13. You can read familiar verses over and over again, and one day reading over them just like every other time, you read something totally different. You have an epiphany, an understanding. My mind is a whirl of new understanding for this entire chapter. I’d like to share a small part of this revelation with you today.

Take a look at 1 Cor 13:4-7:

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

It’s all very familiar, right?

Now, check out Galatians 5:22-23, our Fruit of the Spirit verse:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

And look what happens when I combine the two:

“Love is patient (patience), love is kind (kindness). It does not envy (goodness), it does not boast, it is not proud (gentleness). It is not rude , it is not self-seeking(self-control), it is not easily angered (peace), it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (joy). It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (faithfulness).” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Did you just get shivers? Yeah, me too.

Love is the basis for everything. It molds how we interact, the choices we make, who we are. It is the root of everything in this life…and in the next. John 3:16 (yet another all too familiar verse) tells us how God so LOVED the world. Love is how God makes His decisions concerning us.

When we love the Lord and His people—Christians or not—with the kind of love described in 1 Cor 13, all the fruit of the Spirit are cultivated. All of the fruit grow just a bit more. This is why love is the most important, why it is the main theme of the Bible. God’s love for us, and our love for Him, as well as those around us.

So, take some time to think about the people in your life—your family, friends, neighbors, even the postman—what are you doing to show them love?

In other news, we chose the winner for Pamela Sonnenmoser's "Praise and Paraphrase"!

Congratulations, Bonnie!

Send your address to Kimchi at kimchilya4@yahoo.com.

Later this week, we'll be hosting our first contest. Stay tuned for more information!

Smoothing the Foundation

One thing you will realize as you get to know us is that Kimchi and I are very practical people. We have our moments of whimsy, things that fuel our passions, and emotional outbursts just like any other woman. But on the whole, we are all about being practical and hands-on. You tell us your problem, we’ll lend a shoulder to cry on, but then we’ll start helping shape a plan to solve said problem. It’s just the way we are. As a result, Tuesdays are “Tip Day” (for lack of a more creative title at the moment) where we get all practical with lists and steps…but we’ll still make it fun. You trust us, right?

So, yesterday we talked about how love is the foundation for any relationship. Of course, we realize that there are different levels of love—I know we’re not going to love someone random stranger on the street as we love our families. Brandon Heath says it right in his song “Give Me Your Eyes”:

“Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so that I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity”

Tip #1: We need to have love for humanity as a whole in order to have compassion for the individual.

Tip #2: Realize that every person has a story. We’re all born the same way—well, metaphorically. People don’t get to where they are just by happenstance, a life of experiences and choices led them to this point in their lives—good or bad. Learning that in the little things, will open your heart to the larger picture. The guy who cut you off in traffic is on the way to the hospital where his son is in the ER after being shot. The cashier who was rude to you is suffering from exhaustion. She works three jobs to keep her four kids fed after their deadbeat father skipped out on them. Everyone has a story.

Tip #3: To get love, you have to give love. We need love just as much as everyone else—but as love is a foundation, you won’t necessarily get it unless you give it. It’s tempting for us to give into the drama on our streets as woman turns against woman, especially when we’ve been wronged. But we can’t expect things to change unless we’re willing to change.

Tip #4: Don’t ignore your gut. God opens opportunities if we listen. He also closes doors when we’re not where we’re supposed to be. Even if you don’t believe in God, you know the feeling we’re talking about. It’s not the “I’m scared to reach out” feeling, but the one that says “Danger!”.

Foundations are important. Buildings stand or crumble based on the foundation. So do relationships—no matter how fleeting. The point is to get out there. Love is the foundation for relationships—and life. We can build on anything where the foundation is love.

Is there someone you know that needs some love today?