Love

As Valentines Day approaches, we think about love once more. But hopefully we think about love all the time.

There are two kinds of lovers. There are those very deeply love somebody, feeling such emotions and relying so much on having that person around. And there are those who care so deeply about somebody that they do whatever they can to make that person enjoy life. Oh, yes, there is a third kind of lover - the people who do both.

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own," says Robert Heinlein.

What kind of lover are you?

"Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in arelationship- and find out you still care for that person."

36 Godly Ways to Reduce Stress

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No, to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.,

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Child in You everyday.

16. Carry a book of scriptures with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough exercise.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write thoughts and inspirations down.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you, Lord!"

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work serious ly, but yourself not at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

RECYCLING

Do you recycle? I hope so. We even have a compost heap, at least for about nine months of the year (There is only so deep snow I am willing to wade through across the field to dump compost!) So much in our lives could be recycled, but we just throw away instead. When something wonderful happens, do we savor the joy and then pass it on? Or do we just let the joy die without sharing?

When you are feeling great, pick up the phone or pick up a pen. Or send a quick email. Share your joy whenever you can, and others will share theirs with you in return. Recycle your very best feelings...they just might come back to you again.

ACTIONS

Which actions are right and which are wrong? Herbert Taylor created a four-part test to apply to whatever you plan to do:

1. Is it the truth? Is it honest?

2. Is it fair to all, or are you just thinking of yourself?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it benefit everyone involved?

ASSUMPTIONS II

Back to my 400-piece jigsaw puzzle of cartoon dragons overrunning a comical map of Europe, I notice how many different pieces there are and how different they all look.

Take this piece of rock, for example. If I look at it, I would assume the puzzle is about waves crashing into rocks. Take this piece of while columns. If I look at it, I would assume the puzzle is about the leaning tower of Pisa.

How often we look around us and assume that the world looks like our own neighborhood. How often we forget that the reality we take for granted might be eclipsed by technology, just as they were created by technology that eclipsed past realities.

The world is a bigger place than our own piece of the puzzle. Take the time to look around, to understand different places and times, and see how your piece of the puzzle fits into the greater plan.

ASSUMPTIONS

My 4000-piece jigsaw puzzle is coming along nicely; thanks for asking.

The image is of hundreds of cartoon dragons overrunning a comical map of Europe. When I find a piece with a dragon's hand, it should be easy, right? Just find a piece with a dragon's arm and stick it on.

Well, it's not so easy. Each dragon is slightly different. Each piece is slightly different. Even the background for each is slightly different.

People are like that, too. We can easily assume what somebody is thinking or feeling, or what their intentions are, based on how we feel or how we have observed other people acting. But we can just as easily err.

We must be careful not to assume how people fit into our puzzle.