Hello everyone!
Firstly, I want to say a BIG THANK YOU and WELL DONE TO JUNIOR CHURCH for rising to the challenge and raising more than they were asked for one of our link dioceses in Kenya to purchase motor bikes for the clergy to get quickly to the remote parts of their parishes.
Wow for all the creative ideas you had, the focus, enthusiasm and joy with which you set about the task. I am sooooo impressed. Thank you too to parents, church family and everyone in encouraging and purchasing the cakes, chocolates, hair bands etc - all home made too!!! You were given three weeks to raise £50 and so far after two weeks you've SMASHED it by raising about £65! Keep up the good work. We can all learn from them. God bless you.
As we approach Valentine's day and Lent, I want to leave you with something to ponder.
A book I read some years ago that is still very relevant talks about five love languages. That each human being has one of these as their primary language of reference and feeling loved. The five are:
1 words of affirmation - when you are affirmed and people say please and thank you, I love you etc
2 Quality time - when your nearest and dearest spend quality time with you and give you their undivided attention
3 Receiving gifts - meaningful and thoughtful gifts - something that was made and they knew you wanted, maybe bought that wasn't the most expensive , but heartfelt
4 Acts of service - something that you would appreciate, eg a husband makes a cup of tea for his wife every morning before she gets out of bed and hasn't missed a day in over thirty years of marriage
5 Physical touch - a squeeze of the shoulder to say well done, or a pat on the back etc.
It doesn't mean we don't appreciate the others. Which one are you? Can you see which are your nearest and dearest's preference and do you act accordingly?
God has made each of us unique and we need to respond to one another accordingly.
On a totally different and lighter note, a good friend sent this to me. I hope it will be received in the same spirit that it is sent.
Proverbs tells us that "grey hair is a crown of splendour, it is attained by a righteous life; also that the glory of young people is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old.
St John said: "Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God."
Hope we all have a good Lent and make time for God and what really matters, having some fun along the way.
God
bless you all!
Stella
