"But God commends his own love
toward us,in that while we were yet
sinners,Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8 Love is a gift,
pure and simple. You can't earn it, manufacture it, manipulate it or coerce it
in any way. All you can do is receive it humbly and graciously when it's
offered … and be thankful. This morning I slept late. When I woke up I spent
some listening to wonderful hymns of the church. I feasted on the blessings of
the Lord. It has been a very sunny and brilliant day. It was cloudless,
abundant, and beautiful. I walked along Main Street for some time this morning
and met some people who were conversing and greeting. Later I got some natural
wild honey, unadulterated and un-pasteurized, from some people who live in the
farms and woods not far from us.
I have received so much love
expressed and extended to me with words of grace and kindness this day from
around the corner and around the world. I am so blessed and so loved. I thank
the Lord for each and every one of you. The journey that we are on together is
worth taking . As I
walked today I received so many smiles from people. One of the best birthday
gifts I receive is a smile and some laughter. I call them simple gifts. They
are free, yet very profound. A genuine smile is one of the simplest gifts we
have to share. Mother Teresa said it best when she said, "Every time you smile
at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."
"If you see a friend without a smile, give him one of
yours."
Add to smiling the gift of
laughter. Mary Waldrip says, "A laugh is a smile that bursts." I like what
Victor Borge said, "Laughter is the closest distance between two people." It
refreshes us, clears out the toxins and brings us together, as one. A Yiddish
proverb says, "What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." A good belly
laugh is one of the best ways I know to relieve stress. Praise the Lord for
these simple gifts. Of
course, we all know the old adage, "Laughter is the best medicine," but there's
more to it than merely a catch phrase. Researchers link laughter to all sorts of
medical benefits. There's no end to the simple gifts for which we
have to be thankful, but allow me to add to the list the gifts of faith, hope
and love. Make no mistake about it – they're gifts, pure and simple. They can
only be received freely – as gifts – and not obtained by any other
means.
In Christ,
Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment