Pastor's
Periodic
Ponderings
 
Friends~

Have you ever done something nice for someone because you wanted to express a word of encouragement, appreciation or thanks?  But perhaps the recipient was less excited about what you did than you'd expected them to be?  Well, it's likely that the reason is because you have different love languages. 

What is a love language you ask?  A love language is the way you both give and receive love.  It's the way you communicate or show someone that they are important to you.  It's a way of offering care, encouragement and support.  But here's the thing, everyone has a love language, but not everyone has the same love language. 

My top two love languages are "acts of service" and "quality time."  Whereas for my son Manny, I'm fairly certain his primary love language is "receiving gifts."  So I've had to learn, for example, that the times when I make his bed, which I feel is a gift to him (an act of service - my love language), go unnoticed by him.  But when I buy him something new, anything new, even a new toothbrush and toothpaste, he feels loved and appreciated by me (receiving gifts - his love language), whereas I feel it's just a routine errand. 



Gary Chapman has written a number of books about Love Languages:  The 5 Love Languages, The Secret to Love that Lasts; The 5 Love Languages, Singles Edition; and The 5 Love Languages of Children.  The premise of his books is that there are five primary ways people both express and receive love.  The five love languages are:  acts of service, quality time, physical touch, words of affirmation, and receiving gifts.  Chapman says there are "many dialects" of the five languages, but those five cover the broad spectrum of how people give and receive love.  He goes on to say, "married or single, young or old, every human has the emotional need to feel loved.  When this need is met, we move out to reach our potential for God and our potential for good in the world." 

I 'm sharing this with you because when we hear Jesus say, "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself" we can use the love languages concept to better understand not only ourselves but our neighbor too. 

So as Valentine's Day approaches once again, our relationship status matters not.  We all have a need to both give and receive love.  And even though that happens in many different ways, we have in common the love language of Christ.  The love language of Christ gives us a solid foundation to move beyond ourselves for the sake of another.  So go on, step out of your love language, take a guess at what someone else's love language might be, and make a little extra effort to shower them in a way they will feel loved. 


 ~ In Christ, Pastor Jeanne

   
A Few More Things:

Treasures in Lent
This is our theme for the season of Lent - a time in the church year that is set aside for worship, self-examination, and the strengthening of ties within the household of faith.  Wednesdays in Lent (Feb 17-March 16) we will offer soup lunches at noon followed by a brief worship service at 12:30, as well as worship at 7 PM when we'll sing the much-loved Holden Evening Prayer together. If you would like to help set-up or clean-up for the lunches, please let Kim Schaeferle know.  The " Treasures" theme will be picked up in Sunday morning worship, as well as on Wednesdays. Watch for a Lenten Book Club option for adults on March 14 and 20.
 
ABOVE AND BEYOND!
Thank You to Thrivent members who donated $5,191 in Choice Dollars to   Family of Christ in 2015! These dollars were used to host our annual J-Term events, provide care bags for the homeless,  meet our neighbors at the summer Block Party,  serve a luncheon at the Annual Meeting, and fund other non-budgeted ministries. Please continue to contribute to FOC - these dollars have a huge impact throughout the year.

SHOWSHOE AT MN LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM
Snowshoe with other FoC members at the MN Landscape Arboretum on Sat., Feb. 20 at 10 AM.  Meet at the Oswald Visitor Center.  Snowshoes can be rented for $6/hour.  RSVP on the kiosk in the narthex or by emailing [email protected]  If you're interested in carpooling from FoC at 9:30 AM and/or if you have an Arboretum membership that allows you to bring guests, please indicate that on your RSVP.

FOR MORE INFORMATION  about current Family of Christ events & opportunities, view our Family News.