40 Ways to Say, "I Love You" 22-40

Just stopping by to add a few more special ways that my sweet heart tells me he loves me without saying the words "I Love You"...

22. by saving me his last piece of pie crust
23. by making my scrambled eggs nice and dry
24. by taking the pretty scenic route
25. by helping me teach the children's church class
26. by telling me all the reasons that I'll probably get the job
27. by patiently enduring my projects all around the house
28. by putting a little lemonade in my iced tea
29. by stopping at McDonald's instead of another burger place so I can have yogurt instead of fries
30. by ordering my sandwich with "pickle only"
31. by carrying in all the flowers and decorations for the piano recital
32. by cooking up all the chicken for the Pampered Chef party and organizing all of the pieces so everyone knows which piece has which seasoning rub on it
33. by listening to sermons together in the morning, in the car...
34. by not filling in ANY of the complaints on the marriage survey, when, if he looked at me as I really am, he could fill in the majority of complaints
35. by acting like he doesn't care who sees that I'm crying at our table in 5 Guys--well, it's not really an act. He's very patient when I just have to have a good cry.
36. by saving me a few cherries, grapes, shrimp, and so on, even though I have a history of gobbling up the last one
37. by holding on to me when we're walking down a steep hill
38. by holding up my back cushion when I'm getting in the car
39. when he made sure Grandma's wheel chair was facing the window so she could see the beautiful view
40. by bringing home one more bookshelf

These have not been posted in order of importance, and there are many, many more, but I'm happy to have this informal chronicle of loving memories.

40 Ways to Say I Love You 11-21

Since last Valentine's Day I feel as if I've just been propelled from one thing to another -- many happy events, mixed with difficult trials. My 40 Ways project has been on my mind, but not yet set on paper, so here are a few more entries describing ways that my husband says, "I Love You," without literally saying it...

11. Gobbling up the dinner I've made cheerfully even when it wasn't perfect.

12. Noticing how much I liked that little expandable wall mirror in the hotel, and then installing one in our bathroom.

13. Decorating my music room with such joyful items for my students and me to enjoy during the holidays.

14. Singing Christmas carols a capella as a family on Christmas morning.

15. Stopping at the home medical store when we were on the road to buy a new seat cushion since it was too late to go back home for the one I forgot.

16. Sharing his chocolate pineapple upside down cake with me.

17. Cooking every holiday dinner for the past 24 years.

18. Loving my relatives and opening our home to them often.

19. Speaking of loving my relatives, happily watching Food Network while they are here instead of football. Okay, I mentioned this one already, so maybe I'll add a number 41 at the end :-)

20. Thinking of fun ways to send care packages to the kids at college--interestingly shaped boxes, etc.

21. Turning the extra room downstairs into my music room instead of a man cave.

Jesus Loves You...

Love this Valentine's Day devotion from Desiring God Ministries.

A Love Story

40 Ways to Say I Love You--7 through 10

7. He invites me to run to the hardware store with him.
8. He patiently enjoys piano lessons and singing together.
9. He noticed that I like faucets with handles that you don't have to turn, and then he installed one.
10. He cooks delicious dinners while I'm teaching.

What a busy year it has been! But maybe I'll finish this list before the next Valentine's Day <3

40 ways to say I love you--Day 6

Well, I'm going to have to do some catching up here, but for today, I'll just add one:

I'm so grateful for Bill (and Cherith) baking 200 cookies for my piano recital, and then spending their Saturday afternoon doing set-up, serving refreshments, etc.

40 ways to say I love you--day 5

He was agreeable for my mom and the sisters to watch Food Network in the cozy chairs on New Years Day instead of football :-)

40 ways to say I love you – day 4

When I was in the hospital, Bill came right over to see me every day after work, and he sat with me until it was time to go to sleep.

40 ways to say I love you--day 3

I love all the things he has done with our kids:
VBS
amusement parks
driving to every playground in the county
visiting every library branch in the city
making gingerbread houses
coaching Bible quiz
home improvement projects
painting pottery
being in church together every Sunday
and so much more...

40 ways to say I love you-day two

He always makes sure there are some black olives on the pizza :-)

40 ways to say I love you…

They say that love is more than a feeling – so true!

I'm starting a few days late, but with almost 40 days to Valentine's Day, I've been thinking about all the ways my husband shows me that he loves me besides the things he says to me. Since I'm starting a few days late, I'll have to post a few at one time today. They are not in chronological order.

1. When I called him at work upset about something I had broken, he brought flowers home for me.

2. After we got married, he paid off my student loan and my car loan.

3. At each new house that we bought, he planted roses for me and put up a rose arbor, letting them hang loose and free a little bit the way I like them when he would prefer them to be wrapped up more neatly.

4.Although it would be more practical for me to have a different kind of job, I'm happy that he is agreeable for me to work at home, taking up time and space from our family at a job that I love.

Important Qualities of a Teacher

By Christine Danielewicz

August 5, 2011

To discover the most important qualities of teacher, a person must look to the greatest teacher who ever lived: Jesus Christ. Christ displayed the qualities of wisdom, humility, love, and sacrificial commitment. Without these key character traits, no educator can hope to succeed.

It takes great wisdom to handle the serious, complex issues that teachers face daily. According to Proverbs 9:10 in the Bible, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (ESV). Jesus, the Holy One, responded wisely to every problem he encountered.

Along with wisdom goes humility. It is hard to tell which comes first. It takes wisdom to learn humility, and it takes humility to develop wisdom. In Philippians 2:8 we see that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (ESV). When conducted in humble obedience, our teaching can accomplish all that the Lord desires.

In dealing with children and their parents, outstanding educators show genuine love to those they serve. Jesus and his followers did not show partiality (Acts 10:34, James 2:1-12); neither can teachers. Great educators make every child feel as if he or she is a valued student—even those who do not like them or their subject matter. Just as Jesus lovingly prayed for his persecutors from the cross in Luke 23:24, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (ESV), outstanding educators show genuine concern for those who may be apathetic, insolent, or defiant, so students know that, even when they are experiencing firm discipline, their teachers want the best for them.

Excellent teachers have a “whatever it takes” attitude to ensure that children learn. Jesus withheld nothing, but sacrificed his very life on the cross so that perishing people could live. Likewise, exceptional teachers are willing to sacrifice so that children can learn. Having been entrusted with treasures of knowledge and understanding, outstanding teachers enter the classroom knowing that “…to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48, ESV).

Wisdom, humility, love, and sacrificial commitment lay the foundation on which solid instruction is built. Teachers who develop these qualities are prepared to meet tough educational and behavioral challenges. Their instruction produces outstanding results.

Lord, please grow these qualities in us!

Not Quenched, But Sometimes Obscured

"Many waters cannot quench love," but sometimes the pollution of life obscures it.

Lord, please let your love show through always...

Poem on Song of Solomon 8:7

Everyday words and
worries drip one drop at a
time on hopeful hearts.

Spring showers soak us;
summer storms wear us down, but
joy girds fainting hearts.

Fall torrents followed
by blinding blizzards fiercely
freeze our frantic hearts.

Faith's flames revive us.
As tsunamis overwhelm,
love grips grace-bathed hearts.

"Many waters can
not quench love. Rivers can not
wash it away." Song of Solomon 8:7

Who knows how and when the seeds of the Gospel that are planted will grow?

It can be so easy to hold back in sharing the Gospel because of fears, preconceived ideas, or perceived failures of the past. This testimony is an encouragement to always share the Gospel with everyone, everywhere.

"Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth,
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good." Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Jesus can always change people...

"God used a battering ram to kick down the door of my mother's heart and drag her to Jesus. And she has loved him ever since and is loving him now, and is beholding his glory...Sinners are always savable."--Heath Lambert

When it comes to loved ones headed for destruction, Jesus is not a gentleman who stands by and waits for something to happen, he is a rescuer who earnestly intervenes...

Jihad Could Not Quench Their Love

Adel and her husband Methu lived on the island of Dodi in an Indonesian village where nearly all of the residents were Christian. Adel's grandfather had been a preacher, and now she enjoyed reading Bible stories to the neighborhood children. At their wedding, her pastor told her, "Adel, only God can separate you and Methu now."

But on September 9, 1999, there was a commotion outside. About 30 men, women, and children from a Muslim village named Dahma, had come to Dodi carrying a banner with two words printed on it: "Cinti Damai," or "Love Peace."

One of the men in the group announced, "People of Dodi, we are your neighbors, and we should commit to each other to live in peace." Their children played together cheerfully that day, but just a few months later the men of Dahma, including many of those who had come in September chanting, "Peace to the island of Dodi," returned and burned the village. Adel's little boy, Christiano, his grandmother, and numerous other villagers were murdered with machetes.

Adel was forced to be the wife of Almin, one of the Muslim men, even though Methu was still living. Many months later, she wondered if her husband could ever accept her after she had been with Almin against her will and had his child. Her young daughter, Christina, had encouraged her while the baby was still in her womb.

After Adel escaped and Methu saw baby Sarah for the first time, he smiled and said, "So this is our new daughter." He had written a letter to Adel while she was still in captivity:

"Adel, you could have ten children by ten men, and you would still be my wife. Don't you remember what the pastor told you? Only God can separate us now. I love you."

You can read the rest of Adel and Methu's story in Hearts of Fire from The Voice of the Martyrs.

They'll know we are Christians by our love and faith comes by hearing the Word of God--not by bizarre manifestations...

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35

''So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans10:17

Marriage Wordle

Lord, please keep us always in your unquenchable love...

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Untitled

Irritative specks
frustrate sweethearts sworn to love.
As tears fall, pearls grow.

Each tear, sigh, earnest
plea for understanding, strings
lustrous, living strands.