Jamey's Newsletter: Sunday, February 11, 2024
Love is blind. Is it? At least, this is what we tell ourselves in the dating phase of our relationship. Early on, we can quickly look over the five percent that is annoying about someone for the ninety-five percent that we love. But it is only a matter of time. How he chews his food or the annoying way she interrupts a conversation can begin to overpower the reasons we fell in love and distract us from growing in our relationship.
Jesus says, "If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things" (Luke 16:10).
To an outsider, the small things – chewing with your mouth open, hair left in the shower, the toilet seat up, toilet paper on top of the toilet paper holder – may seem picky and not a big deal, but they can begin to accumulate and affect the overall intimacy in a relationship.
It isn't about the small things. It's about what the small things represent. If we know that the socks on the floor annoy our spouse and we keep doing it, then it says they are not respected.
Low trust creates low intimacy. Intimacy is to be fully known and to know fully. Intimacy is connected to trust. We can't give ourselves entirely to someone we can't fully trust. How do we keep the 5% from taking over the 95%?
Remember, love is not blind. Love is seeing fully the other person and being seen. The Bible reminds us of what it means to define love by being seen when it says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (I Corinthians 13: 4 - 8)." As described above, all the descriptive phrases of love are another way of saying that love is not blind; instead, love is being seen fully.
Jamey
(Music performed by the Modern Worship Team of Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Weekly Prayer
Remind us, Father, that love is not blind but sees with the eyes of grace and compassion. Love is patient, love is kind, enduring, and ever hopeful, as You have shown us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we embody these truths in our relationships, fully seeing and being seen, fully knowing and being known, with hearts wide open to the transformative power of Your love. Amen.
Meme of the Week
Dad Jokes
What do you call a very small valentine? A valen-tiny!
Do skunks celebrate Valentine’s Day? Sure, they’re very scent-imental!
Wisdom Nugget: You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take steps to take care of your own soul.
A Question to Consider: Ask your partner, “What does love mean to you?”
Photo Taken By Me
Book I Read This Week
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
Found Interesting on Social Media
Video I Found Interesting
Podcast Worth Listening to:
Articles that caught my eye:
How the Stanley Cup Went Viral
Rebecca Solnit: Slow Change Can Be Radical Change
6 alternatives to saying 'let me know if you need anything' to someone in crisis
Top Ten - a little brain dump
Some Valentine's ideas besides chocolate and flowers
Take a virtual online class together - learning something new (any ideas?)
Have a theme dinner night (Not Mexican - its a regular thing at our house)
Plan an upcoming trip (Roadtrippers is a great app)
Plan a scavenger hunt (stay out of the cemetery)
Re-enact your first date (We are going to Applebee’s 😁)
Dance lessons (this might be embarrassing for her)
Host a Valentine’s Theme Brunch (invite others)
Volunteer together
Take a day off together and go on a small road trip
Go for a hike
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Join Amped Kids Foundation on March 7th for dinner and an evening of music with special guest John Berry, supporting music programs for foster, adopted, and at-risk youth. Semi-formal attire. Enjoy a cash bar, silent auction, and special presentation.
Happening at Gainesville First United Methodist Church
Weekly Blessing and/or Quotes
"The greatest gift you can give someone is the purity of your attention." – Richard Moss