Chocolate = love, right? Today’s challenge is to give away chocolate.
I had to pick up a prescription at the drugstore, so also got a box of chocolate covered almonds, part proceeds going to cancer research or some such (bonus). My resolve was to give them to anyone coming into my office today. Well, one pastor is away on vacation, one pastor was sick, the third only worked the morning, which meant a very quiet day for me. Nonetheless, half the time I forgot to offer the chocolate to the few people who did come in. I’m just not used to doing that. I guess I need to practice generosity.
Only one level of the challenge today – to show someone love. However, we are challenged to think about how the other feels love, to give in ways that we may be less comfortable with.
Mom and me at Holly’s shower, February 7/16
This morning I went to visit my mother living in long-term care. She slept for most of the time I was there. But we did, at the prompting of the nursing staff, take a walk up the hall. When she was back in bed I told her I loved her. She answered:
“It is had to accept love when you can’t love yourself.”
I know this has been a particular struggle for Mom for a long time.
I asked, “Why can’t you love yourself?”
Her reply, “Because I’m so useless.”
Why do we believe we can only be loved if we can do, only when we are productive? Why is it so hard to believe we are really truly loved? Yes, my mother is “useless,” in that she can no longer make meals for her family, help in their gardens, babysit the little ones, or any of those myriad of things she used to do. She can no longer take care of her own personal needs without help. She often can’t remember her children’s names, much less her grandchildren, and the great-grands, well, forget that. But she’s my mother, and I remember all those things she did for me all the years my life. I know I am who I am because I am hers, because she loved me. She doesn’t need to do anything more to be loved. She is truly and well loved right now! I pray she may be able to feel and accept all the love so many people have for her.
And I want to learn this lesson for myself, that my lovableness is attached not to my doing, but to my being.
Today’s challenge is to prayer – specifically to pray for those in your social media “circles” or newsfeeds, or even in newspaper articles. Some years ago I made prayer cards for my Mom, with pictures and names of her family on each card. They are still in her drawer, though I don’t think she ever looks at them any more. Today I will prayer for all those who post in Facebook.
Today’s challenge is to carefully consider our giving of money and to give some of it away. I regularly give money to several charities. But today I gave another donation to Mennonite Central Committee Ontario. With the earthquake in Nepal and the Syrian refugee crisis MCCO has received a lot of donations this year. But when they are earmarked for a particular cause the “regular” donations take a dip. So they have put out a special appeal. I have responded.
I had to pick up a prescription at the drugstore, so also got a box of chocolate covered almonds, part proceeds going to cancer research or some such (bonus). My resolve was to give them to anyone coming into my office today. Well, one pastor is away on vacation, one pastor was sick, the third only worked the morning, which meant a very quiet day for me. Nonetheless, half the time I forgot to offer the chocolate to the few people who did come in. I’m just not used to doing that. I guess I need to practice generosity.
