KEEPING LOVE IN LENT: A Lot About Love... Inspirations from a 4-Year Old

“I’m participating in the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by

Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom and Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.

Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up entries."

It’s simply amazing how much I can learn from someone so young. A child can definitely teach us - older ones - a lot about love…

Out of nowhere, my son told me, “Faith is my life”. He was actually referring to his playmate, a girl about his age named, Faith. I honestly didn't know where he learned to say those words, but in the pureness and innocence of his heart he was happy and proud to express it.

There was another time he came up to my husband and me and said… “Daddy, Mommy is your life”… “Mommy, Daddy is your life.” I didn’t know how to react at that moment. I was so inspired by how much those simple words made me reflect deeper about “LOVE”.

Love is probably one of the most complex thing in this world… but a child’s concept is the best way for us to give it more meaning and appreciate its true essence.

Back when we were kids, we see love in its pure, innocent and true form. But as we grow older, we often take for granted this thing called “love.” Depending on the state of our hearts, love becomes tainted with selfishness, pride, lust, jealousy, insecurity and even stress…

Sometimes we all need a moment to go back in time and “fall deeply, madly in love” like a child all over again.

There's no better time to reflect on love but this season of Lent.

Here are a few love inspirations as spoken from the heart of a child:

image found in godlywoman.com

Love is pure and innocent.

Children love simply because they LOVE. No conditions. No “ifs” or “buts”. It is real and genuine. It is open and honest. Children clearly show what they feel. There are no pretensions or false hopes. They always see the good in others

We need to be reminded that love is not always about us.

Are you striving to love for the right reasons? Is your love bound by pre-conceived notions and too much expectation?

Love is in the small stuff.

A child’s love is simple. It is never complicated. They appreciate even the smallest things we do for them – a simple kiss or a hug, a pat on the back, a kind gesture or word. For them, it is the simplest act but deeply meant that matters most.

We need to remind ourselves never to take anything for granted.

How many times have you failed to acknowledge something other people did for you just because it is not what you expected?

Love is a “pure display of affection”.

If they feel like giving a hug or a quick smack on the cheek… children will freely do it. It is their language of love. For kids, love is expressed in many different ways. But the most important thing of all is that love should and always be “expressed”. However way they choose to physically express themselves, it all comes down to a meaningful display of pure and innocent love.

Life is precious… that’s why we need to make each moment count and say, “I love you” whenever possible.

When was the last time you said the words, “I love you”, to someone close to your heart? How do you wish to express your love for someone – through words or acts of service?

image found in weheartit.com

Love is fun.

A child is pleased whenever he feels loved but notice how happier he becomes every time he does something special for others, witnessing how much they appreciated his gesture. Loving should make us happy. It becomes even more fun when we make someone else happier.

Happiness is a decision. It doesn’t matter if the person we love fail to love us back or doesn’t love us the way we hoped they would… what matters most is that we are happy just to be able to love.

Are you happy to be in love at this very moment? Is loving someone making you happy… even if it entails you to make some personal sacrifices?

Love is love even if it means to say you’re sorry.

Children “keep no record of wrongs”. They love with their whole heart. No matter what happens, a child easily forgives and forgets. Children can honestly say "sorry” if they knew they did something wrong. Because after all that’s been said and done, one thing they will always remember is how much they love you.

We all need a forgiving heart… as well as a heart that’s humble enough to seek forgiveness for the many ways we have hurt our loved ones.

Are you ready to forgive someone who caused you so much pain? Is this person someone you love with all your heart? Are you ready to ask for forgiveness from someone you have hurt?

Love is a promise not made to be broken.

Children mean what they say and say what they mean. They put their complete faith and trust in the people they expect to love and care for them. They don’t doubt our capacity for they know fully well that “a promise is a promise”. They have faith that we will do what’s best for them.

How many times have you broken your promise to the one you love? Do you really mean it whenever you say, “I love you”, or is it just something you feel you need to say? Are you willing to give your whole life and complete faith to someone you love deeply?

image source: churchleaders.com

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that

“Love is the free self-giving of the heart”

Love should influence the whole life of a person. It has to reach a point wherein loving should lead us from the “I” to “you”. And eventually, loving until it becomes our life.

The heart of Jesus is closest to those with a child-like heart.

This is how Christ loved. He gave His life for us so that we can be free to live... and live in order to love.

Check out these Catholic Blogs and be inspired even more to "keep LOVE in LENT":

Equipping CatholicFamilies: Keep LOVE in LENT

Call Her Happy:40 Simple Lenten Activities for Kids

Lenten Love: Little Acts of Love

Building Rocks

Keep Christ in Christmas: THE LIGHT OF HOPE

"I’m participating in the KEEP CHRIST in CHRISTMAS Blog Link-Up 2013 sponsored by the Catholic Bloggers Network ." Be sure to visit as many links as possible , listed at the bottom of this post. Reflecting on the 1st candle of Advent, the "light of Hope", I was reminded of a story I read as a child. Most of my contemporaries would probably remember "The Little Match Girl" written by Hans Christian Andersen: It was terribly cold and nearly dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and darkness, a poor little girl with bare head and naked feet, roamed through the streets. It is true she had on a pair of slippers when she left home, but they were not of much use. They were very large, so large, indeed, for they had belonged to her Mother and the poor little girl had lost them in running across the street to avoid two carriages that were rolling at a terrible rate. One of the s

catholicnursemomFebruary 21, 2013 at 8:12 PM
Wow. That was amazing. What a labor of love you have made and shown in this simple childlike description. May God reward you. I am speechless. Really no response would properly express how impressed I am with this message. Now, if only I can remember it. My children will remind me I'm sure. I better show them i love them and get some rest. :) God be with you.
Teresa Gumap-as DumadagFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:34 PM
I agree. Kids sometimes say things that leave us speechless. :)
UnknownFebruary 22, 2013 at 12:41 PM
So glad to find you site. Of all the statements I liked "Love is in the little things" because I think that Lent is more about the little sacrifices and acts of love than the big resolutions.
Nancy Ward
JoyAlive.net
UnknownFebruary 22, 2013 at 2:51 PM
What beautiful reminders for Lent. Jesus loves those with a child-like heart. There are days when I remember this and it brings me down from my high pedestal. You know? I get reminded to be simple and trust as a child does. Because, after all, I am a child of God.
Kendra TierneyFebruary 22, 2013 at 11:26 PM
Off topic, but . . . I love your logo. It's really fun.
CherylFebruary 24, 2013 at 7:51 AM
Hopping by from the Keep Love in Lent link-up...

Beautiful post! One of the reasons I love teaching catechism classes is because it reminds me how close little children are to Our Father in heaven. How they innocently say the deepest things that touch the inner recesses of our souls. How their thoughts aren't cluttered with the complexities of the world, and how they understand that it really is just about LOVE -- love between God and us, and love between us and others.

Wishing you a meaningful Lent,

Cheryl
http://www.diary-of-a-sower.blogspot.com

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KEEPING LOVE IN LENT: A Lot About Love... Inspirations from a 4-Year Old

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