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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 SaintsTruly 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":




Grow the Roses: Keep Love in Lent

Family At The Foot Of The Cross: Loving Service

Catholic Homeschooling Joy: A Lenten Activity

JOY:Keep the Love in Lent

Twenty Tuesday Afternoons: Tuesday # 11: Pancake Tuesday / Keeping Love in Lent

Campfires and Cleats: Why a Failing Lent Really Isn’t

Harrington Harmonies: Make a Lenten Holy Hour

A Mommy of Three:Good Deeds for Lent

Loving the Semi Country Life: Lent:special time to reflect and keep the love in lent

Written By the Finger of God: A 7 Step Lenten Plan

Mommy Bares All: Giving Up and Making Space for Love this Lent

The Irish Lassie Shop: Seek God Everywhere

Hand-Maid with Love: Living Lent, Loving Lent

Words On Heaven: IN THE DESERT FOR 40 DAYS

On The Way Home: Keeping LOVE in Lent

Homeschooling with Joy: Keep Love in Lent

Mountain Grace: Keep Love in Lent

Eyes On Heaven: I am Choosing to Live

Joy Alive in Our Hearts:”God’s Love at Work”

Life of Fortunate Chances: Love is Fun: Keeping Love in Lent

Fifth of Five: Keep the LOVE in Lent

I Blog Jesus: for Praying our Loud!

Overflow: Loving Lent with Little Ones

This Cross I Embrace: Keep LOVE In Lent

Sole Searching Mamma: 15 Ways to Experience a More Meaningful Lent

Catholic All Year: My Biggest Lent Fails and How I Learned Mortification…

Four Little Ones: Keeping Love in Lent

Gaels Crafty Treasures Keeping Love in Lent

Bear Wrongs Patiently: Lent for the Scrupulous

Rosary Mom: Keeping Love in Lent

LoveLetters 7.10: Teacups {Keeping the Love in Lent}

Little Saints in the Making: Keep Love in Lent

Blessed with Full Hands: Keeping love in Lent- Praise Him

Normal Chaos: Our Own Personalized Lenten Journey

These Little Blessings: Gifting Love this Lent

The Cajun Catholic: The our Father; a lenten reflection

Truly Rich Mom: Keeping Love in Lent… Even When It Is Difficult

GATHERING GRACES:Keeping LOVE in LENT

SaIsa Pang Sulyap – Fullness Of His Love

LiturgicalTime: Keeping Love in Lent – Finding Balance

Grace Loves Iggy: love in lent

Sacred Oysters: Empty (Keeping LOVE in LENT)

Tercets:Make Heart Rosary Decades to Pray for Others

The Diary of a Sower: Our Lenten Prayer Tree

A Living Garden — Giving for Others with Love: Keeping LOVE in LENT

Homegrown Catholics: Motivated by my childrens’ activities {Lent}

MyBroken Fiat: Keeping Love in Lent… Barely

Journey to Wisdom: Keeping Love in Lent: Bands of Love

Softening My Heart: An Anniversary Lesson during Lent

Coffee Moments With Sam: Alot about Love…

Comments

  1. 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you very much! was personally inspired while writing this post as well. truly our kids are the best inspirations! im happy to share this wonderful insight on love... glad you loved it!

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  2. I agree. Kids sometimes say things that leave us speechless. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it happened to me so many times already... learning so much from our very own kids - truly my best source of inspiration! thank you very much for reading my post! warm regards to you and your family!

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  3. 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

    ReplyDelete
  4. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Off topic, but . . . I love your logo. It's really fun.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 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

    ReplyDelete

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