This week I've chosen a paraphrase of a very well-known reading. I've known it for a few years, and thought it would fit in well with our Pause for Advent. The illustrations are taken from the wonderful array of Pause for Advent posts which we shared last week, and for each one you can click below the picture to go back to the original blogger. On your left is a list of all the Pause for Advent bloggers, which will be updated every time one of them posts this Sunday or Monday. Please do take the time to visit them - as you can see from my pictures, they are a creative, thoughful and loving bunch!
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls
but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
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If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
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If I trim the spruce tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes
attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
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Love stops cooking to hug the child.
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Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
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Love is kind, though harried and tired.
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Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
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Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way.
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Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
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Love bears all thinks, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.
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This paraphrase is by Sharon James, author of ‘Celebrating a Christ-Centred Christmas’, but you can find the original here.
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23 comments:
How true. I was keen to know which of my photos you wanted to use and see you have chosen one of my favourites!
Jane
This is beautiful Floss, really apt for the busyness of this season.
Bizarrely enough, I have just scheduled my 'a pause for Advent', for the morning (your evening I suspect!), there is a VERY big theme of Faith, Hope, and Love in it!
I hope when it shows up, you and your readers will enjoy it.
I am still so pleased and thankful that you have started up this 'a pause for Advent', and I hope I get a chance to read some other 'Advent pausers' soon.
Luisa
xx
That was beautiful :)
A wonderful poem. I am really enjoying this. Just a small breath in what can be a chatoic world. Thank you
oh Floss that was beautiful. Thank you
What a very thought provoking post Floss ~ I love that particular bible reading ~ it is one of my favourites ~ but this paraphrase is beautiful and so very true. Thanks so much for sharing. Hope you have a very lovely weekend :O)
Lovely post , Floss, thank you.
That was a beautiful paraphrase about love. We all have the 1 priceless gift to give, LOVE.
God Bless You!
Yoli :)
Thanks, this is beautiful.
This is a beautiful post - a wonderful application of the love passage to everyday life. Thank you for sharing.
Lorrie
I'm a little out of synch - my post is about peace.
Lovely, Floss - I totally agree with you - I have just done mine today, and a lot of the sentiments are similar.
Pomona x
What a fantastic post and it really brings home to remember that it's all about love.
this is lovely and oh so true... off to stop blogging and hug my kids x
Oh that is great Floss- thank you SO much!
That was lovely Floss. I so agree with you which is why I don't do Christmas. I stopped giving to my sisters & their children years ago because I never got to see them. I suggested that rather then rubbish gifts we all met up & spent time together but they were too busy!!! Christmas isn't about spending money, it's about spending time will love one etc. It makes me angry that people don't really know/care why we celebrate..... is all spend, spend, spend & keeping up with the Joneses......well not for me, I just won't join in!!! I love reading these posts :) x
Great post Floss!..my grandfather and cousin are now very famous all around the world!
I'm very sorry, but at the moment I can't write my Advent post, as I killed my laptop last Saturday. I hope I will be able to download some pictures from my camera on my work computer and post on Wednesday (tomorrow I'm off for the Immaculate Conception). Big apologies
Another thought provoking one, thank you Floss x
Wonderful words...as well as pictures. It makes you think...this would be a good forward to send to people...I know a few who might benefit from reading it... xxx
that was lovely floss, im off to put my little one to bed and then do my pause in advent post! fliss xx
Wonderful "holiday food" for thought! For that matter, great for the whole year! Thank you :)
I would love to join in but don't know if I am too late. I am always the one chasing my tail ;)
Gorgeous photographs :) and thanks tou you and fellow bloggers for sharing them
Hugs
X
Amazingly beautiful post, Floss - so warm and loving and very cosy! Unfortunately I'm also going through some bad luck with my next Advent Post - probably similar to what Michela is going through... Was planning to post some Christmas pictures from Belguim from last year with all their lovely decorations and chocolate shop carousels, but guess what - my hard drive with all the pictures died for no reason at all and I'm left 'pictureless' with latest shots no older than 1 month on my PC.. I am taking it to the company to recover the data (don't have copies - so stupid!) I just pray I will get all my photos back :(
Beautiful words & thoughts, so important to remember & hold in your heart. Thank you Floss, its really helped me to read those words at a difficult time.
Bless you & hope you have a lovely Christmas.
Love Lydia xx
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