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Category Archives: Miscellaneous
THE GREATEST LOVE
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.
It seems every store is splashed with an array of red and pink hearts, roses, stuffed animals and let’s not forget chocolates. (Yaaay!)
Here at ‘Love Box Land’ our attention is focused on helping people experience and grow in love all year long.
Here’s the definition of love.
Love
noun 1.
an intense feeling of deep affection.
verb 2. to feel a strong or constant attachment and affection for a person.
So you see it is a noun AND a verb. For our love to grow we need to give it attention. In both of these descriptions you’ll see the word feeling. And that’s fine however love is so much more than a feeling.
Love is a choice.
What is the greatest love? Unconditional love!
“Unconditional love is known as affection without any limitations, it can also be love without conditions. This term is sometimes associated with other terms such as true altruism, or complete love.”
As a wife and parent quite often I don’t feel like serving my children and husband. Yet, when I do think about their needs and serve them, I am being a humble servant and a leader. When I serve them consistently they know they are loved. When they humbly serve me, I feel loved.
Unconditional love puts the interests of our beloved before our own. Sometimes, oftentimes, we don’t feel like it.
This is the dichotomy of love. In giving love away we feel love more.
We’re expanding! The Original Love Box, notes and book are in the final creation phase. I invite you to check it out and sign up to be contacted when it’s available.
5 Ways to Teach Kids to Combat Commercialism
Tis the Season . . .
And the decorations and songs in the stores are here to prove it.
At this time of year I always feel a battle between doing what the world wants me to do (buy more) and what God wants of me (love more). The tug of war is real and we need to take steps to counteract commercialism.
It’s time to take back Christmas. Here’s the thing. . . YOU get to decide what kind of holiday season you want. When it will start, end and everything in between. So, let’s be intentional and do what’s most important.
If you have thought “Christmas has become like a circus” or “The Holidays suck the life force out of me,” there’s hope for a better holiday.
5 Ways to Combat Commercialism
1. Ask your kids, “What do you remember about last Christmas?” What traditions did you like to do? What gifts do you remember getting? You will probably be surprised by the answers. Do what’s most important and let go of the activities that don’t fit into your top priorities. Let’s simplify.
2. Let’s focus on celebrating the real reason for the season which is the birth of Jesus and sharing the light and love of God with others. During Advent focus on spiritual activities like prayer and good works. How about singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus this year?
3. Set a limit on time, money and number of gifts to give this year. Long ago our family decided to give no more than 3 gifts for each person. We figured if it was good enough for Jesus to get 3 gifts, it was good enough for us.
4. Model for your family the values you hold dear. Your kids will do what they see you do.
5. Host a ‘Family Love Night’ with the Christmas Love Box Tradition.
Just imagine, you’re sitting in your living room with your loved ones, surrounded by candles, chocolate and Love. With each note read aloud, the magic of love is released and binds you all closer together.
The night is a precious and magical time together as each person feels valued, appreciated and loved. The force of love binds you closer together.
Then after the holidays are over, you have love notes in your loved ones handwriting to relive those happy times. You’ll have notes from when the kids were 5, 10 or 15. The kids have notes of love from their parents, aunts, uncles and Grandparents. Forever. You can read and re-read those love notes all year round.
Oh, it can be different alright. Rather than giving stuff you can give and get the gift of love.
It’s so, so much better. I promise.
There’s a battle going on between commercialism and spirituality. So, let’s lace up those combat boots and start walking. Singing Christmas carols all the way. Ready? Set. Let’s go.
The CLB Challenge
What is the CLB Challenge?
The CLB challenge is that you will share the gift of love, by writing love notes to your family and friends this holiday season. You’re committed to building a foundation of love in your family with the Christmas Love Box tradition.
We are committed to creating a new world of love.
A long, long time ago people thought the the more presents you gave at Christmas showed others how much you loved them. The holidays got over commercialized and ‘sucked the life force’ out of many people.
NOT ANYMORE
We are inspired.
The Spirit of Love is Powerful.
We will give the gift of love,
One note at a time.
May the ‘Love Force’ be with you.
Will you join the CLB challenge?
Are you growing in the 6 types of Love?
Recently I met a dear friend for lunch. She has been reunited with a boyfriend she knew decades earlier from high school. She sounded like a teenager again as she gushed “I’m sooooo in love”. Her voice was silky and her eyes softening. You know what I mean? It got me thinking about how expansive love is and the many areas of life we can grow ‘in love’ with.
Did you know the ancient Greeks had 6 words to express love?
1. Passionate, romantic love.
2. Deep friendship love.
3. Playful love.
4. Love for everyone.
5. Longstanding love.
6. Love for self.
There are so many more ways we can expand our love. We can grow ‘in love’ with God, friends, our children and grandchildren. (Grandma’s keep telling me they feel a love like no other for their grandchildren.) We can grow more in love with our work, hobbies, pets, nature,our self and even with life itself.
When we are united in the Spirit of God’s love and in service to others we feel an overflowing love.
So, let’s expand our view and commit to grow in love in many areas of life. Let’s ‘love large’, connect with others and feel more happy, whole and healthy. Let’s let our ‘love light’ shine bright in the world.
By thinking about and identifying how many areas of love are present in your life, you may find out that you have a lot more love than you had ever imagined in your life.
The Love Cheerleaders remind us to grow in L-O-V-E
Reflecting Question:
So, how many areas of life are you ‘in love’ with?
5 Healing Powers of Love
Have you ever felt the healing power of love?
Love heals in many ways; our body, mind and spirit can be healed with the power of Love. Here are some fascinating ways that love heals:
1. Love decreases stress. Did you know that love counteracts the fight or flight response? Yes, it does and mighty effectively. Love regulates the production of cortisol (stress hormone) and elevates the production of Oxytocin, (happy hormone), which can reduce cardiovascular stress and improve the immune system.
2. Love causes the production of norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain, which leads to increased feelings of joy and pleasure.
Love Heals our Body, Mind & Spirit
3. Love has been proven to reduce inflammation, improves your immune system, and can be a potent pain reliever. A recent study from the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State Univ. shows us that people who are lonely develop more reactivation of latent viruses than those that are well connected.
4. Love decreases anxiety and can keep depression at bay. It also reduces the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
5. When you tell another person how much you love them, why and how they are a special gift, you’ll feel ‘love energy’ passing between you both.
Love truly is great medicine. Love is a powerful healer in all its’ many forms.
When someone says, “I’m so in love” they are often referring to romantic love, but there is so much more to it than that. I want to encourage you to think of love in a broader way. We can grow in love with God, with our children and grandchildren. We can grow more in love with our friends, animals, our self and even grow in love with life itself.
When we are united in the Spirit of God’s love and in the service to others we feel an overflowing love. We heal ourself and others when we share the overflowing Spirit of love.
So ‘love large’, connect with others and you’ll feel more happy, whole and healthy. The next time you’re feeling low, rather than becoming isolated, call a friend or reach out to someone else with kindness.
Don’t underestimate the power of love. Acts of love for people, places and others provide healing health benefits.
Try it, I think you’re going to not just like it, you’ll love it!
Question for you: How will you share the healing power of love?
Why Celebrate Christmas in July?
So, why are we celebrating ‘Christmas in July’? Are we crazy? Well, maybe a little, but there’s also a much deeper reason.
We celebrate the Spirit of Christmas in July because it reminds us of the love of Christ and gives us time to reconnect with family. We can start the ‘Christmas Love Box’ tradition when our lives are a little less hectic. It’s fun and brings everyone closer together!
Here’s what the Blake family has to say about the Christmas Love Box tradition. I hope you find it inspiring. We sure do.
Christmas Love Box Team
Love of Family, Not of Gifts.
By: Mrs. Blake
For the Blake family, Christmas was both a treat and an extra special blessing of love and commitment with our first ‘Christmas Love Box’. While I must say we were a bit skeptical of the perceived power and blessings in store for us, each of us was definitely impacted and thrilled by the end of the day.
When we received the ‘Christmas Love Box’ package, each member of our family was asked to participate by presenting kind thoughts to everyone else. I was amazed by their willingness to engage in the process (must be trust of their Nana)! With lots of love, humor, respect and heart felt love; everyone wrote individual love notes to other family members and were (amazingly so) willing to read them aloud.
The tears, love and gift of the real purpose of Christmas took front stage . . . how can we forget the birth of Christ and His saving grace!!!
The best of the best was from my husband. . . who is not a gift/materialistic kind of guy who said: ‘WOW, finally, we remember Christmas for what it’s all about . . . LOVE of Family and not of gifts.”
So our question to you is, “Why not celebrate Christmas in July?”
Let’s share more love – all year long.
Christmas Love Box in July Party
Christmas Love Box Invitation
It’s summer. It’s hot and the kids are starting to get bored. Here’s a great family activity you can do with your family that will focus the whole family on loving each other and expressing that love.
Come join us to find out all about the family tradition that is quick and easy to do yet the feelings of love resulting from it last a lifetime. It’s the Christmas Love Box tradition. We’re delighted to celebrate with friends as we launch the 2015 love notes on July 18th from 2-4 pm.
Hope you can make it. If you can’t, contact us and we’ll tell you all about this treasured tradition.
We speak at family retreats and are happy to talk with you about coming to your church, school or group.
A Great Gift
We’ve been meeting with companies, churches and non-profit groups lately. They are exploring Christmas Love Boxes to give as gifts to employees, friends and clients. It’s exciting to see all the ways people are planning to use them.
Here are just a few ideas:
– Gifts for employees and their families.
– A feedback tool to have their clients write notes about service.
– An interactive event for Christmas parties.
– A retreat exercise to open communication amongst team members.
We’re thrilled to know the Christmas Love Box will bring people closer together with more understanding and love.
Love Challenge
Try this ‘Love Challenge’. This exercise promotes an outpouring of love and healing.
Step 1: Think of someone who could use some loving. Maybe it’s a friend, a sister or brother or a difficult child.
Step 2: Close your eyes & send the other person love surrounded in bright light from your heart to their heart.
Step 3: See the light return to you and then go back to other person again. Repeat this until you have light illuminating both of you.
Step 4: Say, “The love in me honors the spirit of love in you.”
Love heals.