[Day 12 of 21 Days of Love in Action]
Hi there!
Here are 3 suggestions for the weekend:
1) Let’s go into the weekend with an intention to have as much fun as we can stand! This way we will be in the best frame of mind to share as much love as we can muster.
What are your favorite ways to have fun? Try to squeeze this activity in this weekend. One of my favorite things is Zumba (Latin aerobic dance exercising) these days so I am going to get either the Wii or Kinect (Xbox) versions to have some fun at home. We have the CD’s and there’s always the class at the gym but I want a new program to have some fun at home! That’s the thing…go after what is fun and what makes you happy. THEN, as you fill up your cup of joy, you will be better equipped to love others. You know the old adage…give yourself oxygen first so you can save others on that plane!
2) Do you have a custom of housework on a weekend day? We do. Saturday mornings or early afternoon we do what we can to have our home tidied, cleaned and put in order so we can truly enjoy our day of rest on Sunday. For as long as I can remember this has been the custom of my family. We are from the West Indies and Saturday cleaning is a big deal.
Here’s the suggestion:
As we put love into action in our life, let us also clean and organize with love.
It’s often thankless work for those of us doing it for others but it is necessary and honorable work all the same. Keeping things in order and making them beautiful is necessary if we want love to bloom in our environments.
Imagine a home, a business, an office, a classroom or even a playroom minus order and frequent clean-up. It becomes a breeding ground for chaos. Without care such a space cannot foster creativity and can only dampen the souls within; And the anecdote is love.
Love, when applied to the most menial of tasks makes them a lovely means to a glorious end. When applied consistently we create environments conducive to joy, creativity and productivity.
So this weekend, whistle as you work, dance as you sweep, laugh as you lift those baskets, tickle a kid as s/he does their chores; keep it light and filled love. Then watch how the time flies and the work becomes fun, AND watch too how the work gets done even better. Love adds beauty to all we do.
3) Lastly, find some time to examine yourself. Specifically, identify any character traits, habits or beliefs that may be blocking your flow of love into the world and into your own life.
Make yourself comfortable or if you prefer, go for a walk where you can think and sit from time to time. Get yourself into a calm and relaxed state with deep breathing, then ask a few probing questions like: What can I do to love at a deeper level? What gets in the way of me expressing my love to all those around me? How can I cast my love net further and wider? How can I BE more loving in my daily life?
Ponder these questions and any others you prefer. Be still and hear the answers from your deeper voice. How I do this kind of self-analysis is to ask God for guidance, then I listen.
The key is to keep listening even after the question/answer period seems over. Answers are ever present in our daily routines…we just have to seek them and acknowledge them when they come, sometimes disguised.
OK…have a wonderful weekend! Keep the motivation going…let’s share some love pictures and encouraging words. You never know how you might be encouraging or saving or person at their moment of need.
Wishing you an abundance of love, peace and MUCH JOY!
♥~
