Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Scripture Thursday ~ The Greatest of These

And now abide faith, hope, love,
these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:13

Free Heart Graphic from Vintage Quilt
 
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner.  I thought I’d revive this scripture from a previous post.  I Corinthians 13 is known as the LOVE chapter in the Bible. 

My daughter and her husband have two little boys aged 2 and 3 years old.  Being blessed with grandchildren, I have the privilege of a first-hand experience watching them interact.  I’m fascinated by the fact that love seems to be a natural instinct which starts from infancy.  

my sweet grandsons
 Although the boys have their “moments”, usually about sharing..... for the most part they have genuine love and concern for each other.   The older boy teaching his younger brother how to wash his hands the right way, comforting him when he cries, hugging him when they haven’t seen each other for a period of time, speaking for him if necessary.   The same goes for my youngest grandson who comforts his older brother if he’s crying, and shows he cares in many different ways.  

In I John 3:18, we’re told:  
My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Just this past week the boys woke up to find it had rained overnight and melted the snow.   Their conversation went like this as they looked out the window.

Little one:  “Where Snow?”
Older brother:  “It melted”
Little one:  “Get it!”
Older Brother:  "We can't get it. It's in the sky and we can't reach it. Only God can reach it. He'll throw some more down to us soon."

 

If you have little ones, nurture them to love one another, and nurture them to love God.  What they learn when they are young will carry with them to their teenage years and on to adulthood.  The simplest childhood song which you all probably remember, Jesus Loves Me was written by
Anna Bartlett Warner (1827 - 1915).  

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me–
The Bible tells me so.

Free Victorian Calling Card

As Valentine’s day approaches, and we think about LOVE, try to have the faith of a child and realize that Jesus loves YOU unconditionally.   


Free Vintage Valentine Postcard

He knows the number of hairs on your head
(see Luke 12:7)

He knows every tear you shed and stores them in a bottle
(see Psalm 56:8)

His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand

(see Psalm 139:17-18)

That’s LOVE!!

Here’s a poem titled Someone Cares, by my favorite poet, Helen Steiner Rice

Someone cares and always will,
The world forgets but God loves you still,
You cannot go beyond His love
No matter what you're guilty of
For God forgives until the end,
He is your faithful, loyal friend,
And though you try to hide your face
There is no shelter any place
That can escape His watchful eye,
For on the earth and in the sky
He's ever present and always there
To take you in His tender care
And bind the wounds and mend the breaks
When all the world around forsakes...
Someone cares and loves you still
And God is the Someone who always will!
~Helen Steiner Rice~
 
I have made a digital freebie for your personal use.  The scripture WORDart is by Karen at Papercraft Memories.  

Free for personal use
 
  Love the comments, keep them coming. 


14 comments:

  1. Abby, You have inspired me to use more Scripture on my cards with this link party! AND I find myself saving those cards for Thursday's so I can link up!
    Thanks for the beautiful digital collage --- I love it!
    BTW- love the pic of your sweet grandsons and their cute conversation about the melted snow!

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  2. Your grandboys are so adorable! so sweet how they care for each other. So cute, their conversation!
    You gave me such comfort today, speaking of love,reminding me of God's love for me, referring to "the Love Chapter", my first song as a child about Jesus, and still a favorite that I daily sing to my grandchild, "Jesus Loves Me". Thank you for such a loving, and lovely post!

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  3. Hi Abby! The reason I stopped by was to thank you for playing along again this week at Word Art Wednesday. Your cards are always a blessing to me, and I love the new look here on your beautiful blog.
    When I turnred 8, my Grandmother gave me a book of poetry by Helen Steiner Rice. It's now a treasured favorite. So, this made me smile - and I entered.
    Thanks for being a blessing to me, and to all of us at WAW.
    God Bless You,
    Karen

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  4. Hi my friend :o) Your message, images and art are so beautiful as are you. Thank you for sharing your art each week with me at my Word Art Wednesday challenge.

    Hugs to you. :o) I hope you're doing well.

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  5. Hi Abby! Thank you so much for the wonderful email! I so appreciated it! I was planning on linking up this week. Am I able to link up my Hymn and Scripture Challenge pages when I don't have time for an extra project? I've often thought of it but wasn't sure! Thanks very much!...Nancy :o)

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  6. Hi Abby,

    What a beautiful post! It touches on so many types of love! First of all, I LOVE your header for your title! What a beautiful Scripture, and I just love the flowers and the birds and the woman, of course.

    Your grandsons are adorable! I love their conversation! It reminds me of when I ran the preschools and Sunday School for the children. You hear such wisdom from them, if only we listen to our little ones. I love how they are all cuddled up! Precious!

    There are just so many Scriptures about love. Isn't it amazing, that the Bible spends so many Verses on this one topic, but in different ways? God's love for us, our love for Him, our love for others, love the little children...there are so many! I get so overwhelmed with His love when I stop and think of what He has done for each of us, but what He has done for plain, old, me! He has changed my life! He has made me a new creature! It is love at it's greatest level.

    I love Helen Steiner Rice. I did't know you liked her work. I do not have this book, and I would give it a good home, and read and use it often if chosen. Thank you for the opportunity. That tulip photographed on the cover is stunning!

    Abby, your blog has really grown. I am so happy that you have found yet another way to express yourself, you have so much wisdom to share. I learned that quickly from you, and will always be grateful for it.

    He IS Able!
    Traci Starkweather

    Win 1-5 He IS Able Cards Weekly!
    http://He-IS-Able.blogspot.com

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  7. HI Abby! I received Discipline card. I have it propped in front of my makeup mirror. Read it every morning. It's been AMAZING how I've been able to share the scripture with others while I'm trying to practice it myself. Thank you so much.
    Your grandsons are so handsome! I just had a grandbaby girl. She is precious. Definitely defines God's love to see such a miracle.
    Thanks for your inspiring blog.

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  8. Oh that's a sweet little graphic. I see that it's for personal use so that means that I shouldn't use it in my sidebar to link back here? I would love to use something meaningful like that for Valentine's Day.

    The sweet conversation between your grands made me tear up. I've never heard a sweeter one.

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  9. Your grandson's are too cute! Love the story about the snow. It is amazing how smart they are at such a young age, and how they figure things out in such a logical way. Thanks for sharing this inspiring post. Love the scripture verses too. Have a wonderful weekend. -Al

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  10. A sweet post ~ Your grandsons are so cute. I loved all your pretty pictures. Blessings ~

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  11. Hi again, Abby! Thanks for letting me know I could link up the Hymn and Scripture Challenge page too! Hope you have a week full of BLESSINGS!! :o)

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  12. Hi Mrs Abby :) Thank you for dropping by my blog...It is not much there but I call it my 2nd home :)

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  13. What an inspirational post, Abby--and I include in that the submissions of those who are linking to this post. My favorite of your scriptures today is that of I Corinthians 13, which my husband read at our wedding. I will include that in the valentine I made for him! Thanks, as always, for inspiring us all to be better than each of us is today. Kay

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  14. Abby, what a beautiful post...filled with beautiful scripture!

    You're so right about little ones and their love for one another. I see it so much with my grandbabies. The three older cousins are so happy to see one another. They hug and chatter away - pure bliss.

    I used to babysit for my grandbaby Charlotte quite often her first two years and at nap time I always sang "Jesus Loves Me" to her. I'll never forget the first time she sang it by herself...it made her Gramma cry. Nothing sweeter than a little one singing about Jesus!

    Thank you for sharing such a lovely post Abby!

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