Restore the relationship if it is possible

 

These simple, ordinary relationships are sacred

 

What about relationships in heaven? -- Full message

 

Do you want to live a long life? -- Streamed Live

 

Sometimes people sabotage relationships

 

What about toxic people?

 

Dealing with immature people

Both parties have to be willing for a relationship to be restored

Pay attention to relationships. It really matters.

Learning To Savor Life

Life goes quickly.  So, we need to savor and appreciate the priceless relationships and experiences that money cannot buy.

We all know this to be true. 

Yet we often get caught up in the busy routines, the hurry, and the practice of juggling multiple experiences without genuinely paying significant attention to any of them.  When this happens, it’s almost as if we miss portions of our lives even though we were physically present as they happened.

(Have you ever missed experiences by being physically present but not mentally and emotionally present?  …Yeah, me too.)

I’ve struggled with this just like everyone else, but here are four things that have helped me a bit over the years:

Remember that it’s okay to say “no” to some of the requests for our time that come up.  I don’t do this well, but I’m getting better.  (Not a lot better, but a little bit.)

When we are faced with a choice between cool stuff (material things) and meaningful experiences, it’s usually wise to make meaningful experiences the priority.

It helps when I regularly enter into quiet, stillness and solitude with God.

Finally, when you’re with someone, really look at the person.  Pay attention to him/her.  Be fully present with him/her.  (I know this is blindingly obvious.  But we don’t always do it.  So, it must not be quite as obvious as we think it is.)

By the way, please know that I’m not trying to preach at anyone, I’m just sharing some thoughts I hope will spark our thinking and, maybe, offer a little help.

We Need People

Relationships are difficult, painful, stressful, messy, irritating and almost not worth the hassle.

Relationships are wonderful, fun, life-giving, instructive, meaningful, joyful and an important part of the reason for our existence.

You say, “Wait a minute.  Which one of those two statements is correct?”  They both are true.  Relationships are the source of some of our greatest pain in life and they are also the source of our greatest joy.  The nature of real life is that despite the troubles that they bring, we need people.  

Go figure.

Why God Loves You

We have a persistent tendency to try to earn God’s love and grace because our human relationships have convinced us that the only way we could ever truly be loved is by doing things to deserve love.  Most of us already know the following words, but I encourage you to think about them and really believe them: God doesn’t love you because you’ve earned His love. God loves you because God is love.

Reach Out To Others This Season

This piece was run in today's Southtown Star Newspaper...

Reach out to others this season

During the holiday season, there is typically a lot of talk about spending time with family and other loved ones. Many people get together to share meals, exchange gifts, attend church services and other holiday events.

All of this is, of course, very nice, but for some people, holidays can actually be a painful time, particularly from a relationship standpoint. The emphasis on relationships at this time of year is an unwelcome reminder for some, and their loneliness is magnified.

I don’t write this letter to put a damper on your festivities. I truly hope you’re experiencing joy and happiness, and I’m all in favor of festivities! However, it seems reasonable to encourage all of us to take a moment to think about folks we may know who could be included in our holiday celebrations.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we reached out a hand of friendship, fellowship and love to a neighbor or co-worker or other friend and helped them feel appreciated and to experience a little extra joy? Thinking of others is surely in keeping with the spirit of Christmas.

Dan Marler

First Church of God

Oak Lawn

Link to the newspaper page.

It's About People, Not Things

“In our quest to discover what we really want, it doesn’t take long before we turn away from things to people. Ultimately, we hope to find what can satisfy the deep yearning within us in relationships with others. Why? Because our deepest desire isn’t to possess things but to belong.” –Stanley J. Grenz