A Note from Pastor Andrew
One of the Gospel passages that came up recently in our lectionary was particularly poignant to me.
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you
have love for one another.” -John 13:34-35
I couldn’t help but remember Dr. Chapman’s book on “The Five Love Languages.” If you haven’t read it or heard about it. Chapman counseled couples and noticed a pattern how people generally fell into five categories of expressing and receiving love.
The Five Love Languages
Words of Affirmation
Quality Time
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Gifts
It doesn’t take long to think about the people in my life who are gifted in these expressions of love. In my humble opinion, my mother is an excellent gift giver. She takes time to find out what’s going on in our lives and either finds the perfect gift or makes it herself. Once after visiting our home and finding it lovely and relaxing, she got to work and starting drawing different memorable parts of the house. It doesn’t take anyone long to find out what my mother-in-law’s expression of love is. Acts of service. Nancy will always find some way to help around the house. She knows how hard it can be to keep up with laundry and dishes when you have kids leaving half-filled glasses of water everywhere and stray socks in corners of the room that don’t make it to the laundry basket. My daughter, Lily Anna, is excellent at giving hugs. Eleanora, has a way of finding words that can overwhelm me with love. Sometimes, it’s as simple as saying, “I love you, Dad.” Another time, it might be articulating how she appreciates something particular I did. My wife Rachel... she has an uncanny ability to invite me to sit down on the front porch, put down my phone and
watch the sunset or our chickens peck and scratch. I could go on and on about the folks in my life, friends and family, co-workers and congregation members that share love in a variety of ways to show they care.
Where Love Lives is not just a motto. I believe it is a manifestation of the love of God that has changed our lives. I’d encourage you to discover what your love language might be, because when you share love in such a way, it’s never a burden but a blessing to give of yourself on behalf of another.
Peace be with you all.
Pastor Andrew Potsko