Young Love and Sticky Notes

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Young Love and Sticky Notes

Revelation 2:4 “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
 
Bart Sheridan & Sandy Henderson
First date @ Schroon Lake, NY  1987

Young love is so refreshing! Recently Dad and I had the opportunity to get to know a young couple who are looking forward to getting married and spending their lives together. In spending time with them we were invigorated by the intensity of their feelings for each other. The young man recently even wrote on 365 sticky notes reminders of what he loves about his intended and covered the wall by her bed with them. These types of intentional efforts make such a difference. They help keep a young love so new and fresh.

I remember when Dad and I first met. We were both spending the summer at Camp of the Woods in Speculator, NY. Dad was directing the teen activities and I was teaching 4-6th grade children during the daily chapels along with lifeguarding at beautiful Lake Pleasant. As we got to know each other that summer we shared details of our lives and spent much time together.
At the end of the summer Dad went back to Ohio and I returned to my home town in Wayne, New Jersey. We continued to write letters to each other regularly – this was in the days before email, cell phones, and texts – and to enjoy occasional phone calls and visits. We worked hard to show each other in big and little ways how we felt about each other.
After getting married it is easy to get busy in the routine of life. The ecstatic feelings of love die down (and it is a good thing because nobody could survive on Cloud Nine forever,) but a deeper, stronger, more secure love begins to grow. It is important to work at keeping the spark of love alive because the struggles and difficulties of life can sometimes choke out what should be constantly growing. It takes work but is well worth it!
When we accept Jesus as our Savior we enter into a love relationship with the God of the universe. At first we may experience the thrill of belonging to the Almighty and the lightness of our sins forgiven.  Our minds and hearts are constantly full with all God has done for us. But often over time we can  begin to forget and lose our first love.
This is what happened to the church in Ephesus. They were going through the motions of belonging to God. They toiled with perseverance, did not tolerate evil men, and put to the test all who called themselves apostles. But they had stopped doing the “love deeds” they had done at first. The relationship lost its newness and was just a matter of surviving the daily routine. This was a very serious digression to God. He told the Ephesians that they needed to repent and do the deeds they did at first or He would come and remove their lamp stand in the world.
Whether in our relationship with our life mate or with God there is work involved in keeping our first love alive.  If you don’t want the spark to die out you must continue to do the things you did at first – the little things matter as much as the big things. Keeping communication open, listening to each other, showing thankfulness, and putting each other first are crucial.
So have you lost your first love for God? If so, maybe you should sit down, write out all His blessings, and fill a wall in your room up with sticky notes to help you remember.

Love,

Mama

4 Comments

  1. Suzie Eller on February 5, 2015 at 3:27 PM

    I could fill up my house with sticky notes of His love for me and mine for Him. What a beautiful image and reminder.

  2. Sandra Sheridan on February 5, 2015 at 3:32 PM

    Thanks, Suzie, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to link up with you as we all seek to share His great love.

  3. Jana Kennedy-Spicer on February 5, 2015 at 5:36 PM

    Oh I love this! I'm too quick to forget what God has done in my life. Breaking out the sticky notes right now!

    Thanks for this wonderful reminder Sandra!

    Blessings, jana

  4. Katie Reid on February 5, 2015 at 6:40 PM

    Stopping by from #livefree. Sticky notes of His love- great idea!

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Hi, I'm Sandy! 

I write inspirational letters based on the Bible that share words of hope, encouragement, truth, and healing to my children and anyone else who longs for a mama's touch.

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