This is a Maverick Guest Blog Post by Luciano Del Monte. Luch is part of our Mavericks team and contributes to our blog and more. He is a fabulous friend, coach, mentor, pastor, husband, father and grandfather. Check out his Bio!
We recently celebrated a milestone birthday for my wife of nearly 39 years. She’s one of the best thing that ever happened to me. Really!
In this day and age, with people my age jumping off ‘the marriage ship’, this can be rather surprising to some. Yet, we still sign off our anniversary and birthday notes with “one life is too short.”
These summer months have been a great time to reflect on what matters most for me. That means an opportunity to gauge the quality of my love – especially for my wife. Not just about our marriage but about love – a Maverick love! The kind of love that God has called every couple into. If you are committed to being a Maverick, then pursuing this kind of love is not optional.
Rosetta’s birthday was celebrated at the top of the CN tower.
With our family we circled in the restaurant, high above the city, and poured our many expressions of love on a person we all know so well and love so much. The highlight of the event was when our adult kids presented her with a ‘Love Jar’.
When our kids were growing up we used a variety of analogies to explain to them what our home was. Among other things, we taught our boys that our home was to be a filling station. Yes, a filling station. Remember those? I’m sure some of our Maverick readers are old enough to remember pulling up to a gas station, or filling station as they were called, and waiting in the car until an attendant arrived and we said “Fill ‘er up!” Those were the good old days.
A love jar and a filling station are similar in that there is something empty that needs to be filled. Rosetta’s “Love Jar” was filled up with loving statements about being a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a friend, a daughter, a sister and a colleague.
All of us have emotional tanks that need refuelling. The fuel we all need – love.
Perhaps some of the “love jar” blessings my wife enjoyed that evening can serve as a catalyst as you consider your loved ones, friends, team and colleagues.
You can easily fill someone’s “Love Jar” today or tomorrow.
Here’s just a sampling of comments from neighbours, family, friends, work colleagues and clients.
“I love Rosetta’s loyalty and how I can trust her heart in engaging with her and sharing my deepest fears and challenges.”
“What I love about Rosetta is that she takes her job as the oldest sister seriously, being the first to call when she hears of news, especially bad news, because she doesn’t shy away from talking about difficult things, even when others do.”
“I love Rosetta’s smile and loving welcome whenever she sees me.”
“Through your actions and words, you have taught me the true meaning of love, faith and forgiveness. I am eternally grateful to be able to call you ‘mom’.”
“One of the things I love about Rosetta is her kind heart and kind face—makes her a very pleasant person to be around.”
“Rosetta exudes God’s grace and stillness in an anxious world.”
Here are 3 tips to help you fill the “Love Jars” of the people in your lives:
- Get specific.
- Highlight character traits, attitudes and actions that speak to you about this person.
- Focus on the value of this person you are loving on.
Words of affirmation are only one way in which a “love jar” can be filled. There are other creative ways you can show your love and help re-fill empty tanks:
- A thoughtful look,
- A listening ear,
- A gift of encouragement,
- A hug or an action of kindness on a regular basis.
Here’s to full “Love Jars”!
Luciano Del Monte
Personal Application:
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:11- 12
Pray and ask God:
- Whose love jar do I need to help fill today in my family, friends and team and colleagues?
- Who do I need to let know they have helped fill my “love jar”!
- When will I go and do this?
