PAGE 4C, FEBRUARY 7-8, 2007 NORTH FLORIDA FOCUS AND T- ~~IfT.AL1 *j:. ~*)i.. Suwannee Valley By Pam Campbell of two special days, my birthday and Valentine's Day. When I think of birthdays I think of cel- ebrating with people that I love. When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of a special day to show love to people that I care about. On Valentine's Day, many people give Valentine cards, fancy boxes of candy, flowers, balloons and other gifts to other people to remind them that they love them or let them know that they care. Valen- tine's Day is a wonderful time to show others that you love them, but Valentine's Day should not be the only time that we let people know that we care or re- mind them that we love them. Life is too short to wait until one certain day of the year; we need to share love all year long. On Valentine's Day and everyday we need to showy genuine love to those around us. The word "genuine" in the Merriam Webster's Dic- tionary means "sincerely and honestly felt or experienced; a deep and genuine love." Genuine love is the only real love, all others have strings attached or "' are just an act. God's love for us is genuine. Have you ever gone to visit a child that you have not- seen for a long time and the first thing they said to you was "what did you bring me?" I can remember sev- eral occasions when that is exactly how I was greet- ed when visiting cousins in another state. We have always taken them something from Florida just be- cause we thought it would be a nice thing to do. Children always love to receive a present and these children are no exception. The thing that stands out in my mind though is that the last few times that we went to see them, it seemed like they expected us to be bringing gifts, and were looking for more. I do believe that they may have been just as happy had we sent the gifts and not taken time to visit. You see, that is an example of "gimme" love, not genuine love. It is a sort of a selfishness, wanting gifts, but not caring about the person giving the gifts with love. . When I was a child, I remember hearing a story many times and it fits here today. It was about a lit- tle boy who would try to show his mama how good FIRST UNITED METHODIST Opportunities to Become a Disciple Sunday: 8:30 am ~ Informal Worshl 11:00 am ~ Traditional Wo 9:45 am ~ Sunday School.. All Ages Nursery Provided Genuine Love and loving he was, and anytime she would go some- where without him, when she came home he was expecting a surprise from her. If he did not get one, he would cry, pout and get mad. If he went with his mama to the store, he would scream and cry unless she let him get a toy he wanted. He did not realize that it was a privilege just to go to the store with his mama. That is another example of "gimme" love, and it is not genuine love. I remember that that boy's mama ended up sick in a hospital and she missed her little boy. When that mama finally got well she was so excited about going home to her son, when she got home just as she knew he would, her little boy came running out to the car to her and as she was reaching to hug him, she heard his words. With an in- credible sadness in her heart, f she -: ' ",O.- : .. A ,e I walked on into the house, realizing that he only wanted a present, not his own mama. In- stead of telling her he loved her or that he was glad ,she was home from the hospital, he had asked her what she had brought him for a present. That little boy was being selfish and cruel to ask for presents., and not welcome his mama home with genuine love. I seem to remember his mama telling him to love a paper bag. He thought about it along time and he fi- nally understood, at bedtime. He told his mama that he really loved her more than presents, and was so glad that she was home. They hugged each other and felt that true genuine love that a mama and her child have for each other. I am sure that all of us can think of times that we remember or have heard about where people, children and adults have had some of that "gimme" love, and other times where we see true genuine love. You see in the Bible God tells us in 1 John 4:11 ST CHURCH Our vision is to make disciples for Jesus Christ Believing... ip Belonging... rship Becoming... Being Sent... Phone: 362-2047 Pastor: Jim Wade3 333362-F Live Oak Paint Center CARPET *VINYL* BLINDS* WALLPAPER ' For All Your Painting Needs CUSTOM COLOR MATCHING and More... 1512 S. Ohio Ave., Live Oak 362-7066 ~33367-F NORTH FLORIDA PRINTING CO., INC. Business Cards Letterheads Envelopes *Programs Posters Folders Flyers Labels 'Newsletters Receipts Restaurant Menus PayrollChecks Hardback Books Computer Paper Full Color Copies Full Composition and Art Department with computerized typesetting Bindery department with numbering, stitching, folding, diecutting, and collating Canon Color Copies Texada & Connor Streets (3Q8Q 1 1 flQ Toll Free 800-431-1034 Live Oak, Florida 32060 (3 U8 ) 6JUU IUV Fax: 386-364-5567 Remember, whether you want one copy or one million copies, North Florida Printing Company has supplied Fast, Dependable, Quality Printing Since 1967 333364-F Christ Central ministries of Live Oak "A Church on the Move" T Ladies Ministry I Mens Ministry SYouth Group I!Children Church Pastor Wayne Godsmark 1550 Walker Ave. SE, Live Oak, FL 32064 386-208-1345 333371-F "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." He tells us to love one another; he does not say we must give presents. The greatest love of all is God's love and God tells us to love each other, not for what they will give us, or do for us, just love them. "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deuteronomy 7:9. If you really want to experience genuine love, receive the love of God. It is faithful, it will last forever, God will al- ways love you. On Valentine's Day, we should be looking to the creator, the God of all love. Only when we look at the love God has for us, will we find out what genuine love really is. The greatest ex- ample of genuine love is in a passage most of us know by heart, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that & whoeverr believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God gave us the most important gift that he could ever give, his only son whom he loved, be- cause he knew that was the only way that all of us would ever receive salva- tion from our sins, the only way that we- can ever get to heaven to be with him, and the only way that we would ever know genuine love. On Valentine's Day be sure to remember your mom, your dad, grandparents, other relatives and close friends, and especially remember your spouse, your children or grandchildren, it will mean so much to them that you remembered! Share love with friends, neighbors, teachers; shut-ins, everyone you can. A special thing that you can do that means so much is to spend some time with them! Don't just give gifts to those that you think will give you some- thing, this is the time to show love with no strings at- tached. Remember, it is better to give than to re- ceive! Share genuine love, not the "gimme" kind. Most important of all remember to let God know how much you appreciate his love and desire to live more and more for him. The greatest love of all is not shown with a Valentine card or flowers or bal- loons, it is how you show Jesus you love him by giving him your heart. Matthew 22:37: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Remember, Valentine's Day is a day to show gen- uine love to others, and remember to show God the Creator of love, that you love him. Have a very Happy and Blessed Valentine's Day full of genuine love!-Pam ICM MUN ITY PRESIYTERIAN CH HE P.C.A. 830 Pinewood St. (386) 362-2323 Pastor Randy L. 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