Acts of service can be a powerful way to express love and care in relationships. Taking note of the little things your loved one needs or dislikes and offering help or assistance demonstrates thoughtfulness and consideration. Paying attention to their schedule and offering support or taking on tasks they may find burdensome can also strengthen the bond. Creating a coupon book with personalized acts of service can be a creative and meaningful gesture to show your love and appreciation.
Offering to pick up their dry cleaning or assisting with repairs, cooking, or gardening can be thoughtful ways to help someone with a busy schedule. It shows that you are paying attention to their needs and are willing to lend a hand in areas where you have expertise or skills.
But how do wrap up acts of service and put a bow on it? I got that! A coupon book. You can download this printable, personalize and customize, make as many coupons as you want, bind it (binding can simply be staples) and pair it with chocolates or flowers or maybe cook a meal and present it as a complete package. This way, not only are you offering acts of service, but you are also presenting it in a visually appealing and thoughtful manner. Additionally, the inclusion of a small gift like chocolates, flowers, or a home-cooked meal adds an extra touch of appreciation and makes it a complete and well-rounded gesture of kindness.
Learn more about love languages and gain better insight about yourself through these quizzes.
If you aren’t familiar with the 5 Love Languages, pick up a copy of Gary Chapman’s book any where books are sold. Be sure to watch day one’s video on words of affirmation.
Please leave your comments, like and subscribe you’d be doing me a loving act of service : ) and I’d love to hear what you will do for your spouse or loved one and how you presented it.
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and what better why to celebrate than speaking your spouse’s or your loved one’s love language. If you aren’t familiar with the 5 love languages, pick up a copy of Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages
The 5 Love Languages® is a valuable resource that can help individuals strengthen their connections and experience greater joy and harmony in their relationships. By understanding and expressing love in the language most meaningful to their loved ones, individuals can overcome feelings of disconnection and loneliness, fostering deeper and more fulfilling connections with the people they care about.
Speaking words of affirmation is a powerful way to build confidence and strengthen the bond in relationships. By expressing appreciation, encouragement, and compliments, individuals can uplift their loved ones, boost their self-esteem, and create a positive and supportive environment. This practice fosters a deeper sense of connection and fosters a strong foundation built on love and mutual respect.
This video focuses on words of affirmation and how you can wrap up words as a tangible gift.
I hope these videos provide inspiration for creating personalized gifts. Please leave your ideas in the comments I’d love to hear to hear them. And please like, subscribe and follow on social media. A heart felt thanks! : )
Happy new Year from The Kedge Anchor! Wow where has time gone? It’s hard to believe how quickly time passed. 2023 got a little rough toward the end but I, we survived.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you…” God has many things in store for us, good things, because His Word says, in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” Uncertainty and not knowing the future can be scary. It helps me to remember our times are in God’s hands and what better place to be. God is sovereign and nothing goes unnoticed by Him. Trust Him!!
So for 2024, I think I am going to keep my goals and focus from last year (I have them written down somewhere). One of my goals is to try and keep a schedule here and not get so tripped up or behind when a migraine strikes.
There is one new goal I think I’d like to add and that is working on my prayer life. Prayer is a Christian’s life line. It’s how we communicate with God. I don’t know if this happens to you when you pray, but I some days I have a hard time focusing and the next thing I know, I’m kinda no longer praying but thinking about the million things I gotta do or my mind is racing down a track I have no idea how it got there. Sometimes I can trace my thoughts to where it started all because someone came to mind and started me thinking about something totally unrelated.
Here’s a video by Mike Donehey on praying.
LOl, does this happen to you too? I’m glad I’m not the only one. I like Mike’s idea of praying out loud and walking and talking with God. (It’s just too cold most days). So last summer as I was trying to stay focused, I started writing the names of people I was praying for in an old sketchbook, then I drew a flower and placed the names of everyone I was praying for. And as I was praying I was coloring in the petals and leaves. Then on the other page I wrote the things I was thankful for. I kept doing this everyday. I looked forward to getting up and drawing and praying. I was actually staying focused.
I would draw and color as I was praying, here all you need to do is add names and color it in if you like. It’s also a great way to keep track of answered prayer. I would at the top write in the date somewhere. You could draw in a sun, maybe some clouds, and add the date there or write it in on the banner over the whale’s head. Then as you write in the names of whom you are praying you can color the fish or not. I found that it helped me stay more focused.
Try it, this is a free download, print a couple of copies and try it for a few days. On the back write down 3 to 5 thing for which you are thankful. Let me know how this works for you. If you are rushed for time some days, just write in what or who you are praying for and later perhaps before going bed go back and color it in. This is a good way to wind down if your thoughts are racing.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says – ” for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
The ability to see is a gift from God. As one of our five senses, it allows us to see the beauty of God’s creation. God is speaking to us all the time, we just aren’t listening.
I was going through an older journal and came across something I wrote, this was a while back, like before this blog, but still worth a mention. I was out walking and tried to take notice of everything I was seeing. The trees, God put this verse in my heart Jeremiah 17:8 – “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
There were lots of robins and small birds flying and foraging for food, God gave me Luke 12:24 -“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!”
I was admiring some of the homes with the manicured landscapes and God gave me, John – 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
I noticed the cracked pavement and God gave me, Revelation 21:21 -“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.”
Looking at the bright and hot sun, God gave me, – John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” “
It was a fairly cloudless day with the exception of a few wisps, and God gave me, James 4:14 – “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
Just recently, my husband and I were traveling. We had booked our flights separately but were lucky enough that my husband was sitting in front of me which allowed him to board first. I had some bulky carry on bags and he could have waited to board with me, but he decided to go head of me so that he could help me with my bags. Made me think of Deuteronomy 31:8 – “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Just as my husband went ahead of me so that he could help me, God goes before us to help us. We just have to TRUST and KNOW.
So God gives us these images and objects to remind us of Him and the words He has spoken in the Bible. He paints parables with pictures to teach us. The shepherd and the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son to name a few. We are not to worship these images. We are to learn from them, help us to remember what God is teaching us. But when we are walking with Him we can’t walk by what we see. We can’t allow how we see our circumstances to dictate to us how to respond. He asks us to walk by faith not by sight. Sounds a lot easier said than done and it is at times. We are human.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to walk by faith to remain true to the one true God walking into the firey furnace. Noah walked by faith building an ark with no rain. Joshua had to literally take a step of faith walking into the Jordan River. When Peter stepped onto the roaring sea to walk to Jesus, he walked by faith taking that first step until he took his eyes off Jesus and looked around him and began to sink.
Our circumstances can deceive us. When we see we a low balance in our account, it’s hard not to panic or freak out. When we get a scary diagnosis or a relationship goes south, it’s so hard to not look at what we see and freak out like Peter did on the ocean. Yet God teaches us through images and tangible objects to help remind us and build our faith.
How is God speaking to you to today? Maybe He’s speaking to you while you’re sitting at traffic light? Maybe you’re just waiting in a check out line? Stop and take a moment to hear God’s voice. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you have been following this series, welcome back and thank you. In this season of grieving I am trying to understand how as a Christian I can be sad and joyful and I have also began to understand that there is purpose in our pain. In the previous two posts (Part 1, Part 2)I shared how I am processing mixed emotions in grief. How can I possible be sad and experience joy. I also shared what I am doing to stay close to God and some creative practices to help process, like writing this blog.
In the last post I left off with Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. He took the weight of the world, the weight of ALL our sins, past present and future. I believe that Jesus felt every kind of physical and emotional pain a human can feel that day. Jesus understands suffering, pain, persecution, temptations, He experienced it all, everything and everything His creation could feel.
This scene in The Chosen Season 3 episode 2, “Two By Two” Little James approaches Jesus and asks why he hasn’t been healed. Please watch this scene. The writers give a plausible explanation for why Jesus didn’t heal Little James and that explanation could be applied to us. It makes sense. Are we willing to still follow Jesus despite our infirmities?
So I thought some more about Jesus crucified on the cross. He could have healed Himself at any time. He could have come down from that cross like nothing happened, completely whole, healed. But He didn’t. His pain on the cross had a purpose. That purpose was to complete the plan of salvation. He had to endure the cross so that He could freely offer us salvation, eternal life. Our pain has purpose. God hears our prayers, He sees our pain but He has a plan and a purpose for us and sometimes that infirmity is part of it. God does heal, He heals everyone, we just may not see it this side of Heaven. We may not know what purpose our pain has here on earth. We certainly have a story to tell and that story could lead someone to Christ or give them Hope.
God loves us and wants nothing but the best for us, His children. He has a plan and a purpose for our lives and sometimes that means pain, physical or emotional. It’s hard to trust when we experience pain but when we do trust the result is beautiful. It helps for me to know that my story can help someone else; maybe that is A purpose.
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
In my last post, I shared shared how I feel mixed emotions when losing a loved one. How can I feel joyful and sad at the same time? How is that possible? In this post, I continue with how I process these emotions.
Routine and normalcy are something that I need to help move on, I think everyone does, but everyone is different. So I try to go back to my regularly scheduled programming. Although I must admit I feel like I am carrying a weight as go back business as usual. So to lessen that weight I find that doing something creative helps with the healing process.
Writing this post helped, a lot. Organizing my thoughts and emotions and getting them out on paper or computer screen was cathartic. Sharing my heart and allowing myself to vulnerable in a way helps. Though I must admit, doing this on social media is a bit scary.
So here’s what helps me and what I do; cleaning. Ok not so much a creative effort but I feel like at least something in my life is in order. Sometimes I get creative when organizing.
Painting, not a room, I like to watercolor and experiment with my art supplies. I like to create and make new things. Sometimes whatever I am going through will inspire a design or thought that I can communicate with an image or with my lettering. There is joy in creating..
Brush lettering, lettering in of itself is calming and relaxing for me, lettering a scripture verse helps keep God’s word in front of me. I can put scripture on just about anything, wallpaper for my phone, if you go back to November 2020 – December 2022, check out Memorize Mondays and you can download some wallpaper for your phone, free. Because how many times do you pick up your phone, right? God’s Word can be right there in your face. James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you …” (kind of a little play on words 🙂 ) Put on some worship music or whatever kind of music you enjoy, maybe a podcast or a past message from your pastor and just doodle, draw, paint, knit, sew, bake, cook, take a nature walk and take pictures all you need is the camera on your phone, create something. Being creative is one way that helps me be in close proximity to God. (before you say, “I’m not creative” you are, you just need to uncover it.)
Reach out to others, if just to say “Hi” Sometimes I find when I do that that the person I’m reaching to… I made their day, that blesses me. More often than not the other person is having a bad day and needed some encouragement.
Exercise, it’s kinda cold out, not my favorite weather to go walking, but YouTube has tons of exercise videos and it helps boost the happy hormones. Jessica Valant Pilates has a great 10 minute walking video you can do indoors. Seriously it’s enough on a hard day for whatever reason and it helps motivate me to do more.
This is how I have been processing. It’s always uncomfortable and it hurts. Starting the healing process was hard because I wasn’t sure where to begin but with letting myself feel. The rest kind of fell into place when I sought God. For me that often looked like me sitting staring into space imagining Jesus sitting with me in silence because I had no words, other than recalling scripture or listening to a meditation on the Abide app.
In the last post I mentioned how Jesus may have felt resurrecting Lazarus. He may have felt some mixed emotions having to call Lazarus down from Heaven and having to die again one day. But Jesus was also doing something to for Mary and Martha that would make them happy. Perhaps our Father had some mixed emotions as well. God the Father mourned the day His only Son, died on the cross for our sin. Jesus took it all, He took the sin of the WORLD, past, present, and future of ALL our sin and the Father couldn’t even look at His Son with all our sin placed on Him. He had to look away. BUT, after Jesus was buried , He rose again three days later!!!! All so He could complete the plan of Salvation!! So that we could spend eternity with Him and all we have to do is acknowledge the fact we are sinners and need someone to save us and that someone is Jesus Christ. He is The Plan for our lives – John 14:6!
“Sorrow and the scarlet leaf, sad thoughts and sunny weather…” Thomas W. Parsons
Please stay tuned. After I thought about it some more I began to wonder why we have to experience pain, why in some case Jesus doesn’t heal and why He does in others. I may not have the definitive answer but perhaps it may explain some things.
Grieving is hard, uncomfortable even more so when you’re not sure how to process. Any loss is a reason to grieve, a job, relocation, a home, a loved one, a break up can cause us to grieve. And many times we can experience mixed emotions. As one grieves the loss of a job one can also experience the anticipation and excitement of starting something new. Moving to a new home, we can grieve losing the one place we have, the only place know, but then there’s the excitement of a new beginning and new surroundings, meeting new people and making new friends. Loss is hard and losing someone you love is harder than anything.
My mom recently passed away. But this isn’t the first time I have experienced the vast array of mixed emotions, almost to the point I have felt psychotic. My dad passed away about 20 years ago (just a side note, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact my dad isn’t here) and I experienced the same mixed emotions and at that time, it was all new to me. I experienced the five stages of grieving, however, it was the sadness and the joy of knowing he was in Heaven that had me stumped. How can I possibly feel both? Like I said, this isn’t the first time I have experienced these mixed emotions, I am sure I had them, this was just the first time I identified them . It’s just that when losing someone, for me, these mixed emotions seem to be ever present and very clear and here I am again experiencing the same emotions trying to remember how I got through.
These emotions I found to be most in conflict when it came to socializing or doing something I enjoyed doing. I felt guilty for feeling like I could enjoy myself. How could I? I couldn’t share life or the fun I was having with my dad. I was getting stuck and it was hard to move forward. I came across part of poem in a journal I had and it summed up what I was feeling and I realized that I wasn’t the first to feel this way and it’s ok.
Two days after my sister called me to tell me that the doctor said she needed to go to the hospital, the sooner the better, I booked a flight home. By the time I got to mom, mom was kinda out of it. But her eyes did open wide when my sister told her I was there, and we got to be by her side for a few more days. One morning getting ready to go somewhere, I don’t remember where, I dumped out a small bag of jewelry that I brought with me. My small gold scalloped seashells and silver snowflakes tumbled out and right there was a perfect image of what I was feeling; seashells and snowflakes were about as opposite of the sadness and joy I was feeling. Two very different seasons rolled into one. It is a very uncomfortable place to be. It hurts. At times I feel a little crazy and not sure what to feel or how to feel it, or process it. Come to find out, it’s ok. As uncomfortable as it is, it’s ok.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says “… to everything there is A season…” I was experiencing two at once. Those mixed emotions are exhausting to me. The whole grieving process of raw emotion is exhausting. But this is how I cope and manage so that I can go on.
I feel the all the feels. Sad, happy, anger, and all the shades of emotions in between, I let myself feel. Cry if I have to, reach out if I have to, pray, sing, rejoice, reminisce, read scripture.
I thank God for giving me my mom and dad, the life they provided for me and my sister. I thank God for my mom leading us to Jesus, His plan of salvation and the promise of Heaven, because if it wasn’t for my mom, my family, I don’t know where I’d be today.
I think about the good times we all had together at holidays, my sister our aunts and uncles close friends, and all our cousins by the dozens.
I know that my mom and dad would want me, want us, to keep going. It’s ok that I take my time to mourn and grieve but I need to move on and live life again, it’s just going to be a little different, take some time and that’s ok too.
I recall the outpouring of love and sympathy from friends and family, their support and prayers. My husband has been a huge support to me and my sister. I don’t think he knows how much just being there helps. We have several church families that have supported us through an outpouring of prayer, texts, emails, flowers and cards. Those have been such and encouragement.
I imagine how Jesus must have felt resurrecting Lazarus. Jesus wept, John 11:35. Though the Bible doesn’t say specifically why He wept, Jesus performed a miracle for Larzarus’ sisters, by resurrecting him from the grave. Jesus may have been happy for Mary and Martha and for all three of them to be with each other again but sad that Lazarus would not just leave Heaven but die again. I don’t know. And I have more to share about how God felt when He sacrificed His only Son.
Please stay tuned, I will share more as I process. This is a lot and I hope my story can be someone’s hope.
If you have any questions or comments please comment below.
“I may not be every mother’s dream for her little girl And my face may not grace the mind of everyone in the world But that’s all right as long as I can have one wish I pray When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say
[Chorus:] She’s got her Father’s eyes, her Father’s eyes Eyes that find the good in things When good is not around Eyes that find the source of help When help just can’t be found Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain Knowin’ what you’re going through, and feeling it the same Just like my Father’s eyes My Father’s eyes My Father’s eyes Just like my Father’s eyes
And on that day when we will pay for all the deeds we have done Good and bad they’ll all be had to see by everyone And when you’re called to stand and tell just what you saw in me More than anything I know, I want your words to be“
[Chorus]
Amy Grant has had her share of the media’s spin in her life over the decades. Back in ’86 she received some negative feedback with Christians for recording a duet with Peter Cetera; “The Next Time I fall In Love”. It reached number one on billboards, top 25 lists. It was successful. Christians attacked her for recording with a secular artist. I thought that was greatest thing that could happen. A Christian artist going out all into the world. At least that’s how I saw it. She was going into the secular world. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do as Christians? We are educators, admin assistants, medical professionals, athletes, janitors, executive officers, mechanics, sanitation workers, volunteers, etc. even the stay at home mom has go out into the world and interact at times. Amy’s job at the time was a musician, singer. Was she suppose to stay in the Christian genre, just sing at church? God gave her a talent and she was sharing with the world. Even Jesus ventured into Samaria.
There is a Christian author I follow who also received some negative feedback from her followers for sending her kids to a public school. Some of her followers couldn’t see it. “How could she,” they asked. She was and still is training her kids to go out into all the world and share Christ, to be a representation of Jesus. The public school is her kids battlefield. The point is God can use anyone anywhere, to bring them to Him, even children, even Christian musicians.
But think for a moment the people that Amy Grant may have brought to Christ through her music. The people who may not have heard of her until she sang with Cetera. This was back in ’86 we didn’t have the technology like we do today. We don’t know how God works and He can use others and things to draw people to Him.
Not everyone is going to like me as an artist, a blogger, a YouTuber, a person and I am sure as a Christian. I pray that “When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say, She’s got her Father’s eyes…” I pray that people will see God when they read my blog, watch my videos, see my art, when they see my life. Even in my imperfections, God can shine.
When it comes down it, we ALL will stand before our Father and give an account for ALL our actions and words. “And on that day when we will pay for all the deeds we have done Good and bad they’ll all be had to see by everyone…”. Romans 14:10-12 – “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.“
So today as you go about interacting with others, look for our Father’s eyes. “Eyes that find the good in things When good is not around…”
“I would rather TRUST and KNOW God than trust and feel God.” That’s what I heard from God today. And honestly 80-90% of the time I don’t feel God. I KNOW that He is with me always His Word says so. I trust in His Word, I trust what the Bible says. (a side note here, I took a Bible study on the book of Daniel and the prophesy that has unfolded gave me shivers and there is no doubt in my mind the prophesy that is yet to come will happen. Read it for yourself, it’s amazing)
So back to back to knowing God is with me. There are 95 Bible verses about “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 is my favorite – “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
My feelings, feelings in general are fleeting, fickle. But if my knowledge is rooted, planted, ANCHORED in the TRUTH of God’s Word, I will be “like a tree planted by the water'” – Jeremiah 17:8 “They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” (NLT). I haven’t found any versions that use the word anchored and I am not trying to add to scripture or change it. However, an anchor like roots has a similar purpose. While roots go deep int to the earth to stabilize a tree and draw water to maintain itself during droughts and still produce fruit, and anchor goes deep into the waters, hooks into, latches onto the earth to stabilize a boat in storm. Or in some cases, an anchor such as a Kedge anchor can be used to pull the boat to shore or move along still waters. Even in a spiritual sense anchoring in God’s Word can pull us closer to Him. James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you …”. We draw near to God by reading His Word, by praying and communicating with Him so that when the droughts come or the storm rages we can be rooted, anchored in God’s Word, anchored in Hope still producing fruit.
My mother in law would tell me “ You’re so thoughtful” She was too but in her own way. Today is her birthday, (she would have been 91!)
and thinking about her and what she said made me think.
We are all full of thought. Thoughts racing through our heads all day long, sometimes keeping us up at night. Being thoughtful can mean thinking about someone and meeting a need or giving a gift that has true meaning, a story behind it, or just reaching out to someone.
But how many times are we thoughtful about our thoughts? How often do you stop to think about what you are thinking about? What was your last thought? Can you identify what lead you to that thought? What about the thought before that? Do you think about what you think about?
Proverbs 23:7 – What a man thinks in his heart so is he.
Philippians 4:8 – Whatever is true, noble, right, pure… think on these things.
Controlling our thoughts is not easy, it’s a challenge. Especially when the enemy is constantly throwing fiery darts at us to get our thinking away from God. Sometimes I think, we should be good stewards of our thoughts, like we steward our time and money.
Have you ever just been thinking and gone down rabbit hole after rabbit hole and started to feel bad and wonder why? I know I have lots of times. I might be reminiscing and start thinking about a time I did something dumb or said something dumb and starting thinking about what I could have said or should have done, then I begin to wonder what those people at the time thought of me and if I was dumb and then I feel like crap.
Then there are times I think about something I actually did right, or happy memory of a birthday or how a trinket I came across made me feel the day I someone gave it to me or I come up with brilliant idea for a present to give someone and I feel elated.
Our thoughts are powerful and we have the capacity to control them. But we can’t very well, not without God’s help. Philippians 4:13, we can do all things through Christ…. 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make itobedient to Christ.”
According to KnowingJesus.com there are 85 verses. Our thought life is probably something we should give some attention to. Something to think about.
The Kedge Anchor 
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