 Photo by Studio Negarin "True love is when you know that no matter what happens, you will always choose each other." ~ Unknown My husband and I had the privilege of attending one of my best friend’s daughter’s wedding this weekend. There was lots of incredible food and engaging conversation, along with many lively musical numbers from the very talented family, and so many memorable moments. Some moments were heartwarming, some were very funny, some were very touching and some really gave you something to think about. We had a great time and were so happy to celebrate with the beautiful couple, Hannah and Sean. One moment that really stood out was something Sean, the groom, said in his speech to Hannah. It is how it made me think, "This one is a keeper." He shared that he had really expanded his interests and willingness to try new things since meeting Hannah. He went on to explain that even if he personally didn’t get super excited about the quaint new coffee shop an hour and half away, or the latest musical theater production in town, because Hannah did, he would join her and do those things “for her” with pleasure. This resonated with both my husband and I and we shared with Sean how much we appreciated him sharing that. This is exactly what true love does. This is such an important quality to have in a strong marriage. The ability to participate in experiences that are not necessarily your "cup of tea" with both a positive attitude and happy heart because your significant other loves those things, is absolutely love in action for your partner. Believe me this goes a long way in relationships. Relationships are all about give and take and I am so glad this newly married couple have already figured that out. It will sure set them up for success as the years unfold.  Hannah and Sean ~ Photo by: Kayleigh Hayward I love the Disney movie, Enchanted. In the movie one of my favourite songs is That’s How You Know. In the song it speaks of all the little things someone will do for you when in love such as: write a little love note, dedicate a song to you, send flowers or take you out dancing. There are just certain things that show love in action and the key to a successful marriage is to keep on doing those things no matter how many anniversaries you have celebrated.  Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash Love in action was also so powerfully demonstrated by our Heavenly Father. In Romans 5:8 it says: But God proves his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God loved us all so much that even in our sinful state, he sent his only son to die on a lonely cross for us. It is hard to fathom why he would do that when we are so incredibly undeserving. He didn't see it that way. He saw us as so valuable and worthy of redemption. He did this so that we could be forgiven of our sins and enjoy Heaven as our home one day. If that is not love in action, I sure don’t know what is! We can follow his example to demonstrate love in action daily for those who are most important to us as well. Truth be told, it is not always easy to do this on our own. We are only human after all. Whether it is our romantic relationships, or with family members, colleagues, or other significant people in our lives, as people we are not always skilled in this area. We fall short all too often. With God’s love and acceptance fueling our tanks however, it empowers us to take our loving others to a whole new level, eqipping us to “love God and love people” in the most powerful way possible. Here's to love in action! Until next time, Dana Lamentations 3:22: The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Little Lesson Learned: When it comes to truly loving others, action really does speak louder than words. Love out loud today! © 2024, littlelessonslearnedbydana
Tags: marriage, weddings, love, God's love, love in action, actions speak louder than words
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 Photo from Alyshia Bilokraly “To the outside world, we grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the space of time. ~ Clara Ortega Siblings. They see the best and worst of us. They ride the rollercoaster of crazy family life with us from the beginning to the end, yet if we are fortunate enough somewhere along the way they become our best friends. I am one of three children, the middle child. I have an older sister Judy, and a younger brother Matt. When it comes to siblings, I know it may sound a bit biased but I truly hit the jackpot. I am so pleased to introduce you to my siblings. Let’s start with Judy. My Sister Judy My sister Judy is two years older than me and from the moment I was born, I have felt that Jude and I were destined to be besties. She is fiercey protective, extremely compassionate and has always been wise beyond her years. She is married to Jeff, and has three wonderful sons: Ben, Adam and Seth. Judy is a registered nurse and currently holds the title of Operations Manager of Addictions Services at a large hospital. Each day she makes an incredibly positive impact on both her staff and patients there. I recall job shadowing her once when she was working as an RN. My amount of respect for Judy positively skyrocketed when I saw her in her element and observed her level of medical expertise. I tell you it was unreal, next level stuff. Judy is brilliant, hilariously funny, extremely organized and the person you want in your corner during any crisis. Shortly ago, Judy went through a lengthy breast cancer battle. It was extremely difficult for her, yet she continued to work full-time, share God's light and love people with intensity as she always has. I accompanied her on one of her chemotherapy days and I can still see it. There she was, no hair, big grin, armed with her daytimer, pens and highlighters, happily planning her week and encouraging others even while attached to an IV. She did not miss a beat and inspired so many during this very difficult time. Judy is one of the most exceptional people I have ever known. She has been a godsend on so many occasions to so many and is truly the rock of our family. Now, let's hear about Matt. My Brother Matt Matt is four years younger than me. I regret to admit that I did give Matt a bit of a hard time growing up, as I loved to tease him as my little brother, but that is all behind us now. We are extremely close. Matt is exceptionally creative, very musical, (Is there any instrument he can't play?) passionate about his goals, an innovative risk taker, a successful businessman and actor and someone that just “makes things happen.” When Matt has a goal, he pursues it with intensity and goes after it unwaveringly. He is a skilled problem solver and I greatly admire him. Matt is married to Michelle and has three incredible kids: Caden, Kyra and Luke. Matt is a go-getter and always has some cool creative project on the go. His family recently built a gorgeous cottage in an extremely picturesque location. We rented it last summer and it was indeed a piece of paradise. Everywhere we looked it had his family's creative and heartwarming touches and just spoke to the standard of excellence that Matt applies to all of his endeavours. His most recent project is he and his wife Michelle are renovating a van into an RV, so they can travel on their own terms in style. I am always amazed to hear of his latest adventure or project and am truly in awe of him as not only my brother, but as a person in general. Matt too has a heart for ministry and has been involved in many capacities in our church or other ministries. I am incredibly proud of him and so proud to say that he is my brother. Sibling Love or Rivalry? Photo from Alyshia Bilokraly I realize that my situation with my siblings is not necessarily typical. I hope and pray that you have a similar situation, but if you don’t, know that healing is still possible. My family has gone through some very hard times lately, especially with our mom’s illness and death. It has only brought us closer. With our dad at the helm and God in the center of all we do there is truly NOTHING we can't handle together and I say that with all my heart. If you have strained relationships with your siblings, I encourage you to seek reconciliation. You do not have to be best friends, but forgiveness is so healing. It is truly a gift you give yourself. For more information on how to do that click here. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24: there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. For me, as I have amazing siblings it speaks to me of the magnitude of love that Jesus has for us. Judy and Matt would drop everything and come running for me, whatever I need, yet God's love is SO much deeper than that. If your sibling relationships are not what you have hoped for or desire, know that Jesus can fill that void as your friend and heavenly father. He wants to be close to you, closer than any brother could possibly be and heal your wounded heart. It is never too late to make a fresh start with God or your family members. Pray for reconciliation and then let God do the work. Please also know that when we are members of God's family, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ as well. This is a beautiful set of siblings that everyone needs in their lives. I am here for you as your sister in Christ if you need me. You know where to find me! Until next time, Dana Psalms 133:1 ~ Look how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one. Little Lesson Learned: Friends will come and go, but family is forever.
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Dana Romualdi, the copyright holder reserves all rights to the content on the blog and website Little Lessons Learned by Dana, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the content. No content or photographs may be reproduced or modified. Blogs may be shared on social media platforms in their entirety only with full credit given to the owner. Any photographs used by other photographers are used with permission and are also protected. All Rights Reserved. Tags: Jesus is closer than a brother, siblings, sibling relationships, childhood memories, reconciliation, healing Photo by Nerene Grobler on Unsplash “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom In we came, dressed in our Sunday best, rocking it out and singing to the very best of our ability the hit song of the day, I’m Forgiven by Christian recording artists, The Imperials. Our group, a youth choir, was called The Soul Survivors and to say that we thought we were “all that” was certainly an understatement. Were we the best singers? Certainly not, but what our group lacked in talent, we sure made up for in confidence and enthusiasm! We even had a “back-up tape” which was a true novelty back then of this latest Christian hit, and we were ready to share the good news! I actually saw the Imperials twice in concert and it was truly memorable and meaningful. I have included I’m Forgiven at the end of this blog for your listening pleasure. Perhaps it will take some of you down memory lane like it did for me. So, I’m Forgiven! What a powerful song title. What a powerful concept. This week in our class Morning Meeting, we discussed the topic of forgiveness. I love these teachable moments, when I can impart some nugget of wisdom to my students on ways to improve their lives using practical tools that will empower them. As our discussion progressed, members of the class were divided on how forgiveness should and should not work. One friend thought in a mutually hurtful situation, that if you forgive someone who has hurt you, then he or she MUST forgive you too because that just wouldn’t be “fair.” As I was gearing up to respond, another very wise little friend said “Guys, you don’t GIVE forgiveness to GET forgiveness, you give forgiveness for your own PEACE. “I couldn’t have said it better myself, and had me thinking, "Are you eight years old or twenty-eight years old, because your mature response just blew me away!"  Photo by Pixabay Key Number One: Forgiving OthersPiggybacking on what he said, I shared with them an effective illustration that I have used in my addictions therapy groups I used to lead as a clinicial social worker. I called it the handcuffs illustration and it is a powerful little skit I would act out to explain what happens to you when you refuse to forgive someone. I explained with the help of a sweet volunteer that if I refused to forgive her it was like her, and I were handcuffed together 24/7. In the past, I had a pair of Dollar store handcuffs from the Halloween display to improve this illustration, but the kids seemed to get what I was trying to say regardless. I explained that she may not even know I am upset with her, yet we go everywhere together because my bitterness and refusal to forgive keeps me chained to her. The only way to separate us is to use the key called forgiveness and break that toxic bond between us. Whether that person deserves it or not, by doing that, we are liberated, and we have given ourselves the gift of freedom. The fact that forgiving someone is extremely difficult or seemingly impossible at times is certainly not lost on me. Some of us have experienced heart-breaking scenarios and severe mistreatment at the hands of others and I am in no way minimizing your pain. Forgiveness takes time and readiness and can be a very complicated process. I recall watching an episode of the Dr. Phil show where the featured guest was detailing years of terrible abuse at the hands of her parents and emphasized how she could not and would not ever forgive them. Dr. Phil then asked “So where are your parents now?" “She quickly replied “They are both deceased.” Dr. Phil, then said something I will never forget. He said “So they are both gone, and you are STILL refusing to forgive them? Truth be told, you are not hurting them; you are only hurting YOURSELF 100%. You gave them your past. How much more of your present life are you going to allow them to have?” Wow! It was like an "Ah-ha" moment for her, yet she still said amongst her tears, “But Dr. Phil, You don't understand! They don’t deserve my forgiveness!” Dr. Phil replied “You are right. They don’t. I agree, but YOU need to do this to move forward.” So true. (Ephesians 4:32 ESV : Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.)  Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash Key Number Two: Forgiving YourselfSometimes the one we need to forgive is ourselves. We can be so hard on ourselves when we make a mistake. We can truly be our worst enemy. I remember a client sharing with me that if I really knew all she had done, there would be no way I would even spend another minute with her. She was in her words “despicable, unforgiveable, and beyond hope.” She even said "I know that God could forgive you, but He could never forgive me. I am too far gone.” Her self description broke my heart. There is NOONE who is despicable, unforgiveable and beyond hope, but she couldn't see it. As I probed a bit further and encouraged her to tell her story, her tears freely flowed as she shared about years of abuse, addiction and a criminal past. She kept looking at the door, expecting me to open it and send her off, but instead I stayed glued to her every word. She was literally stunned! I shared that there is nothing that she could do that is unforgiveable in God’s eyes. He offers His forgiveness to all. It was a lot for her to process, and things took time, but a beautiful journey of self-forgiveness and eventually God’s forgiveness was set in motion that day. Key Number Three: Experiencing God's Forgiveness Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash My Grampa Sudds (my Mom's dad), used to say there are only two kinds of people in this world: sinners and sinners saved by grace. I couldn’t agree more. In the beginning we are the same. We are all born in sin, and we are ALL sinners. We all also have free will. The only thing that truly sets us apart from one another in the end, is that some of us have accepted God’s free gift of salvation which gives us complete forgiveness. Due to this, we are now enjoying a life free of guilt and shame and we can live free from condemnation every day. It is not about being a good person, trying to do enough good things on earth while we are here, or memorizing Bible verses that will get you on the receiving end of God’s grace. It is instead simply by asking for forgiveness and having a desire to make Him the Lord of your life. The Bible says that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, not when we had tried to clean ourselves up, or committed enough good deeds. His love for us is unconditional. He welcomes us as-is, and that is such a refreshing concept to embrace. (Romans 5: 8-9) Accepting and giving forgiveness can be easy or extremely difficult and complicated for us, depending on the unique circumstances of each scenario. I understand that. I trust that this blog has at least given you something to think about. I know it has given me reminders for sure about this important topic of forgiveness. As always, I welcome an opportunity to continue this conversation with you if you are interested in learning more about embracing forgiveness in your life. I can be reached at [email protected]. Until next time, Dana 1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Little Lesson Learned: Refusing to forgive ourselves, others or accept God's forgiveness keeps us in chains. You deserve and need your freedom. Please remember that. To learn more about God's forgiveness and what He thinks about you click here. Tags: spirtual guidance, God's forgiveness, 3 keys to the freedom of forgiveness, Christian blog, Christian blogger, life advice, walking in freedom, forgive yourself, forgive others
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana
(Dana Romualdi) Dana Romualdi, the copyright holder reserves all rights to the content on the blog and website Little Lessons Learned by Dana, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the content. No content or photographs may be reproduced or modified. Blogs may be shared on social media platforms in their entirety only with full credit given to the owner. Any photographs used by other photographers are used with permission and are also protected. All Rights Reserved. |
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