...amelie...

...I love the way Amelie does nice things not for her own gain, it stands out in our selfish culture.

I saw a real-life Amelie today. On the Subway in Glasgow, where people normally spend their time pretending they're alone, staring at the ground or the adverts just below the ceiling.

As we drew into Buchanan Street Station, many people were leaving. One of them, a young blond woman, leaned down to the passenger beside me:

'You look beautiful'

'Pardon dear?'

'You look beautiful'

'Oh! Thank you.'

As she left I looked at the lady sitting next to me, who I'd barely been aware of. She was perhaps in her late sixties, with greying hair and a warm coat on. She smiled slightly to herself for the rest of the journey and then slowly shuffled off the train at the same stop as me.

...loving...

...yes I love loving. When my heart is so full of love for the people around me that it hurts. The purpose that I feel when God uses me to show a glimpse of His love to another.

I love that my friends know me as someone who cares, who is at her best when meeting people, getting to know them, listening to their stories.

A few years ago I was set a challenge to find an object to describe myself. I chose a battery charger. I wanted to be someone who could help to boost others, to encourage others. To pass on the love that I received from the Source.

On Monday night a friend was speaking to me from Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and
on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strngthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

We were praying for one another in our cell group, and he had been praying for me. His prayer for me was that the love of God would define, fill, consume, meet and win me. That knowing how loved I am would be the defining characteristic of my life.

I take so much pride in being known for loving people. What about if I had a reputation for knowing how loved I am? What if it was my understanding of God's love for me that impacted others? Instead of my own broken human attempts to love.

Can I really love others without truly being rooted and established in God's love? A battery charger is pretty useless when it's not plugged in.

Once again I'm learning to stop trying so hard, and to simply rest in my Father's presence, to let Him open my eyes to His love. It is only through His grace, He is so patient!

...eye contact...

Unless the LORD builds the house,

the builders labour in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city,

the guards stand watch in vain.

In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Children are a heritage from the LORD,

offspring a reward from him.

(Psalm 127: 1-3)

While we sang of God delighting in us on Sunday, two wee boys were joyfully spinning infront of the whole congregation. They were delighting, totally freely. I saw one look up at his mum at one point and he gave her the cheekiest grin 'Look at me mum, I'm having SO MUCH fun!'

And she proudly smiled back.

I caught a glimpse of grace in that smile. I try and I try, working and working at whatever I feel I should be. I often forget that simple truth that God loves in me, not because of anything I've doneor can do, but because of Jesus' sacrifice. As I sang His praises on Sunday I knew; "I delight in you daughter, relax in Me".

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1