It was fifteen years ago that Gary Chapman first published his now classic book: The Five Love Languages.  And since that time, he has offered a variety of niche-focused versions of his original. 

Chapman believes that we humans have been wired to feel loved by means of one of five "love languages." His basic characterization follows:

• Love language #1 -- words of affirmation
• Love language #2 -- quality time
• Love language #3 -- receiving gifts
• Love language #4 -- acts of service
• Love language #5 -- physical touch

Chapman's insights into how people communicate love to one another, and how easy it is to "think" one is communicating love (e.g. by using one's own love language), yet come to find that the recipient didn't end up understanding such as "love" -- have been immensely helpful to me both personally and in my pastoral ministry to others.

That said, I keep thinking about God...

What is God's language of love?  Is it possible that we end up saying or doing things -- thinking that they are communicating love to God -- when, in fact, they may not?  And if it ends up being that God speaks ALL languages of love, then fine.  But does he have a favorite?  What do you believe most communicates love to God?

A number of years ago, Chapman actually published "The Love Languages of God" -- but it's a book focused on how God communicates love to us, not the other way around -- a fact revealed by the title of the book's epilogue: "The God Who Speaks Your Language."  The fact that God speaks our love language is wonderful, but what if we want to speak God's language of love?  What do you believe best communicates our love to God?

• Our obedience?
• Our unity?
• Our missional/evangelistic efforts?
• Our time?
• Healing the sick?
• Caring for the poor?
• Caring for the planet?
• Teaching God's word to others?
• A contemplative life of prayer?

All of these? None of these?  Something else entirely?  Why?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Photo credit: © Evgeny Kuklev, iStockphoto.com

Musicnotes is a popular online digital sheetmusic source.  Here's their just released "Top Ten" list:

1. Way Back Into Love (from 'Music and Lyrics')
2. You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban)
3. The Prayer (Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion)
4. Anyway  (Martina McBride)
5. Boston (Augustana)
6. I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe)
7. Only Hope (Mandy Moore)
8. Bless the Broken Road  (Rascal Flatts)
9. How To Save A Life (The Fray)
10. Cannon in D  (Johann Pachelbel)

What caught my attention about this list was the number of songs that are either overtly or subtlely in reference to faith.  Interesting. What do you make of that?

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(Background) Image credit: © Jose Luis Gutierrez,  iStockphoto.com

Why do bloggers stop blogging?  That's what I'm thinking about today.

I'm sure you've seen blogs go stagnant lots of times -- like mine has recently.  When we encounter these sites, sometimes it disappoints us; sometimes it confuses or frustrates us; and sometimes we get concerned, hoping that the blogger is okay (thank you, Seraphim).

Here are the likely reasons behind my not blogging much lately:

1. The church that I pastor has entered into an exciting time of growth (qualitative and quantitative) and I have less discretionary time now.
2. Not having an associate pastor on our ministry team for over a year now has steadily increased my work load and time restraints. I've never been so tired so often as I've been this past year.
3. I've had to add a nation-wide search for a new associate to an already-busy schedule. Again, less discretionary time.
4. I have been suffering from writer's block.
5. A new keyboard (Korg PA800) and some new software (MediaShout) have added two new learning curves to my weekly schedule.
6. My normal Sunday afternoon blogging time has been taken up with the production of a new weekly church-related podcast.

Now, you may already be thinking what I'm thinking -- that I COULD choose to reorder my busy schedule in order to continue blogging.  And that may true well enough, but I'm not certain it would permanently return me to my good 'ol blogging self.  I suppose I could be charged with simply not wanting to blog as badly as I think I do.  However, I DO know that I want to want to blog more regularly again.  Kinda reminds me of "Lord, I believe; help me with my unbelief."

Well... all of that to say this: I want to start blogging more faithfully again, and believe that if you check back here a little more frequently, you won't be disappointed.

I'd also be very interested in hearing your ideas as to why bloggers stop blogging.

Peace.

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Photo credit: © Dan Wilton, iStockphoto.com

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Abba Isaac said: Abba Pambo used to say that monk's coat should be such that even if he threw it out of the cell and left it for three days, still nobody would take it.

(Lord, have mercy on us!)

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