Love in Action week

Chocolates

The Five Love Languages



This week we focussed on John chapter 13 verse 34, where Jesus commands "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love another." We decided that as Jesus loves us a huuuuuuge amount, we should love other people a huuuuuuge amount too!

We learned the verse with actions, and sang "Love one another as I have loved you" to the tune of "Ten Green Bottles".

We talked about different ways we can show love to others, and different ways that people might show love to us. We worked together to make a spider diagram of examples of the 5 " love languages ": touch, gifts, kind words, service and time.

We also recognised that different people feel loved and express love in different ways. I think this is so important! After reading the book " The five love languages" by Gary Chapman a few years ago, I remember triumphantly exclaiming that my then boyfriend truly WAS failing me, as he rarely said encouraging or complimentary things to me, and "affirming words" is doubtlessly my primary love language. My sister gently suggested that maybe I should focus less on how he wasn't "speaking my language" and rejoice in the incredible gestures of love he made in terms of time and service. It really was an epiphany moment for me! I began to realise how self-seeking I had been and appreciate this wonderful man so much more. My then-boyfriend is my now-husband and he has got pretty good at complimenting me daily, which is not only a pleasure, but also a source of delight, as I look back and think how hard he has had to work at this to please me.

I really hope that the lessons we have been learning this week really help support the families of the children I work with to instil attitudes of love, joy, gratitude and consideration for others in these precious, beautiful little hearts.

We had so much fun (and made so much mess!) making and decorating baskets to carry our home made chocolates to give to a loved one. We made cards that said "Thank you for..." or "I love these things about you..." or "Well done for..."

We also decorated and made pots that contained our Love in Action challenges: cuddle up with Mam and tell her three things about your day (touch), ask how you can help and do it with a smile (service), ask a friend what game they want to play and do it joyfully (time), say thank you to someone (kind words) and draw or paint a picture for someone (gifts).

I was blown away by how the kids responded this week! They really love to love! Tales of one child finding a school friend in tears because a classmate wouldn't let them play, so leaving that game to play alongside them in solidarity; a child taking time to teach a much smaller one a new skill, ruining the older child's carefully built craft in the process, but accepting this with a smile as they delight in the little one's achievement instead; giving up a last biscuit to someone who had had none...these memories amaze, challenge and encourage me. Some of the acts were so brave and selfless I felt like a real phony comparing my heart to theirs

It was quite a wake up call about the responsibilities we adults have on these vulnerable little beings: I really could see them modeling  the good behaviours we were aspiring to this week. It is a challenge for me to 1)continue to try to model loving behaviour myself- the little eyes really are watching very closely and absorbing what they see and hear 2) have high expectations of the children's behaviour- I really am astounded by how loving they can be 3) praise and commend loving behaviour- the children love to know they are on the right track.

This week I hoped to teach the children of Bensham Beansprouts a bit about love. I certainly covered some of the theory, but, my goodness, those huge hearts have taught me a thing or two! 

 The Five Love Languages