Wisdom-Trek ©

Creating a Legacy ™

The Cycles and Seasons of Life—The Celebration of Fall

by Leave a Comment

In our previous Wisdom Note, we continued our series called The Cycles and Seasons of Life, The Growth of Summer. This week we continue with moving onto the celebration of fall. If you miss any of our Wisdom Notes please go to the blog to read past newsletters.

With each season of life, our focus and priorities will change. We need to be flexible and willing to make those changes. Life rarely turns out how we expected and is based on the accumulation of all the decisions we have made in our lives up until now. The key to living a rich and satisfying life is to make wise decisions and then choose to enjoy life even if it is different than we expected.

What you plant in the spring season of life and then nurture during the summer season of life is what you will harvest in the fall season of life. So plant and nurture wisely, so your harvest will be fruitful and in abundance. Realize also that during your lifetime, there will be many different cycles of seasons. Just because a particular season did not turn out as you expected, don’t let that control the entirety of your life. Each winter season is a time for reflection and planning while each new spring season gives you an opportunity to start new again.

This brings us to our trek for this week as we consider moving from summer to fall within the cycles and seasons of life. This section of our trek is titled…

The Celebration of Fall

I would like to start off our trek this week with a quote from Lin Yutang who explained the seasons of life in this way, “I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like fall best of all, because its leaves are a little yellow, its tone mellower, its colors richer, and it is tinged a little with sorrow… Its golden riches speak not of the innocence of spring, nor of the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kingly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and is content.”

I have to admit that I am approaching my fall of life, and I find this quote to be so true. As I mature, it is easier to see the richness of life but also some of the limitations of life. With this knowledge, I can be content with life how it is, not necessarily how I expected it to be.

Fall is a time for celebration as well as a time for a searching of the conscience. If you planted abundantly in the spring and fought against the insects, weeds, and weather of summer, fall can bring rewards that will give you cause for rejoicing.

On the other hand, if you watched both the arrival and departure of spring and made little effort to take advantage of its almost momentary tenure, fall can be a time of turmoil, a time of anxiety, and a time of great regret.

It is in the fall when you discover how long or short the winter will be. The fall tells you if you have really done that which is required, or if you have fooled yourself through the temporary anesthetizing of conversation and pretense of telling yourself you have worked enough when you haven’t.

Although the following truths are difficult to accept at times, you must take responsibility for your harvest during the fall. The soil and the arrival of fall together occupy the seat of judgment, which presents the final truth of your effort. There can be no disputing its final verdict, for the evidence of your toil, care, and patience is indisputable. Either the crops are bountiful, or they are not. If not, you need to look no further than to the hands of those who were charged with responsibility last spring. The excuses of poor soil, poor seed, or bad weather are better left unsaid.

Nothing is more exciting than a bountiful harvest and nothing more dreadful than a barren field in the fall. So it is as you are given the responsibility for planting the crops of your field, and so it is also when you are given the responsibilities of your life and success in every area. An unproductive and meager result in the season reserved for harvesting makes confession of your own past failures both difficult and necessary.

An empty bank account is a sign of a past ineffective effort. It is a sign of a missed opportunity. It is a sign of too much procrastination or laziness or spending on non-essential luxuries. The principles and laws found in God’s Word are faultless. This applies equally well to the farmer, to the business person, and to the individual. Just like the law of gravity is a universal law, there is a law of God that is equally applied to all things and all people, regardless of personal belief. This law has endured since the creation of the world, and for that long, humans have sought to circumvent it, or argue with it, and even to ignore it. In the end, your results demonstrate if you have obeyed or disobeyed its orders. The law is simple and known to all. The law is found in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” This law is universal in both the spiritual and natural worlds.

In all areas of the human existence, be aware that what you put into this world, you get back from it. It is God’s principle and has a way of leveling the field. Your thoughts and actions determine your results, your lifestyle, and your attitude. Lies, sooner or later, attract lies in return. Finding an easier way at the expense of quality will take its inevitable toll in decreased results whether that be in profits or in sleepless nights, or both. All effort, whether it is how you treat others personally or in the business world, be it service, marketing, recruiting, or products must bring good to all those who are involved, or the effort will not withstand the final test of time.

Corn planted in the spring will produce corn in the fall, as will wheat, barley, or melons produce after their own kind. You cannot plant one crop and expect to harvest another just because you change your mind during mid-summer.

While there may be temporary exceptions to this, it is a tendency of humans to look at those who enjoy success as having been, at some earlier time, either lucky or dishonest. Surely, the man driving the luxury car toward his expensive home on the hill could not deserve it through hard work and sacrifice.

Such is the language of the poor. For the fortunate man with the car and the house on the hill, these are crops given to him in his fall of the business season, as just rewards for efforts expended during an earlier springtime of his life. This may be the same springtime during which those who now condemn the man possibly sat back and laughed, or fished, or told stories. This is the folly of humans.

Those who condemn the successful man or woman for their apparent good fortune or dishonesty are unaware of the price often paid for success. They cannot see the massive disappointments, the shattered hopes, or the broken dreams. They do not understand the risks incurred in both raising and investing capital for an idea yet unproven. They do not see the legal involvements, the tax burdens, the challenges of labor, or the restraining governmental regulations. Nor do they appreciate the family dissent that seems to automatically accompany the pursuit of success. Those who condemn see and scorn the result, being unaware of the cost as well as the cause that produced the success.

In the fall, we either enjoy, or we excuse. For those who failed to take full advantage of the spring, who failed to guard their crops carefully throughout the heat of summer, there can be no legitimate reasons, only excuses, and excuses are merely apologetic attempts to place blame on circumstances rather than on ourselves.

The difference between an inadequate apartment and a mansion on the hill is the same as the difference between average effort in the spring and massive effort in the spring. Nature always promises that a cup produces a bushel, that we will receive more than we plant. Knowing this, as all of us do, we forget that to reap many bushels, which is the measure of success, we still must plant many cups. Massive action in the spring of life is still the requirement for massive success in the fall. Forty hours a week invested in the fields of opportunity may not be enough, especially if it is invested in the wrong field. Sometimes, to improve your results, you must make the painful admission that your present field is too rocky, or thorny, or that the fertile soil is too shallow. And while there is great difficulty involved in changing one field for another more fertile field, that difficulty is insignificant compared to the ultimate difficulty that comes from not changing.

The truths of the fall season are difficult for us to accept. I also struggle with these concepts, even though they are universally true. I realize that there may be overriding exceptions, but we cannot allow that to be an excuse for a meager harvest.

We all know of those who have overcome massive mountains of opposition to produce a bountiful harvest in their lives. It is my prayer that all of us, including myself, will take to heart, consider, and understand these truths. The immutable laws of planting and harvesting are set by God and cannot be changed or violated any more than we can override the law of gravity. When you grasp this concept, then you can direct and achieve a rich and satisfying life that Jesus offers in John.

7 Steps to Destroy Bad Habits

by Leave a Comment

Within our previous Wisdom Note, we explored three steps to live your dreams. These bits of wisdom help us to live a rich and satisfying life while creating a living legacy. If you miss any of our Wisdom Notes please go to the blog to find previous installments.

As we think about habits, I think we all understand that habits can be good or bad. In order to make room for good habits in our lives, we do need to rid ourselves of the bad habits, so let’ head out for today as we hike our own trail and discover the…

7 Steps to Destroy Bad Habits

Is it simple to destroy bad habits? Certainly not, sometimes it is very hard—but it’s far from impossible if you follow the right action plan.

Okay, let’s admit it, everybody has bad habits. Everybody! Now granted, some people have less than others and some people’s bad habits are more grating than those of others, but we all have them.

What is great is that we don’t have to continue these habits. We’re all capable of change, so as Captain Picard of Star Trek would say, “Make it so.”

There are two kinds of bad habits: (1.) The ones you know you have but others may not notice and (2.) those you don’t know you have but everybody else is keenly aware of.

How do you get rid of a bad habit if you don’t know you have it? The answer is simple but hard…Ask somebody to be brutally honest with you. You might be afraid of being embarrassed, but would you rather everyone talk behind your back? Get up the courage and ask. Ask somebody who loves you and has your best interest in mind. Be gracious and don’t defend yourself. Just accept it and work on it.

What about the ones we know about? Those are the tough ones. Why? They must be tough if you know about them and yet you still have them. If they weren’t tough, they would be former bad habits.

How do you boot a bad habit out of your life? How can you destroy it and have victory over those bad habits? Here are 7 steps that must be a part of the plan:

1. You have to want them to go.

In truth, some people actually want their bad habits to stick around. So, the first thing is to go deep into the recesses of your heart and ask, “Do I really want to give this up?”

You do? Good. Then on to the next step…if not, reading this probably won’t help.

2. Make up a list of all of the reasons you want to quit your bad habits.

Make them positive. Make the list long. Start with the really powerful and dramatic if you need to. Now, memorize the reasons. Put them in your mind.

You are making connections between stopping the bad behavior with what good things you will get from doing so. If you want to lose weight, then picture yourself slim with a lot more energy. If you want to stop smoking, picture your spouse actually kissing you rather than sending you to the bathroom to brush your teeth.

3. Choose to change.

Once you have the information, this comes down to one thing: an act of the will. Choose to destroy those habits that you have identified as bad. Say to yourself throughout the day, I am choosing to destroy ________ habit. Eisenhower rightly said, “The history of free men is written not by chance but by choice, their choice.” Your decision to destroy bad habits is your choice. You can write your own history.

4. Take action.

This is tricky because there are two philosophies about it. One theory is that you must take massive action—you must go all or nothing. Using the weight loss example, this person would go spend $500 to join a gym, rework their schedule, and hit the treadmill every day for a year. They will get rid of all the fat in the house. They go all out, and that works for some.

Others would burn out on that, feel like failures, and be worse off than before. They should start out slow, taking baby steps but working diligently toward a planned goal. This person would decide to start walking three days a week. They would decide to limit dessert to two nights a week instead of seven.

Either way is okay as long as you get to the goal eventually. Which one are you?

5. Tell somebody.

This is your accountability partner. Tell them your goal and tell them your plan. Write it down for them, and have them ask you at regular intervals about your progress. This will prove invaluable.

6. Recover from failure.

Inevitably most people will have setbacks. The key is to have them be setbacks and not turnbacks. Pick yourself up and get going again. Some people may want to lose 30 pounds and after losing 15, they eat a gallon of ice cream. Then they feel bad and give up. Don’t stop now! Reset your goal for another two weeks, and get going again. Chalk it up to experience! Say to yourself, “Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn.”

7. Reward yourself.

You should regularly congratulate yourself by rewarding yourself with a gift. Start small with small victories and plan a big one when you are finally and for sure over the habit.

Bad habits are those undesirable actions that we continue to repeat. Let us not be foolish by continuing in those habits that are undesirable and harmful, or we will end up like what is described in Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.”

Is it that simple? Most of the time, no. Habits are hard to break. Your “why” for destroying that habit must be larger than your desire to keep it. There are so many intangibles that it would be hard to cover them all. But, this is a simple and workable plan that will help you make great strides if you just apply the principles.

Along our trek for this week, we have navigated the seven steps to destroy bad habits. As we hike our trail next week, we will explore the 6 essentials for a satisfying life. In addition to our weekly Wisdom Notes, encourage your friends and family to also join us on our daily podcast – Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

3 Steps to Live Your Dreams

by Leave a Comment

In our previous Wisdom Note, we explored the power of patience. These bits of wisdom help us to live a rich and satisfying life while creating a living legacy. If you miss any of our Wisdom Notes please go to the blog to read past newsletters.

The days seem to slip by so quickly it is almost like grasping water or embracing the wind. You can see the results and feel the impact, but it is almost impossible to control the flow. That is why it is so important to enjoy each day for what it is and to live your dreams each day. We should not wait for some magical moment in the future because when tomorrow arrives it is already today.

We also need to stop comparing ourselves to others. You are uniquely you, and your circumstances are different. Comparison will eventually lead to despair because there is always someone who appears to be better in any area of comparison…which is usually just our perception and not reality. To live your dreams, you only need to compare yourself to where you were yesterday and what is your God-given ability and purpose for your life. Remember that you are creating and living your legacy each day.

So let’s head out for this week as we hike our own trail and discover the 3 steps of how to…

Live Your Dreams

As we traverse our path this week and have the opportunity to observe others, we can learn from others and allow others to assist us without comparing their lives to ours. Stop looking at other people who seem to live “the good life” and live your own good life. Commit to your improvement, and let it be you.

Each day, people are living their dreams. Wealth is created. Families form and create tremendous relationships. Individuals get healthier day by day. Life-long learners grow intellectually and improve their lives daily. Let it be you!

The fact is, living the life of your dreams is possible. People prove that every day.

Have you ever looked at someone who has money and wished that it could be you? People think about getting wealthy all of the time, but only a small percentage actually does. But anyone actually can. Someone is going to start a business. Someone is going to make a great investment. Why not let it be you?

Someone is going to decide to improve their relationships. Someone is going to enjoy love with their family. Someone is going to schedule some meaningful time with their friends. Why not let it be you?

Someone is going to become a life-long learner. Someone is going to go back to school. Someone is going to set a goal to read a book each week for the next year. Why not let it be you?

Someone is going to make the decision to become healthy. Someone will run their first marathon. Someone will join an aerobics class. Someone will start eating better. Why not let it be you?

You get the point. Every day people are improving their lives. It is simply a matter of a decision being made. Let it be you! Make sure that you understand what your dreams are and why. Everything that we pursue has a price associated with it. For every decision we make, we are saying yes to one choice, which will automatically mean that we have to say no to other choices. In order to live your dreams, there is a process that must be followed. Drill down on the “why” of your dream, and it will soon be clear whether you are committed to it.

So how can you live your dreams? By following these very simple actions:

1. Commit to working on yourself.

Are you going to improve or stay the same? No matter what you have achieved, you are at a certain point right now. What you have achieved in the past is fine, but it doesn’t make a difference for the future. The decision about what you will become is made each day and every day. Each day someone is making the decision to better him or herself. Let it be you. Proverbs 23:12 tells us, “Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.” So commit yourself to live your dreams.

2. Make a plan.

Once you have decided to become better in any area of life, you will need to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a long, intricate plan. It can be simple. Save a dollar a day. Walk a mile a day. Read an article a day. That is a simple plan with achievable goals. Someone is going to develop a plan that will take them into the future of their dreams. Let it be you. God desires us to make plans that are congruent with our life purpose. Psalm 20:4 confirms this, “May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.”

3. Begin to act.

All of the great ideas, without action, become stale and useless. The key to turning dreams into reality is action. People who have great ideas are a dime a dozen. People who act on their dreams and ideas are the select few, but they are the ones who gain the wealth, health, and wisdom that is available. Someone will act today. Let it be you.

Stop comparing yourself to others who seem to live the good life, wishing that you were as well, and instead begin to commit to your improvement, develop a plan, and act on it. Someone is going to. Let it be you!

Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians 6:4, “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”

Along our trek this week, we learned how important it is not to compare ourselves and our dreams to others. We need to commit, plan, and act so that we can live our dreams each day. As we hike our trail next week, we will learn “7 Steps That Detroy Bad Habits.” In addition to our weekly Wisdom Notes, encourage your friends and family to also join us on our daily podcast Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Learn to Shut Up – Part 2

by Leave a Comment

In our previous Wisdom Note, we began to explore why it is important to learn that instead of speaking we need learn to keep our mouth closed whenever possible. Each time we speak, it is a conscious choice to do so.

We are focusing on 10 lessons that will at least help to minimize the potential negative impact that our tongues may have. Unless you are a ventriloquist it all boils down to the fact that we need to think before opening our mouths to speak. We will continue on to lesson #3 in this note, and for each of these lessons we need to know to say “keep your mouth shut when…”

Lesson #3 – You want to gossip.

When you want to say something negative about someone behind their back, don’t. Just don’t. There is almost never a good reason to do this. It makes you look petty, childish, and mean-spirited. It might get back to the person you’re slandering. Never gossip, and if someone does something truly terrible, that will significantly harm someone or an organization, you might need to discuss it. If you are in an appropriate position, discuss it with that person privately first. If it is unresolved then discuss it with an appropriate person to decide what course of action to take.

Lesson #4 – The details of a plan or deal are not complete.

Look to that old adage “Never count your chickens before they’re hatched,” or “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” If you’re making plans for some big activity or making a deal of some kind, never announce it until the crucial details are worked out or the paperwork is complete. You’ll feel embarrassed or stupid if things fall through.

Lesson #5 – You’re mad or upset with a person or situation.

When someone annoys you, don’t respond right away, as you are likely to blow up and/or say something you will regret. And, you can’t take it back. A word spoken cannot be unspoken. Even if you apologize, people will not forget. You’re weak when you’re angry. Don’t act in a moment of weakness. Even if they’re wrong and you’re right, you won’t come out of it looking good.

Lesson #6 – You have had too much to drink.

While I do not drink alcohol myself, I know that most people do. It’s really hard to keep your mouth shut when you’re drunk. Even small amounts of alcohol lower inhibitions and make you far more likely to say something inappropriate. If you are drinking, be aware of how it affects you. If you are able to keep quiet after a few, do so. Or, cut yourself off before you get to the point of brutal honesty. It is hard enough to control our tongues when we are sober. Be very careful when drinking.

Lesson #7 – You’re about to ask a question that isn’t really a question.

If you are at a gathering or meeting and you feel that you just have to interject into the conversation, to tell some story from your past, or to ask a question that does not add to the conversation, be careful. So many times we try to shift the focus to ourselves, instead of allowing others to speak.

Lesson #8 – You’re about to complain.

If you are getting ready to speak, check yourself to see if you are about to complain about something. You might be thinking that it’s hot, you have too much to do, something smells, or that person is mean or stupid. All of these may be true, but keep it to yourself. Nobody likes a whiner. If you must speak, look for only positive things to speak about.

Lesson #9 – Someone else is being a jerk.

When someone else is being stupid, rude, belligerent, or an idiot in some other way, let them. Don’t call them out, get mad, insult, or embarrass them. First, they could just be having a bad day, or they do not know how to handle themselves in whatever situation they’re in. Be kind, and you’re likely to diffuse things far quicker than if you react in a like manner. If the person really is just a horrible jerk, they’ve got enough to deal with in life and will eventually pay the price without your help. “Everything is its own reward.”

Lesson #10 – You’re about to talk to fill the silence.

Silence can be awkward, but there are a couple of reasons you shouldn’t necessarily rush to fill it. The first is that some people just like to think before they speak and aren’t as freaked out by pauses as others. So, when you jump in to fill the void, you’re actually cutting off their thought process. Wait a while and make sure they’re not preparing to speak. Another reason is that if you’re both uncomfortable with silence, sometimes you can learn a lot by letting the other person fill it. We often tend to overshare when we want to impress and overcome any sort of awkwardness. We may think that it could be perceived as our fault for not holding up our end of the conversation. This tactic is particularly useful when conducting interviews, managing meetings, or even hosting sales calls. Many a sale has been lost because the salesperson did not know when to shut up. Some people actually like periods of solace and silence in a conversation. Allow for extended periods of silence and just bask in the benefit of being with another person.

When you’re talking, you’re not listening. And listening is the most important thing you can do. Always remember, you cannot learn when your mouth is open.

We have come to the end of our trail today, so I will leave you with four proverbs that deal with talking too much.

Proverbs 10:19, “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.”

Proverbs 17:27, “A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”

Proverbs 17:28, “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.”

Proverbs 21:23, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

12 Reasons to Choose Love Over Fear – Part 1

by Leave a Comment

It is always timely to reflect on God who because of His love for us chose to take on a human body and dwell among us so we do not have to fear eternity. So in our next two Wisdom Notes, we will explore 12 reasons to choose love over fear.

Life is like an unpredictable whirlwind of activities, people, thoughts, and feelings. The trails of life are rough for everyone at some point, and it can be all too tempting to want to stay in our homes and give into the lies of fear. We imagine the great obstacles ahead of us and think, “I’m never going to make it. It is all too much for me. I will stumble and fall.”

We are each given the chance every day to choose between two trails at various times and seasons in life – the trails of fear or love. The way to live a rich and satisfying life of freedom is through love.

1. Love is a natural pathway and provides motivation to travel towards something you can gain.

If you’re excited about an opportunity ahead of you, it shows you recognize there’s something to gain from it. This opportunity to gain – whether it’s a new job, a valuable business partner, a new place to call home, or a romantic relationship – will be fully realized when you are acting through love. Embrace the sacrifices necessary to achieve your goal, and forget that fear was ever there.

Vince Lombardi, the famous football coach, reminds us that in order to be successful, we must embrace the kind of hard work that we love. He says, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

2. If you truly love something or someone, you will continue working towards success.

Despite the appearance that some people have it all together, life’s trek is not easy for anyone. The truth is anyone who has established long-lasting success in life had to continually fight for it until success arrived. The exact same will be true of your story. Nothing that lasts comes easily, and nothing that’s easy will last. Allow your love for your quest to keep you fueled as you encounter hardships and rigorous trails.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once remarked about the need to collectively continue working towards success, saying, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable…Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

3. Love requires sacrifice, and if you are willing to sacrifice for what you love, you will grow exponentially.

When we find something we love in life, it requires sacrifice. The magnificent summits, people, and trails that we traverse in life are almost always the result of intentional sacrifice. We need to give something up in order to get something greater. Henry Ford once said, “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” Let the power of your love for your journey overtake any fear that claims you’re incapable of making the necessary sacrifices.

4. When you begin something great, it is because you “fell in love” with your project. Keep this mindset at the forefront of your actions.

Our brains possess an incredible power that awakens when we strike out to succeed at something we love. When we’re committed to achieving something we truly desire, it makes the work far simpler – a leisurely walk on a wide and flat trail. We become so enticed by our goals and results that our internal drive finds a way to make it happen.

Your goals exist for a reason and for a season. They motivate with a keen love for your work. Famous author Jack Canfield says, “Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.” Let the fact that you “fell in love” with your goal or project guide your steps toward success.

5. Biologically speaking, the human brain is more likely to respond to something positive than something negative. Choosing love will guide your brain positively.

On a simple biological level, your brain responds with greater clarity and vision when thinking about something positive rather than something negative. This is why it’s a fundamental human inclination to listen to people who agree with us, rather than people who speak from a different point of view. Take a moment to reflect on how diving head first into a project you love will keep your brain focused on positive action.

Speaking of action, Confucius offers sage advice when you encounter unexpected roadblocks with your goals, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” It’s better to keep your path flexible than to give in to fear and abandon it entirely.

6. Fear will darken and cloud your path, but love will broaden and enlighten it.

Embracing your fear towards a project or goal will only hamper your ability to move forward. Concentrating on love will show you that anything is possible if you care enough to make it happen. As Franklin D. Roosevelt would say, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Don’t let fear have any place on your path towards success!

Jesus’s closest friend the Apostle John puts it best when he describes perfect love that expels all fear in 1 John 4:16-19, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.”