2774 Glen Avenue Altadena, CA 91001

Greetings. As we approach the holiday season and especially my favorite time of the year, Thanksgiving, I thought I would invite you to reflect upon the importance of thanks. My hope is that you will find a way to cultivate a heart of gratitude.

In my last post, I asked you to focus on being thankful in your spiritual life over the gift of Grace. In this post, I want you to focus on the powerful emotion and gift of love. When you are loved and when you feel loved, this should lead to a grateful and thankful life.

How often do you go to the gas station? I guess it would depend upon how often you drive. In some ways, it really does not matter how often you drive, where you drive, and what type of car you have, what year or make or model it is. Even if it is a hybrid model. You can have the best tires, the best engine, the best and one of the highest priced cars on the market, but no gas in the tank, than the car is just going to sit in your driveway.

You see a car was created to be driven. All cars want to be driven and be out on the road of life. But all cars need one thing in order for it to be driven: Gas. If you do not put gas in your car, your car will sputter and die and either sit on the side of the road or just sit in your garage. No gas, no driving.

In the same way for our lives, we all need love. Our emotional life will suffer and our ability to function on a daily basis will not work if we do not have love. Period! All humans need this important ingredient to function and to live. If you don’t have love, you will not live long and you will not function well.

Now sure, the argument could be made that you know many people who seem to function without love. They get up every day and function on coffee, water, food, money, the basics of life. Sure, many people can do this. But inside of them, there is a heart attack waiting to happen: their love tank is getting lower and lower and eventually their love tank will be empty and dry. When you do not have gas in your car, a warning light will be on dashboard. When you do not have love, a warning will affect your emotional life informing you that you do need love.

So let me ask you a question: Who has filled your love tank this year in 2014? Can you name 10 people in your life who have given their love to you on different levels to help you feel loved? In other words, how have you let your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your co-workers, your church friends; how have all of them given you love? This love maybe romantic love, friendship love, acts of kindness love, acceptance love, encouragement love, intimate love, caring love.

You see, your car does need gas but it will take gas from whatever gas station you choose to take it to. It does not demand nor will it only function with gas from Chevron. Your car will run on gas from whatever source you find. The same can be said for your emotional world and your need for love. Finding healthy love from healthy people is what we all need. Your car needs gas and your emotional life needs love. Find various places to get this love from a wide source of people and places.

Do you need love? Yes. View love as fuel for your emotional life. Look back over 2014 and be thankful for the love you have been given and be grateful. I dare you to go up to these 10 people who have given you love in 2014 and say to them, “Thanks for giving me love this year.” I know they would love to hear it and I know you will find yourself happier and thankful for their love. Thanks for reading. If you are struggling in this area and your love tank is empty, please give me a call and let me help you find ways to receive love.