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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

5 Ways to Love More



For years, people from around the globe have embraced February as a month of LOVE. They show their appreciation for loved ones with cards, gifts, flowers, a romantic evening, and even with a shiny diamond ring. This fantasized day marks a moment on every calendar for people to set themselves aside and show their undying love for each other. However, Valentines Day dates far beyond a romanticized day of love, it is a day to honor a Christian martyr, a man who truly gave his life for love quite like the icon of his faith. So, one way or the other, Valentines Day has been a day for laying down your life for another.

This year Sensory Goods wanted to take a moment to challenge our customers and readers to lay down their life in honor of love. In a hurt and broken world, it will not take much to find someone around you in need. We urge you to find someone in need and to selflessly give to the person the most you can. Outlined below are a few simple steps to helping someone feel loved in a month dedicated to love alone.

Acts of Service: 


Simply doing something kind for an individual can show them that that are not only loved, but it will show them that they are cared for also. It could be that you are a husband that needs to do the dishes for his wife, a girlfriend who needs to play video games with her boyfriend, a child who needs to give their parent(s) a much needed break, or a neighbor who needs to mow both your lawn and the one next door. Also, we must not forget a personal favorite; you can always pay for the car behind you in the Starbucks drive-thru.

Words of Affirmation:

Now this may be the easiest step to showing someone love this time of year, but a simple word of encouragement can really go a long way. It is not the words of advice that you so desperately want to give, it is not the constructive criticism that you think is needed, it is a kind and polite "good job" that will win someone’s heart. You see, words are eternal; they can be forgiven but never taken back. So, this month as you show love, even to the least, remember it could be a simplistic acknowledgment of someone’s strengths that make love expound.

Quality Time:

You heard it America, Quality Time can actually make a person not only feel loved, but it can make them feel like the most important person to ever walk the face of the earth. In an age plagued by cell phones, social media, and a slue of instantly gratifying things, a moment of time spent with a loved one undistracted can make all the difference. For instance, if it is not beyond you, take a moment to sit with that homeless man on the corner this week and hear his story, it may be your life that is changed forever, not just his. 

Physical Touch:

Yes men, we are talking about the hands on the body and the lips pressed against hers. You might not know this but many women want it just as bad as you do. Even more interesting than that, even the strangest of strangers can feel truly loved by a simple handshake or a hug. So, this month let your random act of kindness by a hug to every person you come in contact with. It may catch them off guard, but we think that is the point. 

Gifts:

This is the one that we do not even need to explain. Whether it is a handmade card or a diamond engagement ring (Remember, every Kiss begins with K), a gift of any kind will bring a smile to a face. 


So, now that we have listed some general ideas of ways to express love unlike ever before, what will you do this month to reveal your love?


Find out your love language, click here

21 comments:

  1. What a great reminder I do it year round though! Always reaffirmation that you love this around you and let the know you appreciate them

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  2. I personally love Valentine's day. Its an impossible to ignore reminder to show everyone you love that you did not forget what they mean to you in the chaos of the year. I dont think its commercialized unless you make it so. I do things to show my family I love them everyday but this challenges me to find something special to do. When people down the day they are focusing on only how it makes them feel. When someone in school shows my daughter their bracelet they got, I dont want her to feel no one showed her that day that they love her. Its about other people. Too many women turn it into a one up holiday. Leave it what it is...heart shaped homemade cookies and cards and a reminder. Even if you do it all year...people dont think about that when you don't do anything special that day. So while low on funds....it will be about homemade gifts and time together playing games.

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  3. There is a boy who is turning 11 in Michigan. I've been reading about it online. He is autistic and has told his parents he doesn't want a birthday party and said he has no friends. I'm going to make him a birthday card with my 2yr old (who is special)and let him know that he is loved not only just by his family but a stranger who wants to help make his 11th birthday the best. The story has touched my heart and has made me cry, just to know a child thinks they have no friends is heartbreaking. He needs to know he has friends near and far and is Loved. And with valentines day in a few days going to send him a valentines day card as well!

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    1. That is amazing! Sensory Goods is giving that young man a Weighted Blanket for his birthday. We are happy to see our community stepping up to make a difference together.

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    2. Oh that is Wonderful!!! I'm so glad that Sensory Goods company is doing that for him and his family! This company is really a God send and its amazing to me how many families in need you have helped! Really lightens my heart to know that!!

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  4. Ill be respectful towards others. ill help them as much as possible . ill be the best wife to my husband. and a lovin mom to my kids

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  5. My 6 year-old twins and I made cards for Colin, a boy who is turning 11 in March and told his mother he had no friends because of his disabilities. We have mailed them and hope they help brighten his day. I think helping out those that we don't even know, but feel they have nobody that cares about them is such a big thing to do. My kids and I have also been collecting rainbow bracelets and cards for the Message of Hope Foundation who give out bags filled with goodies to children in the hospital. I think all of these are wonderful teaching opportunities for my children in loving and caring about others. One of my twins has various medical and learning disabilities. He doesn't really "get it", but he has fun with it.

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    1. That is amazing! Sensory Goods is giving that young man a Weighted Blanket for his birthday. We are happy to see our community stepping up to make a difference together.

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  6. Me and my kids make handmade Valentines Day cards for their class, also for Grandma's, and Daddy. We also make goodie bags for their teachers. Their teachers go out of their way to make sure their needs are met. Both my kids have special needs and are very loving and considerate to others.

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  7. I have a 5 year old foster daughter, who has been through trauma that no child/human being should ever have to endure. In the last six months I have seen so much determination and strength in her soul. I am trying to instill values in her by teaching her through doing random acts of kindness with her for others. I have found that by her giving to others, she has started to allow others to love her, and she has become so much more loving towards herself. She made homemade Valentine's Day cards that we will be delivering to a local retirement community on Friday. A lot of her abuse happened at night, and and I feel like a weighted blanket will help her to feel safe and secure as she sleeps. Thank you!

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  8. I'll be more patient with my kids and husband..3 yr old with sensory issues and a 10 yr old that is a great sibling and help.

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  9. Love your suggestions about non-material ways to show love! Personally, I have never been a fan of Valentine's Day (chalk it up to a bad experience with an ex who used to think that he could treat me not so nicely any other day of the year as long as he went all out for V-day!), so we make a very conscious effort in our house to show how we appreciate and love each other all year long. It warms my heart when my boys do something thoughtful for one another out of the blue on a regular basis, and extend that same thoughtfulness to strangers. Yes, it's fun to have a day full of hearts and extra snuggles that make the day feel special, but I wish we lived in a world in which we wouldn't need a reminder once a year to make others feel special and loved :) EVERYONE is special and deserves to feel loved every day of their lives!

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  10. We make Valentine Day cards and give them to the residents of the local nursing home. This is just one way that we try to help those people who may get lonely.

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  11. To love is our greatest commandment. God showed His love for us by sending His one and only Son to be born a man, just so he could die, just so we could live! That is love!

    My husband is a truck driver. He just started driving in October of last year. Anyway, this past week, God placed a burden on my husbands heart about starting a food pantry at our church to feed the hungry in our community. He asked God to give him comformation if this is what he is truly to do.

    My husband stopped at a truck stop for lunch and was approached by an elderly woman. She said "Sir, could you feed a hungry old lady ?"

    He knew immediately it was the comformation from God.

    He did buy the sweet elderly lady lunch and she thanked God because she had been praying someone would feed her.

    I believe that we are to show love to those hungry and hurting because Jesus said when we do these things to the least of these, we do it unto Him.

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  12. I did a toss up this year, usually I ignore Valentines day and just bake something for my husband and kiddos, this year I decided to make them up little treat bags with their favourite treats and knit them each a scarf to match their coats. I'm not good at holding onto surprises so I'm excited for them. I try to always being as loving as possible with my family, but this year we decided to branch out and me our very artistic kiddos (both with ASD) decided we'd make Valentines for some elderly people at the nursing home my husband works at. We're hoping they make some people very happy.

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  13. I couldn't agree more with the quality time statement, I feel that as a working mom, it's hard to juggle everything and I sometimes get caught up in getting that one task done, when in reality I could get it done another time and give my daughters a little more time. We have two, a 6 1/2 year old who is gifted and talented and a 3 year with ASD. We struggle with finding things to do as a family as our children could not be more different, this has inspired me to keep searching for activities we can all do. Thanks!

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    1. Congratulations Kari Middleton, you won a Free Weighted Blanket! Thank you all for participating in Weighted Wednesday! Please email us at info@sensorygoods.com.

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  14. I love just being able to spend quality time with my little family. My son is 5 and has ASD and sometimes things don't always go as planned so when we get a chance to just have fun and be a family that's what love is to me!

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  15. I've been trying to comment on this blog post all day and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong! Nonetheless, this has been a special Valentine's Day for us already. My twins who are both on the spectrum are finally understanding the joy of giving to and thinking about their friends and family. They even left cards on my pillow last night! It only took 9 years but we're really turning a corner!

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    1. Well, I finally got it to post but I don't know why it's not adding my name which is Lisa. I have my Google account set up with my name and email so I'm at a loss. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow I'll figure it out.

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  16. My mother's birthday is Valentine's Day, so it has always been a special day for us. This year, my 6 year old is going to make a homemade card for her Nonni....since she is just learning how to write, it will be particularly special! And as always, we are going to take my Mom out to dinner and celebrate as a family!

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