How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seeemed to lose

With my lost Saints! --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!

And, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

                                                      - Elizabeth Barrett Browning

                                                                              Sonnet 43 "Sonnets from the Portuguese"

     Sonnet 43 has been recognized as on of the greatest love poems ever written from a wife to her husband.  One would do well to take the time to 'Google' her name and get a brief history behind these words.  I will explain the richness of her feelings of love and gratitude which were written in secret and only revealed some years after her marriage to Robert Browning (who was himself, a renowned poet in his time).

     Works such as these tend to remind us of those attributes (in human life) which speak to the "Image of God", in each of us.  Love is surely one those attributes!  Additionally, the desire to express our love toward others never seems to grow old or to become tiresome to us.  (It even manifests itself with our pets as well.)

     Sharing our feelings towards our loved-ones is indeed, an attribute of Deity, because God is both loving as well as active in His affection toward us.  The fact is, Love is comforting.  Its very mention seems to warm us and lift up our lives.

     Studies show that all human beings need love to be well-balanced and to reach the full potential which God has placed in all of us.  And of course, abuse of this vital emotion in our lives, can lead to great tragedy in any relationship.

     This morning we will be speaking to the issue of loving from the heart.  Please take a moment and view the video on the sermons page titled "Giving God Our Heart."