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Loving Thoughtfulness in the Home, June 18
Roads to Happiness That Are Never Closed
If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected
in us.
1 John 4:12
Make your home atmosphere fragrant with tender thoughtfulness.
Home is to be the center of the purest and most elevated affection.
Peace, harmony, affection, and happiness should be perseveringly cher-
ished every day, until these precious things abide in the hearts of those
who compose the family.
The reason there are so many hardhearted men and women in our
world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness and has been
discouraged and repressed. The better part of the nature of persons of
this class was perverted and dwarfed in childhood, and unless rays of
divine light can melt away their coldness and hardhearted selfishness, the
happiness of such is buried forever. If we would have tender hearts, such
as Jesus had when He was upon the earth, and sanctified sympathy, such
as the angels have for sinful mortals, we must cultivate the sympathies
of childhood, which are simplicity itself.
Commend your children whenever you can. Make their lives as happy
as possible.... Keep the soil of the heart mellow by the manifestation
of love and affection, thus preparing it for the seed of truth.... The
Lord gives the earth not only clouds and rain but the beautiful, smiling
sunshine, causing the seed to germinate and the blossoms to appear.
An approving glance, a word of encouragement or commendation,
will be like sunshine in their hearts, often making the whole day happy.
The happiness of husband and children should be more sacred to
every wife and mother than that of all others.
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