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Women’s Ministries Programs
Theme:
“Messages of Love”
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
By
Nita Lodge
Fellowship—May 2008
Preparations
In advance of the program provide each woman with a Styrofoam cup filled with 3/4 cup of potting soil and a fast growing seed, such as beans or radishes. Small seedling plants could also be used to ensure visible plants by the program time. Ask each women to care for the plant then bring it back for this program. They may choose to decorate their pot, but should be instructed not to disturb the growing plant.
Decorations and Refreshments
Cover the tables with yellow or white tablecloths for a cheery look of spring. At each place put a small, two to three inch clay pot or plastic tumbler filled with dirt cake (see refreshments) and a colorful napkin. Provide another table for the women to display their newly grown plant.
Dirt Garden Cake
(Makes enough for 12 small flower pots.)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated or powdered sugar
2 small boxes chocolate instant pudding mix
4 cups milk
1 package Oreo cookies
1 lb. Gummy worms
In a mixing bowl, blend together the cream cheese, sugar and pudding mix. Gradually add the milk. Grind the cookies in a food processor, five or six at a time. Line small clean flower pots with foil. If you are using plastic tumblers, foil is not necessary. Layer the
ingredients, starting with the pudding mix, then ground cookies, then gummy worms. The last layer should be cookie “dirt.” Place a silk daisy and one gummy worm sticking halfway out of dirt to complete the potted plant.
Program Ideas
Flower Arranging
Invite a local florist or one of the women gifted in flower arranging to demonstrate how to arrange daisies and baby’s breath in a vase.
Sharing—My Plant
Have each woman share about the plant she has been caring for. Has each grown to the same size? Did they enjoy caring for it or did they do it knowing that they had to bring it back for “show and tell?” Did some of the plants die despite the care given them? Why?
Armchair Scavenger Hunt
Provide each woman with a magazine, along with a list of the following items to find and tear out.
1. garden scene
2. a single flower
3. a potted plant
4. empty vase
5. empty planter
6. a fountain
7. plant food
8. garden tools
9. a trellis
10. watering can
11. advertisement from a florist
12. an arrangement of flowers
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Devotions
He Loves Me!
Using a daisy, remove one petal at a time until all are removed. Remember when we were young, or maybe not so young, we would take a daisy and with each petal speculate, “He loves me, he loves me not?” Did you ever cheat by removing two petals together when you were nearing the end and you wanted to end on the positive note, “He loves me?” Such a romantic, yet meaningless exercise. Isn’t it good to know our relationships in life don’t depend on such frivolous predictions?
There are more reliable ways to know when someone loves us or not. We read in the Song of Solomon 2:1–3, “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens. Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.” This portion of Scripture describes a deeply intense feeling between two
lovers. Song of Solomon has been regarded by some as a spiritual allegory, representing the holy affections existing between God and His chosen people or Christ and His church.
On a more personal basis, we know when someone loves us by the way they respond to us, the way they talk to us, the way they treat us. When we truly love someone, we want to spend time with them, converse with them, share secrets, go places and do things together. Usually, the longer we know them, the more we love them and our bond grows far deeper than just a superficial relationship. It becomes a lifetime commitment, bringing new meaning to “for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” Officer families in The Salvation Army may add “for here or for there” because we move around so much.
Luke 12:22–34 tells us that God loves us so much that He provides everything we need. In this passage Jesus tells His disciples, ”do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” Verse 27 says, “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” It goes on to say that if God cares for the birds, the flowers, the grass of the fields, think how much more He cares for you and me.
The concluding verses remind us not to concern ourselves with earthly cares, but to trust God and focus our hearts and minds on Him. Just as in our human relationships, our love for God should be demonstrated in spending time with Him, conversing with Him, sharing secrets, going everywhere together. Our love for Him should be the same as the wedding vow, “to love and to cherish from this day forward.” But rather than “till death do us part,” we can say “till death unites us in heaven with Him.” We need not wonder whether, “He loves me, He loves me not,” because we know He does!
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