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What Love Looks Like Part 2

(Read previous post first)

No post about lasting love would be complete without a post on my grandparents.


To the world a romantic picture is a couple, young and in love, and in some cases, plastered together in a passionate embrace.
Although possibly more ascetically appealing to some, it is not a picture of romance to me.
A picture of romance is a picture of two people who have spent a life time together and are still in love. A couple who has stood the test of time. Weathered the storms, shared the joy. Walked the journey of life together, for better and for worse.
And hasn't quit.
That is romance.
That is my grandparents.

For all their married life they have worked hard, loved hard and lived well.
They are an amazing example of what love should be. What it can be.

My grandfather has been a hard worker all his life.
He built the house they live in to this day with his own hands right after they were married. He has worked hard for everything they have.
He has provided for, loved, sacrificed and cared for his family and the people around him all his life.
He didn't quit.
Then he got sick.
And grandma, who had always worked hard herself, tending to her family, her home and a ragtag bunch of other people that filtered in and out her life, turned her attention to caring mostly for her husband.
She hasn't stopped.
Her care for the man who always cared for her is a task she stays about.
Most days it's hard. Most days she moves past the pain in her body and the weariness in her heart and loves by serving.
Such has been her life.

And still they love together, still they smile, still they laugh. Still they bring joy to all who come near.
Through the hard stuff, through the good stuff, through raising their family, through a lifetime of service to their family and their church and their God, they have loved.

Grandpa, do you know that everything you worked for, every sacrifice you made, every caring word and deed you have done (and there have been so many) is not just appreciated but remembered? If they aren't all remembered by the people whose lives you have touched (how can people remember so many special things done by one person?) they are most certainly remembered and recorded by our God?
Do you know that you are a hero? Better than any superhero to me.
Do you that you are the most special man I have ever met and I am blessed by the love and gentleness you have always shown me and your family?
Do you know how much you are respected by so many people because of the little and big things you did every day?

Grandma. Do you know that the work you have done all your life matters?
Do you know that the work you do now is not unnoticed?
The work you do now is great and meaningful and worth far more than you will ever know.
Press on, weary soul, it is not in vain.
Do you know that you are the joy of my heart? My friend, my prayer warrior, my highest goal of the woman I want to be? Do you know you are appreciated and loved beyond belief?
Do you know that your tender touches, your gentle guidence, your sacrifices and everything you do has always meant the world to me and has helped shape and define my life?

Both of you- Do you know that all you have done and all you do will be rewarded? There is a special crown in heaven for you for the life you've lived.
God sees all you've done. And it has all been for His glory.
Your lives and the love you have for each other and those around you IS the living example to me of 1 Corinthians 13. You do all with love.
And you are loved for it.

 

 

 

Thank you, God, for these special treasures, priceless jewels, in my life.

What Love Looks Like

Come Grow Old With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be!
True Love Never Ends

Vince brought home a Sunday School handout a few months ago that I just by chance ran across.
It was an explanation and practical living guide on 1 Corithians 13 for our marriages and family.
I read it and decided I needed to keep it where I could see it.
So I took it.
The words convicted me to the core. I cringed and groaned and "ouched" my way through it and thought about how often I fall oh so short of displaying that type of love to my husband.
I have it written in the back of my Bible now and it has been a source of encouragement and challenge to me ever since.
Encouragement because this love isn't just how we are to love others, it's an example of how Christ loves us.
Challenging because love like this doesn't come easy.

In today's world, in today's marriages...in our homes, in our community, in our churches...this type of love is a high standard not often thought of, let alone aimed for, and far to rarely achieved and practiced.
Love is such a flighty concept in our culture. Shallow. Empty. And all together to easily thrown away.
How many people around us even know what real, true love is?


True love grows with the years.

Far too often, I think it is sought for, thought to be found but left out in the cold when it gets hard. Thus, true love is never obtained. And so the search for it goes on.
What a tragic tale of a society who has left true love behind because it gets hard- finding temporary passions and emotions a sufficient substitute for a short time, no matter how cheap it is, because it just seems like less work.
Love, in it's true form is never shallow, empty and discarded.
It is deep, full and never ending. Committed, faithful and strong.
But yes, it takes work.


1 Corinthians 13- the love chapter- is the true love test.
It calls to the heart to love deeper than it could go on its own.
Honestly, we can only achieve this love through the help of the very One who created love and also commanded this kind of love in the hearts of His believers. He sets a high goal for us and only He can help us reach it.
A love that is portrayed in this manner can only be lived out from a heart that has Christ at its center. If Christ is not King there, these love qualities cannot exist within.

It is not in our human capacity to be characterized by a love like this.
It is a love that goes against every fiber of our natural flesh.

It is completely contrary to the world's viewpoint. It is totally opposite of fleshly thinking.
Those who live by the flesh do not and cannot understand it. They may even resist and mock it, it being so contrary to their heart and mindset. The world just simply doesn't get it.

But for the believer- we are called to more, commanded to be more.
We are to love like Christ. Live the love out like Christ.
His love for us demands that we exemplify His love to others.
We are to let our lives be shaped by it, our attitudes be changed by it, our actions characterized by it, our thoughts purified by it, our words tamed by it, our hearts purified because of it.

The following is the article I stole borrowed from Vince.
I have no idea who wrote it (I'm guessing our pastor?) or where it originated from but it's good stuff.



How To Have A Good Marriage Based On 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Love...
Suffers long  Patient, over and over again, no matter how many times they offend or mess up
Kind  merciful, considerate, extends kindness even when it is not deserved
Does not envy Doesn't get jealous "You always get your way" "You always get what you want"
 "We always do what you want to do" "What about me?"
Does not parade itself  not boastful Doesn't say "I told you so"
Not puffed up  Not arrogant or prideful, doesn't think one should be above another or is better than the other
Not rude  unbecoming, doesn't ignore, interrupt, devalue or easily pass off what the other says as unimportant
Does not seek it's own  self centered, insists on your own way "My way is best, do it my way!"
Not easily provoked  angered easily, irritable, never seeks to intentionally hurt. No temper flares when wronged or when disagreed with or annoyed.
Does not think evil  Keeps no record of wrongs, doesn't bring up the past.
"You did this.." "You always..."
Never thinks the worst of the other person.
Does not rejoice in iniquity  Doesn't get happy when the other person does something wrong so you can point a finger and say "You do it too!"
Rejoices in the truth  Takes pleasure in good, encourages each other in righteousness. Always promotes good in your own life and in the life of the other individual.
Bears all things  patiently endures all wrong committed against them. Doesn't try to get even.
Believes all things  Has faith and trust in the other person.
"I believe you can be all God wants you to be and I will help you get there" "I believe our marriage will be better."
Hopes all things  An expectant hope. Expects good will come. Expects good in the other person. Expects good in the marriage. Expects God to work.
"As I become what God wants me to be in our marriage, He will bless our home."
Endures all things  Puts up with all things. Big and small annoyances.
Remains steadfast. Will never leave.
Love them no matter what they do or how they act, because no matter what you do, Christ always loves you.
Side note: Sadly, because of the world we live in, I have to add this. Certainly in the case of physical abuse, it is wise to seek protection and council. That is an entirely different set of circumstances.
Never fails  Never quits. Never gives up on the other.
"I will always love you."
"I will always love God."


For further reading that goes along with this in some ways, read this article. Full of great advice on how to have a more loving marriage.




Still havin' fun living life together.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

A Great Big Love

See what great love the Father has lavished on us...
1 John 3:1

...in me he takes delight.  Psalms 18:19

He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

 ...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

...abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 
Psalms 86:15

[Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:39

This Valentine's Day, while celebrating the love God has blessed Vincent and I with, I am also focusing my attention on God's love for me. And His love for all those who have believed upon His name and have come into a relationship with Him. A loving, intimate, life-changing, all-consuming, loving way-down deep in your soul kind of love relationship.
In reading what the Bible tells me about God's love for me I can only sit in awe.
Why would such a holy God love me so much? Why would a perfect God love someone so imperfect?

Because it is His charachter. Because it is His heart. Because He chooses to.
Scripture says that God IS love. He is the source of it. The spring from which it flows. The highest example of it. The very reason it exisits. The very reason we can love others.
It is the only perfect, unconditional, unswerving, faithful to all eternity-love.
And it's aimed at me. At you.

The God of all eternity. The King of all Kings, Ruler of all.
The God who is all-seeing, all-knowing.
He has seen and known me, in the places of my heart where no one else sees- the good, the bad and the very ugly- and  He love me.
He has seen my very best and known my very worst-
and He has chosen to LOVE me.

Not just in a quiet way but...

*He lavished (an extravagent bestowing) love on me. Extravagant love.
*He delights (with great joy) in me. With heartfelt pleasure.
*He rejoics over me with gladness and singing. When He looks at me it makes His heart sing.
*He loved me so much He died for me. While I was at the most unworthy of that love.
*He abounds (fully suppliled, to the fullest amount) in steadfast (fixed, unchanging, steady, firm) love. For me.
*Nothing can tear us apart. Nothing can make Him stop loving me. Nothing.

That's the love of my God for little ole undeserving me.
That's the love of God for all of His undeserving people.

Every day, at your greatest moment.
And every minute of your life, even at your lowest point,
At your best and at your worst-
GOD LOVES YOU!
Completley, Amazingly, Boundlessly, Extravagently, Unfailingly, Joyfully.
Without exception.

In the moments you are doing great things for Him and in the mundane, everyday tasks.
The moments of glory and the times you are down in the trenches, struggling, fighting, hurting, doing the hard stuff.
Wherever you are, whatever you are doing
that task is made lighter with the perspective that at that moment,
God is looking at you with love and delight shining from His eyes.

Because of that love we, as His children, are guarenteed
Help
Hope
Peace
Comfort
Strength
Refuge
Forgiveness
Wholeness
Joy
Abundant life
His righteousness
Grace
Protection
Care
Freedom
Significance
Adoption into His Kingdom as a child of God
An eternity with Him

And so much more!

Thank you, Lord, for your love!


On such love, my soul still ponder,
Love so rich, so great, so free;
Say, while lost in holy wonder,
“Why, O Lord, such love to me?”~ Kent

***
The Love of God, how rich and strong,
Forever faithful-eternity long.
It will not falter, it will not fail,
Sent Son to die and save from hell.
What a loving Father, what a friend,
That loves a man in darkness of sin. ~ ?


Click on the link below to hear
A Little More of God's Love

A Loved Little Girl

 

This is a picture from yesterday. Just a random moment in the day.

She wanted me to take her picture

So, of course, I did.

 

Sometimes I look at a picture of her and I think,

"She's getting so big."

Where does the time go?

 

As she grows, I teach her many things.

But above all- I want her to KNOW.

That she is loved.

 

Little girl, you are so loved.

May you always know that.

Not just loved by Mommy and Daddy.

Not just loved by your family and friends.

(And you are LOVED SO MUCH by us.)

 

But, please Precious One,

may you always know

that you are LOVED SO MUCH

by Jesus.

 

Remember this truth all your life.

It will shape you

and make you live life differently

than those around you who don't know this truth.

Learn this truth, be changed by this truth.

Live your life in the knowledge and comfort and

influence of the fact...

 

YOU ARE LOVED

 

And because you are loved- by the King of the Universe-

you can confidently and boldly

proclaim-

 

I saw this picture on Facebook.

It is my prayer

that Lydia will understand

and believe this for her life.

 

That she will live in the light of the truth of these words.

 

Because of His love this is true.

Because of His love

it is true for her.

Always.

No matter what.

 

@ Church

Lydia and her Sunday School teacher.

 

Failure Isn't Final

When I was growing up I had sort of a "God's gonna get me" perspective on things.
I thought that if I sinned, I would be forgiven but I would certainly reap some bad stuff because I had done bad stuff.
If I had done something bad I would lay in bed thinking about all the bad things that could happen to me because of what I'd done.
I was basically waiting for God to squish me like a bug.
And really, that's what I deserved. What we all deserve.
We deserve nothing less than severe punishment because we are all sinners.
The Bible says that sin must be punished. Even "little" sin, as we so categorize it.
Next to a holy God all sin is an affront to His holiness. All sin is worthy of death when brought before a righteous and perfect judge.
And God, as Judge must lay done a sentence. He must require something to clear our record.
Adequate payment must be made for sin. And we can't pay it.
But Christ can. And He did.
He chose to take the punishment we deserved and pay the debt on our account.
He chose to give us His righteousness and take our sin so we could be seen as righteous before the Judge and we wouldn't experience the punishment, or squishing if you will, that we deserve.
We don't have to be punished because Christ was punished in our place.

There are ample examples in the Bible of the fact that God doesn't just want to "squish" us when we mess up and thinking that way can only come from a very misunderstood view of God and His grace.
When we fall, He readily and lovingly forgives.
"Squishing" us would be against the work He did on the cross and would defeat His overall work and purpose in our lives.
He takes the mess-ups and uses them to show us more of His grace and mercy so that we may better know Him and love Him and praise Him.
And then He begins again- molding and reshaping us to become more Christ-like, more holy.
For our good and for His glory.
We deserve to be "squished" but Christ wants far more from us than to give us what we deserve.
That's what He went to the cross for.

Failures may happen. In a moment, at a weak point. We may slip.
When they do- confess it, forsake it and move on.
When you fall- take the hand extended to help you back up, stand and continue on your way with Christ. The One who bore your sin so you could stand again.
The One who took your punishment so you could be forgiven and free from the sentence of death.

When you understand this, you begin to understand the true love of Christ, the richness of His grace, the fullness of His mercy, the completeness of His forgiveness.
And in understanding this, How can you not but go on from the place He picked you up and do mighty things for the One who has extended so much to you?
How can you not go on from there to serve Him with your whole heart in His Kingdom?
The Kingdom He created.
The Kingdom He rules.
The Kingdom He has given to you to share with Him.
The Kingdom made up of countless others who have failed- only to come face to face with His full and free forgiveness.

Paul found that forgiveness after a life of sin and spent the rest of his life proclaiming Christ to the world so they would find that forgiveness too.
Peter found that forgiveness after grave denial and went on to found the church.
David found that forgiveness after a huge mess up and became a man after God's own heart.

Praise the Lord life doesn't end when we are weak and fallen.
Praise God failure isn't final, because our flesh is prone to much faltering.
But in Christ-because of what He has done- there is more than just an escape from getting "squished".
The path from failure can lead to greater faithfulness and service, onward to become who God wants you to be, fulfilling His purposes in you. IF we accept the forgiveness He offers and choose to press on.
Failure can be but a stepping stone to a greater and higher calling in your life.
IF you let it go, leave it on the wayside and let God use it to refine you and reshape you to better become the instrument He desires you to be for His service.

He is faithful to forgive.
He is faithful to keep us from being "squished".
He is faithful in taking our mistakes and making miracles.
The definition of grace is receiving what we don't deserve. Our freedom from punishment.
Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve. Death.
Great is the Lord in both grace and mercy. Exceedingly, abundantly.

And it's for us. Each time we fail.

It is that grace that makes us stand when we have fallen.
Stand, not on wobbly legs, fearful of the consequences, but a confident, firm planting of the feet on the solid ground of His love.

One final thought from our pastor:
Grace is bigger than we can comprehend.
We can stand completely justified and completely righteous before a Holy King and Judge of all eternity only because of grace.

Have you thanked Him today for that grace?

What God Has Made

It's snowing.
Again.
And again. And again.

It's February. I guess I should expect that.

But still, I see the forecast, I look at the gray sky... and groan.

Enough already I say.

There has been snow on the ground for longer than I like lately. And just when it melts away, new snow comes. Like I said, I live in Michigan. I should expect this.
But I struggle.

I think snow is beautiful. There is, in fact, an almost serene and calm that settles over the world as the fluffy flakes fall silently to the earth in an erratic pattern, almost dancing as they make their way from the clouds to the cold ground.
It makes the world seem clean, covering imperfections and the deadness that winter brings. It even makes the world sparkle a little bit.

But in spite of that I struggle.

Because snow is only pretty for a while. Then it gets dirty and messed up and it doesn't sparkle anymore.
Snow makes it hard to get around as easily. Snow keeps me in the house more.
You have to bundle up to go even to the mailbox.
Coats, hats, gloves, boots.

It's all good for awhile. Until February.
And about this time every year I just reach the point where I am done, done, DONE with winter.
It's also usually the time we get the most snow.

So yesterday I look outside and the flakes are swirling and whirling in their quiet, slow but steady dance.
And I say, "I am so tired of this. I don't want anymore snow".

And then. In the quiet recesses of my mind a thought occurs to me.
God made this snow. He made it fall in my town. He knows what it's doing outside- He did it!

So I shouldn't complain.

He directs the snow to fall on the earth
    and tells the rain to pour down.  Job 37:6 NLT

That being the case, what right do I have to complain when He chooses to direct the snow to my back porch?
What makes me think I should get my way and have no more snow when God desires that the snow fall?

So, no more complaining about the snow.
I've caught myself so many times.
That complaining spirit about snow is down deep-deeper than the snow in my yard.

But what does complaining about something say? It says, "I don't trust God to be doing a good thing." If we thought it was good we wouldn't complain.
Complaining communicates that what we want is more important to us than what God deems right.
In other words, we get whiny.
We, as mere flesh, too easily find fault with the way God chooses to do things. That's really the heart of complaining, isn't it? We focus on our discomfort. We focus on our desires not being met. We focus on what we wish were the case, how we think it should be.
We don't focus on the Divine.
How much less complaining would be done if our perspective on our circumstances were different?

This isn't just the case with the big things. I think we are just as apt, if not more so, to complain about the minor inconveniences, the small stuff, the little things, than the big things. Things that mess with our day. Things that interrupt our plans. Things that irritate. Slow us down. Wreck our schedule.
Things like too much snow.

Boy, those things can irk.

But what if God has so chosen some of those things? What if God has designed a certain path for you that you may not find the most comfortable?

Therein lies the choice. Complaining or Contentment.
Our trust in God's goodness and wisdom- where we set our focus in a situation, these will determine which choice we make. In blizzards and flurries alike.
Will we see the sparkly, pure beauty of the moment and experience peace?
Or will we see the slushy, dirty snow, feel the cold and miss the beauty of what God has made, what He has done entirely?

Tomorrow then, I will look out my window, see what God has made and I will say..."it is good."
And I'll mean it.

Lydia watching the snow.

 

Staying Warm

 

This is how many layers of blankets are on my bed.

Not including the fact that I am also wearing sweatpants, sweatshirt, gloves

and fuzzy socks.

 

The layer breakdown is

Sheet

Blue microfiber blanket

Heavy quilt that my great grandma Ebel made for my dad as a graduation present in the 60's (?)

Normal comforter

Quilt

The plushest, softest, most amazingly thick and fluffy purple blanket EVER

Poofy down blanket my mom bought me.

 

And sadly I still get cold.

 

Oh, summer, please come soon!!!!!

 

:)

Preparing For Purity

(continued from previous post)

One big reason all this bothers me, admittedly more than it used to, is that those seeds aren't just getting planted in my head but my husbands head and yes, my precious, innocent daughter's head.
Especially since Little Miss is very observant, smart and aware of things in her world.
 That one stops me in my tracks, folks.
My daughter. Whose 3. Has already seen those ads, those billboards, and as she gets older and exposed to more and more (no matter how much I try not to let that happen) it's gonna start planting some seeds. Again, Satan is good at what he does.
The breaking down or downright taking away of innocence starts early.
And Satan goes about his work.

So, as a parent, even of a 3 year old
I start cultivating her heart. Preparing to fill her heart with good things.
Pulling out whatever seeds I see that could possibly take root.
Trying to keep her FAR AWAY from seed planters.

But I can't always do that.

So I pray. And I prune. And I prepare the soil of her heart for purity.

I use the moments when she does see or hear something to point out the wrong and then to guide her to truth. To take out the bad and replace it with good.
BECAUSE I won't always be there to guard her heart. BECAUSE I won't always be there to shield her or redirect her or tell her it's wrong. She needs to know it and believe it for herself. She needs to know how to keep those things away from her heart so that her life will bear good fruit and not bad.

Hard to do when sex permeates are world.

But a task we as parents must be about.

Because my little girls heart, her life and her very soul is at stake.

My God-given responsibility is to guard her and teach her and train her right.
To lay before her the path to purity and pray that she may chose it and walk into the role of beautiful girlhood and womanhood that God has designed for her so that she may one day present herself to her future husband and to her God, pure and lovely and undefiled.

Purity needs to be not just the goal, but the standard of her life. Of my life.

It just down right irks me that there are so many obstacles that stand in the way.
So many distractions toward that pursuit.
So many worldly voices that would call her to fleeting pleasures.

But with that irkedness (like that word?) comes a stronger determination to do all I can to plant good, leave as little room for bad as possible, rip out what seeds and weeds I can and as she grows, to teach her how to protect her heart from allowing bad sprouts to shoot up and grow.



So, why a post on this subject? 
Simple answer.
Too many signs, advertisements and things heard on the radio in stores. Too much of saying to myself "I hope Lydia didn't see that, hear that or understand that".
I hate that I have to think that. It makes me cringe. It makes me mad. It makes me hurt.

Because I want GOOD for Lydia. God's good.
Not the worlds idea of fun, pleasure and what's cool. I want so much more for her than trifle's the world would set before her that are great for a little while but the end "leads to destruction".

I want LIFE for her. I want PEACE for her. I want the JOY of a pure heart for her.

You don't get that with sin.

And yes, it does all start in little tiny ways. Little things that entice us. Little things that pull us and draw us and call us away from the true path.
Big sin doesn't usually start out big. It just gets that way.

Here's to praying more fervently that God will give all of us parents wisdom on how to start early, protecting, guiding and pursuing a lifetime of purity for the precious little hearts God has entrusted to us.

Will Someone Get Me A Ladder?

Please excuse me while I get myself up on a very tall soapbox.
I must vent.

I am so very sick and tired of.....

sex.

Yes, you heard me. Sex. No gasping, please. Just hear me out.

I am sick and tired of the world shoving it in my face, and my families face for that matter, every where we go, or so it seems.

I want to wash the worlds mouth out with a big ol' piece of soap. A good cleaning is definitely needed here.

Here's my deal.
Sex is beautiful. Sex is good. Sex is right...in it's place.
May I just say, advertisement pictures, radio and tv, billboards and all other forms of media ARE NOT THE PLACE. Period. No exception.

The problem with it is that you can't help but see it. You can't help but hear about it. You can't help but deal with it in some form or another anywhere you go.
"Sex sells. It gets peoples attention. That's what the people want."  Or that's what they say.
And we are buying into it. Even as Christians we are slowly and very surly being desensitized to it. We don't even blink when we see the half naked woman plastered bigger than life (in more ways than one) all over ads and storefronts. We don't even pause when we hear sex talked about in a vulgar and crude way. We just absorb it and move on. Dare I say, we may even join in the fun sometimes?

Is that okay?

I say no. Because it is an offense to the original creation and design of what sex is supposed to be.
It has to offend the Creator. And anything that offends the Creator should offend us.

Satan is very good at what he does. And He's sure done a lot with sex.
He took something created beautifully and rightly and twisted it to fit his own devices. I read once that Satan can not create, he can only take what God has created and twist and pervert it. Ain't that sure the case here.
In the eyes of the world, and even in the Christian community, sex has become not only socially acceptable out of it's original context but promoted to the level that you are the strange one if you don't sleep around, talk about it, joke about it, watch it, or condone it.

Where has that view of sex gotten us? Broken lives, broken homes, broken relationships, broken hearts. Broken.
Beaten down in spirit and soul.
Because of sin.
The sin of sex outside of it's intent, offending the creator by going outside the bounds of what He created. And outside of those boundaries, brokenness...and death.

So yeah, I do pause when I see it and hear it and get bombarded with it.
Because a little here, a little there and into the heart it goes. And there it grows. And then it comes out in us. And there you have sin. Started by the little seeds planted at your local town mall.

Radical you say? Yep. Taking things too far? Nope
Look at Christ. He made no room for sin. He hated sin. Sin took Him to the cross.
Part of that was sexual sin.
Sin that starts as a tiny seed that if allowed to take root will bear fruit, from inside your heart, into your life.

Best then to just not let that seed stay there for long.

Okay, I'm going to get down off my box but I have more to say...so...there will be a part two.
I may need that ladder again.