Everyday Kind of Love

I have been visiting the old home place, building memories with my nephews and nieces, and one day a simple scene unfolded. 

6:30 dinner time; three pairs of bare feet sitting around the table; dirt stained faces; semi washed hands by youthful attempts; Jack's head on my left arm resting from a long day of play; Bear on my right trying to conquer a mountainous triangle of watermelon; laughter all around pertaining to growing watermelon out of ears from the seeds.  I was reminded:

This is love. 

Love is found in the simple. 
Love is taking time to be. 

In the new testament it says that God is love and that "no one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (I John 4:12) I have always respected the man who wrote the first and second letters of John. His grasp on what love means and how to apply that love in action, leaves me with a desire live a life worthy of intentional love. 

God has many names and I think one of my favorites is Emanuel: God with us. By the simple act of love, we convey a message that people are worthy, desired, heard, important... and that, for me, is one of the biggest ways I see Emanuel. 

I want to love and love well. Do I succeed every time? Of course not. But perfection isn't my goal. I want my nephews and nieces to know that people are messy, life can be hard, but love can be simple --  love can be everyday. 

We are: Loved and Loving

Pursue Joy.

This morning I woke up and looked at my phone and continued on to social media.

It's a normal thing for people to do now days but by the time  I got out of bed and sat down with my Bible and journal, my mind was so full of political memes and comments, adorable puppies, wipe out videos, and friends thoughts that I was struggling to focus on what I was writing to God.

What do we put first in our lives?
Who do we place value on?
How do we show it?

Just some questions I started pondering as I made breakfast.

Go be intentional.

.Response.

My sister read my last blog and emailed me a response.

It helped to hear truth but it's also hard to receive it. 

Anyway. 

Here it is. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

I feel like that, too

Sometimes.

Truth is,

we are all

Too Much

for ourselves,

for one another,

but not for Love.

We are not too much for Love.

Love bears all things.

I wish I could be

Too Much Love

but I will just keep trying 

my best

to give

what I have

to Love

and let that be enough.

Because God never says,

"You are too much." 

Instead, God says,

"My child,

you are enough."

Enough to love.

Enough to enjoy.

Enough to appreciate.

Enough to celebrate.

Enough to sing over.

Enough to pray for.

Enough to hold on with.

Enough to stay for.