Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Expert Level Love
Well, I got over my bout with Covid and served out my sentence in solitary confinement. It was really like a bad head cold with fever, but I’m feeling back to normal now and have had a busy couple of weeks since then. Davis and I had a quiet Valentine’s Day celebration. Probably not our best Valentine effort in our 33 year history, but it was a hectic day. We picked up takeout and ate it right out of the plastic containers it came in while Ruby begged under the table. We chased it with some of the chocolate we’d exchanged earlier in the day. It was really all I wanted to do. Our anniversary is next week, so we’re going to step it up a notch (or 3) for that.
I hope you all celebrated love yesterday. Whether it was romantic, friendship, family- there are a lot of places we can celebrate the existence of amore. Valentine’s Day has a lot of naysayers, but I’ll support any day that puts us in a spirit of expressing our love for each other. Valentine’s Day is kind of like Christmas- the two days of the year when the world seems a bit kinder and a little more outwardly focused. Goodness knows we could use more days like that.
It’s easy to love the people in our circle. It’s easy for me to love Davis. He’s a gentle soul and loves me with everything he has. It’s no problem to love my kids. They love their Mama and have grown up to be such loving and thoughtful adults. I don’t have any trouble loving my mother and brothers. Nobody goes back as far in my life as they do and I know they love me with all their hearts. My friends are all easy to love. Friends are ours to choose and I have some really good picks. No doubt that I could call them in need and they’d come running. My church family. My extended family. Loving them is never a problem, because they’re wonderful and caring people. When I love all those people, it’s a natural response because of the love I’ve received from them. That’s the easy kind of love Jesus says even the worst people have no problem showing.
There are things the Bible tells us that love is not. It’s not envious. Not proud. It is not arrogant or rude. Doesn’t insist on its own way. Not easily angered. Doesn’t keep a record of wrongdoing. It doesn’t delight in evil. It does no harm to a neighbor. Wow. Is there a more accurate description of the time we’re living in than the Bible’s list of what love isn’t? Arrogant, rude, proud, angry, insisting on it own way, keeping track of wrongs, celebrating evil, harming others. That’s our world in a nutshell and that’s where showing love can get tricky.
The world has always been dark with hate, love’s antithesis. That’s nothing new. It’s just manifested itself in different ways in different times in history. One of the trademarks of this time we’re living in may be the way social media and technology have emphasized our differences, separated us, and emboldened our hostilities toward each other. As Christians, we’re called to be a stark and welcomed contrast to the darkness of hate. To be kind in the attack of rudeness. Patient in the swirl of anger. A voice of truth in the chaos of evil. To build up when others are tearing down. Those are the times when it’s hardest to love. When it’s not our first reaction. When it goes against our natural feelings. But, when it’s hardest is when love is most beautiful. Most like Jesus. Turning the other cheek. Going the second mile. Doing good to those who hurt us. Praying for enemies. That’s not usually my gut reaction. No, that’s not ever my gut reaction. But, it’s some of the hard stuff we’re expected to do that makes us different from the rest. If we can show that kind of love, we are loving like He loves all of us and I’ve got some work to do on that.
Last week was the 9th birthday of Motherhood and Muffin Tops. At the beginning of this, I had two kids living at home- a middle schooler and a freshman in college. I was still cooking big suppers every night and filling out permission slips for school. I was 45 and had a lot more estrogen. We have a different dog than we did then. I was working and Davis hadn’t retired yet. Both of my in-laws were still living. A lot of changes can happen during a relatively short time. I just have to look back at pictures and posts from the early years to see what a little time can do. Not just to our appearances but to our situations in life. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve grasped just how fast this life thing goes. We’re always waiting for this or that to happen before we start (fill in the blank.) Well, I say we all best get on with our living and our loving. I hope you’ll hobble along with me and my menopausal brain into year 10. Who knows where it might take us, but we’ll certainly try to have fun along the way.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for 9 wonderful years. You have blessed my life.
Much love,
JONI
One more thing- for some reason, I’m having trouble replying to comments left on the blog. Just know that I read them all and hope to get that issue fixed soon!
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I’m more of a stalker than a commenter, but I just want to let you know that you have blessed me as well. Your blog is such a bright spot. It’s always a good day when it shows up in my email. Looking forward to another year.
ReplyDeleteHappy 9 years! As a Mississippi girl now residing in Virginia, I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts and can most always relate to them well. Thanks for letting me come along on your journey - it's been delightful and I hope it continues many more years!
ReplyDeleteI’ve enjoyed your writing for such a long time! Thank you for the love and laughter you bring to the world!
ReplyDeleteI love your posts! Glad your better, and happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteDeanna Rabe