Love. That was the word that was the theme of my weekend. It should be theme of everyday of my life but for some reason, this weekend, the word Love was in everything I thought, everything I heard and hopefully everything I lived.
It all started this weekend when Mallory and I were sitting in the living room and she got up, looked at me and said "I Love You, Momma." Be still my heart. I love it when she she says she loves me after I say I love her but this time, it was on her own. She didn't repeat it after me, this was the first unassisted "I Love You." It was a great moment!
Sunday morning, our pastor preached on Love from 1 John. He said: Loving one another is an essential mark of a true believer. As John wrote the book of 1 John, John still remembered these of words of Jesus from John 13 (when Jesus washed His disciples feet.) about loving one another. John 13:34 says "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." It's easy to love the lovable but we are to love the unlovable, also. I've been church long enough to have heard and read that verse many times but today, it was like I had heard it for the first time. Do people see love in me? Not only in my words but in my actions? Am I sharing about the most amazing love - the love our God? I would love to say Yes to all these questions everyday but I know many days, my humanness takes over and I let frustration and anger become my main emotions. I've held grudges and that hurt nobody else except myself. Jesus was us a perfect example of love. He held no grudges and He loved those who needed someone to love them. How many people out there just need someone to love them and give them a chance? We all make mistakes - let's love and encourage one another.
I know this sounds funny but I was also thinking about love this weekend as it relates to potty training. Yes, Mallory got to pick out some princess panties and we started (again) on the adventure of potty training. She has done really well this time. I'm just hoping it sticks but at least we've got a good start. She did really well Friday night but Saturday she had a couple of accidents. I was trying not to get frustrated but I would ask her why didn't she just tell me when she needed to potty? Of course she can't explain why she didn't tell me but I wanted her to know to tell me ( for the 1,000th time ) when she had to go.
And then, Saturday afternoon, I thought, through potty training, this is how God sees us. When we do what we are called to do and what God has planned for us, He celebrates with us in our success but many times, we mess up and don't do what God has shown us what we should do. Even though we know exactly what we should do, where to go, we purposefully don't and end up in a mess of our own. And when I would get frustrated with Mallory when she wouldn't go to the potty after many times she had gone, it doesn't mean I stopped loving her, I just wish she had made a better choice. Thankfully, our God still loves us when make a mess. I'm thankful for His Love!
I'm loved and I love. I need to be more earnest in telling the people that I love...that I love them! I know I tell these two everyday how much I love them but I want to make sure they see it - that I'm showing it through my actions.
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I need to show my love to my family, friends, co-workers, etc...and that is my prayer. I know I'm human and will make mistakes but if God is for us, than who can be against us?
Love. For God so Loved the World that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
3 comments:
Aw, it is the BEST when your child tells you they love you all on their own. Eva has only said it one time by herself and my heart melted. As for potty training, when I was trying with Eva the first time she started off doing good and then start having more and more accidents. It was frustrating because I knew she had done it before. Then I read some good information that talked about how little kids want to be able to have control so even if it's something that seems gross (pottying in their panties) at least they are controlling it. Their little minds know somehow that you can't actually make them use the potty. That and they are still just tiny people learning a big skill :) Anyway, hope that is helpful and I really hope that Mallory learns to love the potty soon! I figure we will look into tackling potty training when the weather gets warmer so Eva doesn't have to wear as much clothes are around the house.
PS Obviously I'm not the potty training expert since our first try wasn't so successful.....
Love this post, Amanda. And love you!
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