I have spent a lifetime so far having a misconception of the word LOVE. I have learned that it is super important to tell those you love that you love them. As one of my best friends goes through one of the roughest birthdays ever after having lost her mom to the same type of cancer that took my step-dad, I am telling her repeatedly that I love her. I don't want her to look around and think no one is there. I want her to know I am here, every step of the way, as much as I possibly can be. I got to hold her as she cried the other day and tell her then that I loved her and that God knows her pain and HE loves her too!
I cannot say for sure what has led to me having a better understanding of love. In fact, I don't think it could be pinpointed as just one or just a few things. It's the entirety of my life and my experiences that have brought me to this point. It is realizing that life is short and we need to make sure our loved ones know that they are loved. I am reading a book by Mary Beth Chapman called Choosing to SEE. For those who don't know who that is, she is Steven Curtis Chapman's wife and the mother to little Maria Chapman that died tragically in May 2008. It is a blessing to read and a reminder that even those we look at and think have all the time in the world (because they're so young) may not even have tomorrow.
Then I look at why I should love. The answer is simple, yet sometimes difficult to live out to others...because God loved me first. I look at the things that God has forgiven and say, "Wow, I've been forgiven of a lot." That helps me to forgive others and when I am forgiving of others, it is easier for me to love them. If I am going to hold bitterness in my heart, then it is going to be hard to love anyone. So, now, at nearly 30 years old, I am finally learning to love. Thank you Pastor Tom and the members of OHBC for showing me the love of God and teaching me to love others.
