A Whole Lot of Love

I was talking with a good friend a couple days ago about her aunt and uncle whom we both know and love. They are really quite amazing people. I met them last year when they came to visit us overseas with a team of volunteers. We loved having them and their team. They were so helpful and full of joy.

Anyway, my friend and I were talking about how they have amazing children who love one another and are just great (I could go on and on about them). They live in a small house, never having much and constantly give to others. My friend asked them what the "secret" was to having such great children. Her aunt simply said " a whole lot of love, a whole lot of love".

Its one of those answers you know, the kind where you're like "great thanks for that. I figured you loved your kids, but tell me the 12 step plan to having wonderful children". I want it easy. Do A, and B will follow.

But ever since I've heard that I've been thinking about what it means when she says a "whole lot of love". What does that look like? How can I do that? The Bible says that "love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, humble, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong, rejoices with the truth, protecting, trusting, hopeful, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Right we've heard that all before, and we're suppose to love people. Great, but...am I honestly doing that with my children? Is that my approach to parenting? As I look back over my days, am I patient? kind? humble? easily angered? Am I living a life of love as an example to my children? What about in my relationship with Joey? Or my general attitude about things going on in life? Am I hopefully?

Studying this out there is so much here. God is love, he is our example. So I need to be like him. But He is not just love he is also justice and truth. He is not wishy washy, he does not change, he is consistent. He is patient and yet there is a line. He gives grace and also has a standard. He gives a way out when we are tempted, but does not tolerate sin. Love is all of these things also.

Ultimately the more I think about this, the more I know its what I want. To live a life with a "whole lot of love". To raise my children in a way that they can look back and say there was a "whole lot of love". To be like Jesus in every area, every relationship, ever moment of every day. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go. It would be easy to say I can't do it. But I guess kinda like the running thing. I can take it a minute at a time. Eventually (hopefully before all my kids have their own children), with God's help I'll be able to go the whole day with a "whole lot of love".

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:12-14


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21