For the next two weeks we're babysitting my brother (10) and sister (8) so my parents can go on an overseas vacation (a dream-trip for my mom). I'm excited about having David and Melissa and the bonding times we'll surely share. They are good kids. In fact, they were both dressed and had their beds neatly made this morning before I even got up! But I know that there will be challenges, too, because of typical sibling rivalry. And then, in addition to spending time with and caring for my siblings, I'll be caring for my six week old baby. And, on top of that, I'm starting work this week again. Yesterday I took Meredith into the office for a staff meeting and then came home and wrote a fundraising letter for my boss. I have several other projects with deadlines this week too.
Didn't someone once say: "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Monday, August 22, 2005
The milk is now sour ... the horse has been beaten to death ... how many other ways can I say this?
Okay, this post is directed to two of my loyal fans. (You know who you are.)
While I'm extremely flattered that you, who bill your time very handsomely by the hour, read my blog on a regular basis ...
THE HOME SCHOOL JOKES AND JABS ARE GETTING OLD.
Very sincerely,
AJK
While I'm extremely flattered that you, who bill your time very handsomely by the hour, read my blog on a regular basis ...
THE HOME SCHOOL JOKES AND JABS ARE GETTING OLD.
Very sincerely,
AJK
Saturday, August 20, 2005
BabyWise
I definitely stand by my assertion that BabyWise is a wonderful program. But, like everything else in life, you have to use it with your mind engaged. There will be times when you deviate from the “norm” of the BabyWise routine. In fact, BabyWise explicitly states that in its pages. If you are a person who is not capable of using your brain, then I can definitely understand how you could get in trouble trying to follow ANY explicitly laid-out formula.
I believe there are basically two things you “have to do” in order to follow the BabyWise plan and the rest is negotiable. First, don’t let your baby snack all the time – make sure s/he gets a good full meal and then has a break before the next meal. Sometimes, when your baby goes through a growth spurt, the meals will be more frequent (i.e., two hours instead of three). And, guess what (?), Ezzo says that in his book. This seems to be a commonsense approach – it helps to regulate baby’s metabolism and establish healthy eating habits for later on. Plus, it allows baby to get the hind-milk which is richer in nutrients.
One more note on this – healthy babies shouldn’t be hungry less than two hours from the last feeding if they are getting “full meals.” My opinion is that moms who demand-feed tend to offer the breast a lot more frequently when their baby cries and this is often not the solution the baby needs. I feel like BabyWise has given me the confidence to stop and think about WHY my baby might be crying without simply offering the breast as a soothing device each time she starts to cry. Thus, I think that BabyWise has helped me to better meet the needs of my child. Also, it’s made Kevin and I a better “team” in problem-solving to help our baby. He has taken a proactive role in helping me to figure out what’s wrong when otherwise it would be easy for me to offer the breast each time (if I were demand-feeding) and leave him out of the loop.
The second principle of “Basic BabyWise” is to make sure your baby has an “awake time,” after each daytime feeding, before taking his/her nap. This allows baby to learn to fall asleep on his/her own without getting used to always falling asleep on the breast or being rocked to sleep. Again, I think this is commonsense. It also allows for your baby to be awake when s/he has a full belly and is more content. And, apparently, it helps baby to learn to sleep through the night when s/he is put straight to bed with no awake time. (Meredith’s sleeping five hours at night right now … still waiting for the day when it’s eight!)
That’s BabyWise in a nutshell.
As far as holding and cuddling with your baby, I just don’t understand how people can allege that Ezzo is “against” holding and cuddling with infants. Meredith and I have a lot of cuddle and play time throughout the day when she is having her “awake time.” Yes, there are many times when I rock her to sleep or even take a nap with her. But, that’s not the normal routine so that it becomes a pattern that she expects and is hard to break later on. Tracy Hogg (author of the excellent book, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, which echoes many of Ezzo’s BabyWise philosophies – she calls it “E.A.S.Y.,” Eat/Awake/Sleep/You) states: “Start as you mean to go on.” It may be fun to rock your baby to sleep every time s/he takes a nap (and you should rock your baby to sleep now and then), but you won’t think it’s so fun when your baby demands that this be done in order for him/her to fall asleep and then wakes up and you’re forced to repeat the process. It’s healthier (can anyone argue with this?) for a baby to learn to fall asleep on his/her own. It also gives mom a break so she can tend to her other children and other obligations, etc.
I didn’t decide to blindly follow Ezzo’s teachings on baby routines. I read a lot before Meredith was born from both sides of the aisle. (Dr. Sears is basically polar-opposite to Ezzo, if anyone is interested in reading about the other point of view. He adheres to both demand-feeding and “family bed” ideologies.) BabyWise made sense to me. A friend of mine who is expecting her first child in February recently asked me about BabyWise. I replied: “Read it. If you decide you don’t want to use the concepts in it, that’s fine. You’re the parent and you have to make that call. But, at the very least … read it.”
I believe there are basically two things you “have to do” in order to follow the BabyWise plan and the rest is negotiable. First, don’t let your baby snack all the time – make sure s/he gets a good full meal and then has a break before the next meal. Sometimes, when your baby goes through a growth spurt, the meals will be more frequent (i.e., two hours instead of three). And, guess what (?), Ezzo says that in his book. This seems to be a commonsense approach – it helps to regulate baby’s metabolism and establish healthy eating habits for later on. Plus, it allows baby to get the hind-milk which is richer in nutrients.
One more note on this – healthy babies shouldn’t be hungry less than two hours from the last feeding if they are getting “full meals.” My opinion is that moms who demand-feed tend to offer the breast a lot more frequently when their baby cries and this is often not the solution the baby needs. I feel like BabyWise has given me the confidence to stop and think about WHY my baby might be crying without simply offering the breast as a soothing device each time she starts to cry. Thus, I think that BabyWise has helped me to better meet the needs of my child. Also, it’s made Kevin and I a better “team” in problem-solving to help our baby. He has taken a proactive role in helping me to figure out what’s wrong when otherwise it would be easy for me to offer the breast each time (if I were demand-feeding) and leave him out of the loop.
The second principle of “Basic BabyWise” is to make sure your baby has an “awake time,” after each daytime feeding, before taking his/her nap. This allows baby to learn to fall asleep on his/her own without getting used to always falling asleep on the breast or being rocked to sleep. Again, I think this is commonsense. It also allows for your baby to be awake when s/he has a full belly and is more content. And, apparently, it helps baby to learn to sleep through the night when s/he is put straight to bed with no awake time. (Meredith’s sleeping five hours at night right now … still waiting for the day when it’s eight!)
That’s BabyWise in a nutshell.
As far as holding and cuddling with your baby, I just don’t understand how people can allege that Ezzo is “against” holding and cuddling with infants. Meredith and I have a lot of cuddle and play time throughout the day when she is having her “awake time.” Yes, there are many times when I rock her to sleep or even take a nap with her. But, that’s not the normal routine so that it becomes a pattern that she expects and is hard to break later on. Tracy Hogg (author of the excellent book, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, which echoes many of Ezzo’s BabyWise philosophies – she calls it “E.A.S.Y.,” Eat/Awake/Sleep/You) states: “Start as you mean to go on.” It may be fun to rock your baby to sleep every time s/he takes a nap (and you should rock your baby to sleep now and then), but you won’t think it’s so fun when your baby demands that this be done in order for him/her to fall asleep and then wakes up and you’re forced to repeat the process. It’s healthier (can anyone argue with this?) for a baby to learn to fall asleep on his/her own. It also gives mom a break so she can tend to her other children and other obligations, etc.
I didn’t decide to blindly follow Ezzo’s teachings on baby routines. I read a lot before Meredith was born from both sides of the aisle. (Dr. Sears is basically polar-opposite to Ezzo, if anyone is interested in reading about the other point of view. He adheres to both demand-feeding and “family bed” ideologies.) BabyWise made sense to me. A friend of mine who is expecting her first child in February recently asked me about BabyWise. I replied: “Read it. If you decide you don’t want to use the concepts in it, that’s fine. You’re the parent and you have to make that call. But, at the very least … read it.”
Friday, August 19, 2005
Many things to enjoy ...
Yesterday we had a semi-philosophical discussion and it all started with a barbecue-flavored potato chip.
A [munching on the chip]: Just think of all the different flavors out there! It’s incredible the variety of flavors that God created.
K: Yeah, He could have created just one flavor.
A: How boring would that be. (Although, we'd all probably be a lot skinnier.)
K: Everything could taste like … banana.
A: Or broccoli. Ugh.
K: Think of all the colors, too.
A: And textures.
K: And sounds.
A: Yeah, if there weren’t different sounds, there would be no music … and that would be very sad.
K: But you could also look at it this way – if there were only one of something (flavors, sounds, etc.), you would never know what you’re missing. Like, for instance, the bugs that can only see one color.
A: Yet another reason I’m glad I’m not a bug …
A [munching on the chip]: Just think of all the different flavors out there! It’s incredible the variety of flavors that God created.
K: Yeah, He could have created just one flavor.
A: How boring would that be. (Although, we'd all probably be a lot skinnier.)
K: Everything could taste like … banana.
A: Or broccoli. Ugh.
K: Think of all the colors, too.
A: And textures.
K: And sounds.
A: Yeah, if there weren’t different sounds, there would be no music … and that would be very sad.
K: But you could also look at it this way – if there were only one of something (flavors, sounds, etc.), you would never know what you’re missing. Like, for instance, the bugs that can only see one color.
A: Yet another reason I’m glad I’m not a bug …
"To Do" List
One thing I’ve been amazed about, since having a baby, is how LITTLE I’m able to get done anymore. Who would’ve thought it’d be this time-consuming to take care of a baby? I’d always heard that they sleep a lot. Ha!
Until recently, I’ve always been this super-high energy person who charges through her to-do list with gusto and lightning speed. Now, I’m lucky if I can complete the things that HAVE to be done in a given day, plus one extra thing. Just today, I finally finished writing and addressing thank-you notes for baby gifts. (This has been at least a month-long project.) Now I just have to buy stamps. At the rate I’m going, the remainder of my thank-you notes will get mailed in mid-September! [Sigh …]
Anyway … things are getting better now that Meredith’s settling into a fairly predictable routine. Praise God for BabyWise – my ultimate lifesaver these days … I don’t care what kinds of horrible things people have to say about it online, all the people I know who’ve used it, including myself, have greatly benefited from it. PTL.
Until recently, I’ve always been this super-high energy person who charges through her to-do list with gusto and lightning speed. Now, I’m lucky if I can complete the things that HAVE to be done in a given day, plus one extra thing. Just today, I finally finished writing and addressing thank-you notes for baby gifts. (This has been at least a month-long project.) Now I just have to buy stamps. At the rate I’m going, the remainder of my thank-you notes will get mailed in mid-September! [Sigh …]
Anyway … things are getting better now that Meredith’s settling into a fairly predictable routine. Praise God for BabyWise – my ultimate lifesaver these days … I don’t care what kinds of horrible things people have to say about it online, all the people I know who’ve used it, including myself, have greatly benefited from it. PTL.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Elmo
Okay, I just watched thirty minutes of Elmo on Sesame Street while feeding Meredith. And, actually, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. (I even laughed outloud a few times!) I found Elmo to be a very fascinating individual and I can see why kids around the globe adore him.
Okay ... I'm still trying to figure out all the ramifications of my so immensely enjoying watching Sesame Street. Maybe this is concrete proof that I'm still a kid at heart.
Okay ... I'm still trying to figure out all the ramifications of my so immensely enjoying watching Sesame Street. Maybe this is concrete proof that I'm still a kid at heart.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Anyone else?
Anyone else out there sick of the media frenzy surrounding Cindy Sheehan? Why is this madness even getting coverage? Talk about imbalance in the press.
What about the military parents who support the president (probably the majority of them)? Maybe the reason they don't get coverage is because they are actually working, taking care of their families, quietly grieving, and moving on as best as they can, with patriotism in their hearts, not wanting to do anything to dismay our troops or encourage the enemy.
And then there's Cindy Sheehan. Ugh. Makes me sick.
What about the military parents who support the president (probably the majority of them)? Maybe the reason they don't get coverage is because they are actually working, taking care of their families, quietly grieving, and moving on as best as they can, with patriotism in their hearts, not wanting to do anything to dismay our troops or encourage the enemy.
And then there's Cindy Sheehan. Ugh. Makes me sick.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Ethics Over Tea
This morning my friend Mandy came over for tea. Mandy is a physician currently doing her residency in pediatrics. I was very interested to hear her tell me of all the ethical dilemmas she faces daily and how it’s often difficult to work with discernment in the medical field. She specifically raised the issue of premature infants and when it’s okay to withhold medical treatment, knowing they’ll die. I asked if it isn’t up to the parents to decide what type of treatment their child receives. She said yes, but, she can greatly influence their decisions by what she tells them.
One of the reasons I couldn’t be a physician, especially to tiny babies, is that I would become too emotionally involved in my patients’ lives. (This is the same reason I would never be a family law attorney.) Every day, Mandy watches tiny babies die. I don’t know how she can do it.
Although many of Mandy’s stories are heart-wrenching, she also has some incredibly funny stories about the kids she works with. For instance, the ones who come into the ER because they’ve swallowed small objects. The doctor asks: “What did you do with that quarter?” The child replies: “I ate it.”
Anyway … I enjoyed my visit with Mandy this morning. I’m grateful God has brought this lovely friend into my life. And it was great to have tea with a friend on a Monday morning. Since when has that happened in my life? Like NEVER.
One of the reasons I couldn’t be a physician, especially to tiny babies, is that I would become too emotionally involved in my patients’ lives. (This is the same reason I would never be a family law attorney.) Every day, Mandy watches tiny babies die. I don’t know how she can do it.
Although many of Mandy’s stories are heart-wrenching, she also has some incredibly funny stories about the kids she works with. For instance, the ones who come into the ER because they’ve swallowed small objects. The doctor asks: “What did you do with that quarter?” The child replies: “I ate it.”
Anyway … I enjoyed my visit with Mandy this morning. I’m grateful God has brought this lovely friend into my life. And it was great to have tea with a friend on a Monday morning. Since when has that happened in my life? Like NEVER.
Green Roses
On Friday night we went to a gorgeous wedding followed by an incredibly fun dinner reception. The most beautiful thing about the wedding was the flowers and the large dripping ivory candles. The flowers were white roses that had been dyed mostly green, with some white peeping through. They were bundled with a large assortment of greenery and some green berries, and tied with a lime green ribbon. It was stunning. (In fact, I spent the first ten minutes of the wedding bemoaning the fact that I forgot my camera!)
After dinner, most of the young people hit the dance floor. Meredith was asleep in her infant seat at the time and an older man we knew offered to watch her so we could dance.
On the dance floor, we spotted our pastor. (It was his daughter who got married.) Kevin remarked how weird it is to see your pastor dance. Maybe it's just the fact that neither of us can imagine any of our other pastors, at any of the other churches we've gone to, dancing. But, I think it's great when pastors dance. [Okay, I'm going to shut up now ... because this paragraph is quickly getting retarded … ]
Anyway, it was fun to have an excuse to wear black tie and have an evening out. And we were very glad to be able to help celebrate the joyous marriage of our friends Al and Ruth.
After dinner, most of the young people hit the dance floor. Meredith was asleep in her infant seat at the time and an older man we knew offered to watch her so we could dance.
On the dance floor, we spotted our pastor. (It was his daughter who got married.) Kevin remarked how weird it is to see your pastor dance. Maybe it's just the fact that neither of us can imagine any of our other pastors, at any of the other churches we've gone to, dancing. But, I think it's great when pastors dance. [Okay, I'm going to shut up now ... because this paragraph is quickly getting retarded … ]
Anyway, it was fun to have an excuse to wear black tie and have an evening out. And we were very glad to be able to help celebrate the joyous marriage of our friends Al and Ruth.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Boxer on Roberts
I was hoping (wishful thinking, I know) that it wouldn’t come down to this but it looks like the abortion debate will take center stage in Roberts’ confirmation process. Today I read the following statements by my beloved [cough] U.S. Senator, Barbara Boxer:
- She fears that a more conservative court could lead "to the days of back alley illegal abortions." Why is it that pro-aborts always have to use this outrageous argument to get sympathy? They want you to believe that 13 year old girls are going to have to use coat-hangers to kill their babies to get you to support their cause. This is such an unbelievable attempt to claim the moral high ground!
- She needs to know “whether he would fight to protect the rights and freedoms of the American people.” First of all, it most be noted that Ms. Boxer thinks you’re a person only if you happen to be all the way out of the birth canal.
- She thinks that "this one vote means so much to countless women." And, you know what, she’s absolutely right. It has harrowing significance to an innumerable amount of women and girls, both born and preborn.
If liberals didn’t have to consistently use judicial activism to get their own way on policy matters, this fight wouldn’t mean so much to them. The fact that they must rely on jurists in black robes to rewrite the Constitution to get what they want speaks volumes of how bitter this confirmation process is going to be.
- She fears that a more conservative court could lead "to the days of back alley illegal abortions." Why is it that pro-aborts always have to use this outrageous argument to get sympathy? They want you to believe that 13 year old girls are going to have to use coat-hangers to kill their babies to get you to support their cause. This is such an unbelievable attempt to claim the moral high ground!
- She needs to know “whether he would fight to protect the rights and freedoms of the American people.” First of all, it most be noted that Ms. Boxer thinks you’re a person only if you happen to be all the way out of the birth canal.
- She thinks that "this one vote means so much to countless women." And, you know what, she’s absolutely right. It has harrowing significance to an innumerable amount of women and girls, both born and preborn.
If liberals didn’t have to consistently use judicial activism to get their own way on policy matters, this fight wouldn’t mean so much to them. The fact that they must rely on jurists in black robes to rewrite the Constitution to get what they want speaks volumes of how bitter this confirmation process is going to be.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Thought for the day ...
"A good man is hard to find, not to keep. That sentence should really make you stop and think … I’ve got to tell you how remarkably sad it is that so many women struggle to hold on to a jerk, keep giving an abusive or philandering man yet another chance, have unprotected sex with some guy while barely knowing his last name, agree to shack up and risk making babies with some opportunist or loser, all in a pathetic version of a pursuit for love, but will resent the hell out of treating a decent, hardworking, caring husband with the thoughtfulness, attention, respect, and affection he needs to be content.”
That’s a quote from The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. And, actually, it's a really good book - I think every wife should read it. Even if you already have a good marriage, it can only make it better. The book is not so much about men, but about women, and the power they have to create a happy marriage and a happy home.
The above quote is a stark picture of feminist ideology. It’s okay, under feminist thinking, to begrudge a man for expecting certain things from his wife, like fixing meals and taking care of his kids, etc., in the context of a loving family, but women are expected to endure certain abuses from men when it comes to commitment, sexuality, and being taken care of – all in the name of “equality.”
That’s a quote from The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. And, actually, it's a really good book - I think every wife should read it. Even if you already have a good marriage, it can only make it better. The book is not so much about men, but about women, and the power they have to create a happy marriage and a happy home.
The above quote is a stark picture of feminist ideology. It’s okay, under feminist thinking, to begrudge a man for expecting certain things from his wife, like fixing meals and taking care of his kids, etc., in the context of a loving family, but women are expected to endure certain abuses from men when it comes to commitment, sexuality, and being taken care of – all in the name of “equality.”
Friday, August 05, 2005
Fun Company
Meredith's had lots of company lately! Currently Aunt Megan is in town. And, actually, Megan babysat for Kevin and I last night so we could go to dinner. Although I love Meredith to pieces, it was SO nice to get away for the evening! It was also very weird to be on the "other end" of the babysitting experience. "Okay, Megan, here's her bottle in the fridge ... here's what you do if ... call us if you need us ... etc." Wow ...
Anyway, I haven't had time to post pictures lately but if you want to see a few recent pics, you can go to Megan's blog.
Anyway, I haven't had time to post pictures lately but if you want to see a few recent pics, you can go to Megan's blog.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Unspeakable Tragedy
We just learned that some friends in the D.C. area lost their little baby girl to SIDS a few days ago. She was born the day before Meredith. I cannot possibly begin to comprehend the piercing pangs of sorrow that they are experiencing at this moment. I cannot imagine what deep agony it must be to reach for your baby in the night only to realize that she is no longer with you. This is where true faith must come into play, realizing that God is always good, even while trying to understand why He chose to take this precious life so early. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." (Job 13:15) Please pray for the Wright family.
Consistency
Does anyone out there know anything about the Catholic church’s view on the account of creation in Genesis? Yesterday I was listening to Bill O’Reilly discuss the President’s statement that public schools should, in the spirit of exposing kids to both sides of a debate, teach intelligent design. O’Reilly stated that the Catholic church, to which he belongs, adopts the view that God used the process of evolution to create mankind. I conducted a brief search online and found that this appears to be true. It would seem to me that you’d have to completely discount the biblical view of creation in Genesis, that God formed Adam and Eve out of dust and Adam’s rib, respectively, if you adopt the view that God set into motion the evolutionary process to create the human race. I realize that other Christians, and Christian organizations, hold this view as well, but it seems rather inconsistent with the scripture. Either you believe what the bible says, or you don’t. What’s with this middle-of-the-road approach? How can we ever suppose to start with human reasoning, try to mix it with God's word, and come up with Truth? Man is finite and God is infinite.
Vows
Yesterday we dug up our wedding vows, which we wrote. If you can believe it, we still have them memorized and will randomly quote them to each other …
K: I, Kevin, take you, Amy, to be my lawfully wedded wife. This is my commitment to you for as long as we both shall live.
A: I, Amy, take you, Kevin, to be my lawfully wedded husband. This is my commitment to you for the rest of our lives.
K: I promise to love you and give myself for you even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.
A: And I promise to love you and to submit myself to you as unto the Lord.
K: I will love you as my own body. I will nourish you and cherish you, just as the Lord does the Church.
A: You are my head, just as Christ is head of the Church. Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so I will be subject to you in everything.
K: I promise to take care of you and to provide for you, and to lay down my life for you.
A: I promise to take care of you and cherish you, and to give myself to you.
K: I will put the needs of our family ahead of my career.
A: And I will lay aside my career for our family.
K: I will leave my father and mother, and forsaking all others, I will be loyal to you.
A: And I will be loyal to you. Wherever you go, I will go. And wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
K: Amy, I will honor you, listen to you, encourage you, and be your friend and confidant.
A: Kevin, I will honor you, listen to you, encourage you, and be your friend and confidant.
K: I will be faithful to you, regardless of the circumstances God may bring in our life together. I love you unconditionally. This is my solemn covenant to you before God this day.
A: And I will be faithful to you, regardless of the circumstances God may bring in our life together. I love you unconditionally. This is my solemn covenant to you before God this day.
K: And let us not love in word or in tongue,
A: But in deed and in truth.
Unison: Til death do us part.
K: I, Kevin, take you, Amy, to be my lawfully wedded wife. This is my commitment to you for as long as we both shall live.
A: I, Amy, take you, Kevin, to be my lawfully wedded husband. This is my commitment to you for the rest of our lives.
K: I promise to love you and give myself for you even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.
A: And I promise to love you and to submit myself to you as unto the Lord.
K: I will love you as my own body. I will nourish you and cherish you, just as the Lord does the Church.
A: You are my head, just as Christ is head of the Church. Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so I will be subject to you in everything.
K: I promise to take care of you and to provide for you, and to lay down my life for you.
A: I promise to take care of you and cherish you, and to give myself to you.
K: I will put the needs of our family ahead of my career.
A: And I will lay aside my career for our family.
K: I will leave my father and mother, and forsaking all others, I will be loyal to you.
A: And I will be loyal to you. Wherever you go, I will go. And wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
K: Amy, I will honor you, listen to you, encourage you, and be your friend and confidant.
A: Kevin, I will honor you, listen to you, encourage you, and be your friend and confidant.
K: I will be faithful to you, regardless of the circumstances God may bring in our life together. I love you unconditionally. This is my solemn covenant to you before God this day.
A: And I will be faithful to you, regardless of the circumstances God may bring in our life together. I love you unconditionally. This is my solemn covenant to you before God this day.
K: And let us not love in word or in tongue,
A: But in deed and in truth.
Unison: Til death do us part.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
A Life Full of Love
Today is our three-year wedding anniversary. Yesterday I was flipping through an album my mom had put together for me and I read a note she’d written just before our wedding. She wrote: “Make love the goal of your life. Pursue love. Out-love [Kevin]. Love him like Christ loves you. Then your life will be truly blessed.” While I can’t say that I’ve come anywhere near to loving Kevin like Christ loves me, nor that I’ve out-loved Kevin, I can definitely look back on these last three years and see the blessings and fruition of love. God’s definition of love (true love) is so much deeper and fuller than the world’s definition of “love.”
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Cor. 13:4-8
It’s been rather easy for me to have “emotions” of love toward Kevin (‘cuz after living with him for three years, I still think he’s perfect). But the true test of love is my choices and my conduct. And I think that’s what my mom was, ultimately, talking about when she said our life together would be blessed by love.
Isn’t it interesting, too, how emotions of love tend to follow when we choose to act lovingly? I heard a wise person once say that it’s easier to love someone when we act toward them as a person “in love” would act. Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.
I pray that God would continue to sanctify me and work in me so that I may love Kevin more perfectly every day. I look forward to the blessings that will come because of His grace. I look forward to a life full of love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Cor. 13:4-8
It’s been rather easy for me to have “emotions” of love toward Kevin (‘cuz after living with him for three years, I still think he’s perfect). But the true test of love is my choices and my conduct. And I think that’s what my mom was, ultimately, talking about when she said our life together would be blessed by love.
Isn’t it interesting, too, how emotions of love tend to follow when we choose to act lovingly? I heard a wise person once say that it’s easier to love someone when we act toward them as a person “in love” would act. Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.
I pray that God would continue to sanctify me and work in me so that I may love Kevin more perfectly every day. I look forward to the blessings that will come because of His grace. I look forward to a life full of love.
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