Tuesday, June 15, 2010

What does LOVE look like in your home?

I'm sitting at a coffee shop when most people, even coffee drinkers, should be sleeping.


Why?


Because I love my son.


He is raising a pig for the fair. And I was his ride to the school, so he could feed his pig this morning...at 5:30am.


It got me to thinking about what LOVE has looked like over the years in our home.





LOVE wipes tears and messy bottoms.


LOVE carries sleeping children to bed, and prays over these same little ones before crawling into her own bed.


LOVE sits on hard bleachers for hours, in triple-digit heat, to hear her child's name announced - once.


LOVE gives away the last piece of chocolate cake, and keeps the stale "end" piece for herself.


LOVE reminds you to say thank you, and asks you if you've read your Bible today, even when your fifteen.

LOVE helps you clean under your bed, then refrains from putting you on restriction for the rest of your life.


LOVE watches your made-up dance moves for the 4,398,333 time with a huge smile and a loud clap. Every time.


LOVE says she wants to walk this early in the morning, but really wants to pass by your coffee shop and give you a hug because she misses you.

LOVE wears old sweatshirts and threadbare jeans so you can have the prom dress you've always wanted.


LOVE takes you to the post office to get your very own passport when she's never had one herself.


LOVE drives a minivan.




What does LOVE look like in your home?



24 comments:

Unknown said...

Joanne~

Thanks for this post. I smiled as I read it because we've done 4H pigs in the past and we live in town... so love looked like driving day after day after day to feed the piggies and pray that one of them would be big enough for the fair. ; )

Lately, I've been telling the kids (13, 11, 6) that love looks like service in our house. By serving each other, they are loving each other in a real, practical way. They only get excited, though, when they are the one being served... otherwise it's drudgery.. ; )

Have a blessed day!!
~H

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

Sweet post. :)

Braley Mama said...

You are an awesome mama!!!!! Thanks for the encouragement!!!!!
Love is a big hug & sloppy kiss!

Jaclyn said...

Awwww...a very sweet post! I like the one about helping to clean under the bed and not putting you on restriction for the rest of your life. haha!

Heather of the EO said...

Oh, way to go Mama! Yes, LOVE indeed.

Lately, over here, I've been asking the boys this question: What is the one thing you will ALWAYS know for sure about your family? NO.Matter.What.

They answer, in beautiful unison: WE BELONG.

I want them to know that kind of unconditional love, and I truly hope I live it out, too.

Sheri said...

In my house, Love is a dare!

Celia said...

Love is taping the NBA finals, the PGA tournament AND watching WITH him...
C

LOVED this post! Can't wait to see the pig AND David in action!

Katie Ganshert said...

What a beautiful post! For me, right now, Love is Band-aids, bug bites, and kissing away my little-man's oucies.

Dena E's Blog said...

Wow Girlfriend,,I have not been by for a while and ,I'll say it was a God thing,,so I had to come by for a visit...The "Wow" to begin with is because of just how BEAUTIFUL God IS and How Beautiful You are for sharing such an awesome post...I really do need to get back here for a visit much more often..Love the post Sweetie and your heart for God...
Blessings and Hugs Dena

Karen said...

Awww...your list is so sweet! I enjoyed this post...

During this season with our grown children...love is...not asking questions even when we are DYING to know everything that is going on in their lives...love is trusting...and waiting for them to tell us in due time...

Denise said...

I love this sweetie.Love to me, is what you are to your blessed children.

Runner Mom said...

Aww...Joanne, I love these!! Love at our house is very similar to the love at yours!! :)

Thanks so much for sharing your heart with us!
Hugs!
Susan

Nana's Nuggets said...

Hi! Joann, Loved this post! It brought back a whirl of memorie to my mind!! Oh! yes, I have too went through this with "show animals",pigs,rabbitts,cows, and did stuff I never thought possible with my boy's!!(FYI:Never try to bathe a Rabbit!)Ha-Ha!! Oh the sweetness of all that now! I guess it was "Love"!! Blessings to you today:). PS, Love your Blog, I am now following!

Anonymous said...

Love is eating a cold meal beacuse you are making sure everyone else has their food.

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

Wow, I'm so happy LOVE doesn't have to watch PGA tournaments in our house Celia!

You girls had some great ones.

Very creative!!!

Rachel said...

I love that your child is so dedicated that he is willing to wake up that early! Many kids wouldn't.

Recently love bakes zucchini bread for the children who have been craving it for breakfast, regardless of an painful sinus infection and then takes the kids to the library to pick up some books.

Kathy Schwanke said...

Thanks for making me cry... ;)

Aunt Angie said...

Oh love... the word itself brings a smile. And a lump in the throat of one who feels love deeply. EVEN when loving brings pain...we still love on.

Love gives and gives and gives...even when the cupboards are almost bare. It's what Jesus would do.

Love stretches out her/his arms and loves big--even when we've been yelled at--or had a door slammed--or our hearts broken...we love on. That's what Jesus would do. That's just what He did.

Love connects strangers across a vast continent who have never met, and brings their hearts together and makes them friends first then sisters. Maybe not born from the same womb--but born from the same Heart--and the same love. From the same Father.

I love you dearly my CA friend!

krista said...

Beautiful post! I smiled the entire time I was reading it. Not only did it make me think of the ways I show love as a mom, but also of my childhood and how my parents demonstrated their love to me. Loved reading this!

Linda said...

This is beautiful and exactly what I needed this morning. I will be pondering this all day!
Blessings,
Linda

Barbara said...

What a Blessed post! I can hardly wait to read your book! Your thoughts and writing amaze me! How wonderful this is!!!

Love takes on many shapes at home and it changes over the years like your examples showed: for me in this season of life.....

Love is.....getting down in the floor to play a game with Jordan, even tho getting up could be a problem.

Love is .... throwing the football around with my grandson in 102 degree weather and stiffness in my arm.

Love is.....saying "of course we'll keep ALL the grandchildren Saturday night" followed closely by a prayer for endurance and strength.

Love is....keeping your advice and judgements about things in your children's lives to yourself..unless asked for your input.

Love is ....understanding when your spouse forgets to tell you something important..because sometimes we forget.

Love is knowing we are loved and that God has blessed us with all these blessings and allowed us to still be here to share these times.

And I agree with Angie....Love is...that God allows us to come in contact with someone from FL to CA, to meet them, love them and feel connected like family with them...all from simple words on a page...His love is Amazing.

Thanks for this very thought provoking post......

Covnitkepr1 said...

Pretty good defination of what love is.
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Anonymous said...

that is so sweet!!

Joan Davis (Jo) said...

Your post is beautiful! Over the years, I've shared some of the same love in our home (you know, the wiping the messy bottom love, etc.) but now love is my husband of 30 years coming home to me every night with a smile. It's my son who chose to stay at our home after serving in Iraq rather than in the town where we used to live before he left. Love is how my phone keeps buzzing with text messages asing "how is your day going?". Love is bouncing off the pages in the much worn Bible that I keep by my bedside.

I could go on and on...thanks Joanne! So often we take love for granted. But, it is so important to look for it and acknowledge it - and then praise God for it.

Living for Him, Joan

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