The Meaning of Love

I was browsing through an issue of Real Simple and read about their essay contest to answer “When did you first understand the meaning of love?”. Although I’m not in to writing for their contest, I thought it would make a good blog post for me.

God’s love has been evident to me from an early age and consistently since then. I am thankful that I don’t ever recall a time where I felt unloved. Awkward and not fitting in during growing up years, yes, but never unloved. Also, it was during most difficult parts of my life that I felt especially loved and cared for by my Heavenly Father.

I have also felt loved by my earthly family. Maybe even when I didn’t understand it with my head as “love”, I did with my heart. My mom always tucked me in at night and woke me up each morning. She had breakfast for me and either took me to school or watched for the bus if the roads were bad. She helped me study and quizzed me on almost every test I had in high school. Dad spelled love “t-i-m-e”. On Saturdays I was his shadow for whatever errands and projects he had going. My sister (Aunt) helped take care of me, she taught me to read in the grocery store, she carried my bag of stuff when we went to the cellar in the middle of the night and she looked out for me in a million ways. Sundays were my favorite day at home. Every Sunday the same thing – Aunt and I went to church, when we got home Mom had made my favorite dinner – cube steak and Velveeta shells mac n cheese, then we’d hang out in the living room where Dad was watching TV. We’d read the Sunday paper and nap in the afternoon. A snack in the evening and Heehaw or The Wonderful World of Disney rounded out the day.

The love of my life – Hubby – helps me understand a bit more about the meaning of love every single day! He always inspires me, is hardworking, seeks to be redemptive in all relationships, and is self-sacrificing. He made my day, week, month, year – the other day when were on an errand together he declared “I get to go to Home Depot with my best friend”. Our boys, M & L, are a precious blessing to us. I understand love more as I care for them, as we spend time together and with every sweet gesture of their love.

I John 4:11-12, The Message: My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

I think I was 8 in this picture.

I'm curious, does your family take pictures in front of the fireplace?