I Love You

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I .....LOVE......YOU.

Three powerful words.

Words that, if spoken with a sincere heart, can make a  huge difference for both the one speaking the words and the one receiving them.

What does it really mean to say "I love you" ?

Is it flowers and candy and jewelery? Is it hearts and cards? Is it a romantic dinner for two? Sure, don't get me wrong, those things are all great. I enjoy beautiful roses, anything coated in chocolate and sparkling rings. I'm a total romantic when it comes to mushy cards and "chick flick" movies. Please pass the Kleenex. I really do love happy endings. They make me smile.

Sure, like I said, those things are great once in a while.....but real love is so much more.

Love is....my husband's smile at me in the morning....even when I have bed head and haven't brushed my teeth yet.

Love is....me getting up early to fix coffee for my husband because I know he likes it.

Love is....hugging my kids and getting hugged in return.....having teens that still love to love their parents.

Love is....my husband shoveling snow, or warming up the van for me before I go to work.

Love is....me doing laundry and cooking meals and cleaning the house for my family. Making home comfortable and warm.

Love is....knowing my husband values me. My opinion counts. He enjoys hanging out with me.

Love is....telling my husband that I think he is the best problem solver around.

Love is....believing my children are awesome and knowing that they will each leave their own special imprint on this world. Letting them know that my world is a better place because they are in it:)

Love is....a card from my mom filled with words of encouragement.

Love is....family members that know my faults and still think I am worthy of their love.

Love is all these things....AND MORE.

Love is also commitment---even when you want to give up. It is holding your tongue when you really believe your opinion is the RIGHT ONE. Love is friendship. Love is choosing to overlook the imperfections and instead, learning to concentrate on the positives. Love is empathy. It is kindness and then treating others how you'd like to be treated. True love has a lot to do with forgiveness and starting over. Love is about second chances and "do-overs".  Love is holding a hand---and sometimes delicately holding a heart. Love is trustworthy and strong. Sometimes love has to be down right tough. Love can even hurt on occasion.

Above all love is a choice.

The greatest love is that of God for each of us. In John 3:16, we are told that "God  SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Jesus chose to take our place because He loves us. Now that, my friend, is what REAL love is all about. We can love others because He chose to first love us.

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Day 6 of Confinement

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Now we have some serious wind to add to the snow that we have piled up around here.  When I say "serious" wind, I mean it! The wind in Logan County is vicious. Of course, the fact that our house is setting in the middle of a field with no windbreaks (at all) does not help matters. The  wind makes it feel a lot colder and also makes it impossible to keep any sort of respectable hairstyle. I have given up on that front. A hair clip is now my friend. Either that or have my tresses resemble something a rat made a nest in. (Don't you love that visual?) The snowing and blowing going on around here makes my front yard look like a snow globe that has been shook one too many times.

I'm sitting at the kitchen counter. I see the forlorn mailbox at the end of our driveway. The mailbox door limply hanging open. Our mailbox filled full of snow. What a sad looking mailbox. There is some comfort in the fact that our neighbor's mailbox looks worse than ours does. It is resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I'm sure the mail lady just loves winter mailboxes. Who knew all the weird angles and bent doors that one mailbox could display?

This afternoon I will be baking some brownies. Cold, snowy days are made for baking. With the weather here lately, I will weigh 900 lbs. before we see the spring thaw. Hey, and I have plenty of milk to go with those brownies. I'm just sayin'.

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Livin' The Good Life

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Some say to be happy...

to live a life full of glam,

You need lots of money

But that's sinking sand...

All the money in this world

loaded up with bling

those aren't the things

that make the heart sing.

The riches the world craves

Leave one empty and cold

One can't buy what's important

No matter the gold.

I'd rather have friends

that show they care

Who will help when needed

and are willing to share.

A family that loves me,

and tells me so.

Who want only my best,

And to see that love grow.

The things of this world

can lead to regret

I'd rather have the colors

of a country sunset.

The stillness, the beauty

every star sparkles bright

A breathtaking display

to illuminate the night.

The world full of color

My God, He created

The richness of life

Creativity unabated.

True wealth

has nothing to do with mere things

God, love, and family

They make the heart sing.

+

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