Happy Anniversary Sweet Love June 2, 2008

Three years ago, I married my college sweetheart, Paul, but our story starts Fall Semester at Lindenwood in 2003.

I met Paul through the music organization at Lindenwood University.  He was a jazz drummer and I was a choir girl.  One evening after a musicale that the women’s group put on, Paul, Lena, Jeff and I went down to the Riverfront to enjoy the weather/evening.  One by one, Jeff left and then Lena and Paul and I found ourselves not ready to call it a night.  We were enjoying each other’s company too much.  We talked and talked on that bench until, much to my surprise, the sun began to rise over the horizon.  I drove him to his morning class and as he got out of the car, he chucked a note at me and ran off to his class.  The note said, “I wanted to kiss you all night”.

A little over a year later, he proposed to me on that very same bench by the riverfront and we were married June 2, 2005.

I Love You Sweet Love!

Wedding Bells! March 20, 2008

Saturday, March 15th, 2008, my little brother got married! I can remember when he was just a little tyke in suspenders jumping around at my dance class. He has always had the deepest voice, even as a child he was very much the “little man”. I say little in reference to his age because let me just tell you my ‘little’ brother towers over me at around 6 foot (I’m a measley 5′ 1″). It is hard to believe that little “Jon Jon” is now married but I can not imagine a more wonderful wife and am so happy that God has blessed them with each other to lean on. I love you little brother! Congrats!

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hembree

The Fruit of the Spirit: Love February 18, 2008

I am going through the book, Naked Fruit by Elisa Morgan for the second time. This morning I was reading about love and I thought it would make an appropriate post since, for many, the stardust from Valentine’s day still hangs in the air. In Naked Fruit, Elisa likened love to the fruit of grapes,

“The quality of a grape is directly related to its host vine. Grapes abide in their vine. Detached from their source, they wither. Grapes offer an example of commitment through the easy and hard times of life. In fact, vine growers report that the sweetest grapes come from the most stressed vines.”

I would never have thought that I would have a problem loving people. I was the child who would cry for the cartoons that got anvils dropped on them, and who made friends with all the underdogs in school. As a women, I figured the love of a husband or child would come naturally and I would say in most situations, it does. There are times; however, when circumstances and people and my own selfishness make it very hard to love. When I am tired, I notice my ability to express love is lessened. I am quicker to temper, or snap out a phrase that should come lovingly from my lips. And when my husband displays a pet peeve of mine for the umpteenth time, all loving thoughts for him can flee. Or when my sweet daughter cries out in the night, the selfishness of my tiredness can keep me firmly lying in my bed.

It is in these tough times that I will often grit my teeth and set myself resolutely on loving them. Unfortunately, my effort is apparent and does not come across as loving or unconditional.

This is where Elisa really challenges me, “Think how you might be ‘working up your own love’ for this person rather than allowing Jesus to love them through you. What does such effort produce in you? Or as Dr. Phil says, ‘How’s that working for you?’ How can you shift the source of your love from yourself to God by letting Jesus love that person through you?”

An interesting thought. How often to I bow my head in prayer and ask God to love through me? When I am catching up with a friend do I ask Jesus, “what does she need to hear to feel loved by You?”

This week I am going to be working on letting Christ love through me. I hope that you will join me as well.

Afterall, “all you need is love. Do Do Do Do Do, all you need is love:P”