I have many friends. Yes, despite being home schooled, I have many friends. Can you believe it?! ;-D And they're all different. Some are shy, others outgoing. Some weak, others strong. Some quiet, others very loud. Some crazy, others "normal". Some give me so much...much more than I deserve. Others, I'm told, are given much by me. Either way, they're still my friends. But it's not about how much you get, it's about how much you give. It's not about how well the gift is received, it's about the sincerity of the gift being given, and the honesty of the love. We may be doing something, or giving something, but why?
God created us for relationship, but He didn't give us life with the expectancy that we would return His love. He gave it knowing full well that we would reject Him. And yet the key here is that He still gave it. He loved us from the beginning, despite how and who we are. Shouldn't our actions reflect His when His Spirit dwells within us? He has called us friends, yet how much more does He give us? How often do we fail and sin against Him? There's so much I could say and philosophize about. But I won't. It would ruin the flavor of words, and detract from all thoughts. I'll leave you with a couple quotes though and a few questions.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude or self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. 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. 13:4-8a
"Love alters not when it alteration finds..." William Shakespeare
"Love = An intense feeling of deep affection." Dictionary
What is love?
Does our human understanding measure up to the fullness of this word?
Does love alter, or is it intimacy that alters?
Does love discipline, punish, and even let go of another?
I know my answers to these questions. Do you know yours?
There are lots of good memories in there...but this year I find myself comparing. The taste and feel are so different now. When someone says Christmas, the first thing that pops into my head is not snow or presents. It's not even a tree. I see great mounds of ripe, sweet tangerine's, and piles of sugar cane. Piñata's, the rush to finish up the Christmas play preparation, and lots of good hot punch are what come to mind. Turkey dinner, and the tree, are still there. But I have forgotten snow...if it were to snow here everyone would freeze...it would be awful! The cold winter frosted mornings and nights are enough around here. I don't dream of a white Christmas. I envision a bright, clear day with just enough chill in it to need a long sleeved shirt or a sweater. I see stall upon stall downtown filled with sparklers and "onions", and hear the grating music of Christmas lights. I see huge manger scenes in restaurants, on the street, or in the Catholic Church. And I see my Church. I see its stage. And I remember my very first Christmas I ever spent here. All of it. I can see year after year, and play after play acted out on that stage, but the first one...the first one is the dearest and the clearest.
God has given me so much. And while I remember the biggest gift He gave me this year the same as the others...I remember everything else He's given me since then. I was given a toilet plunger as a joke one year (please don't ask why). Needless to say I didn't love that present. But as strange as it sounds, I'm thankful this year for all the toilet plungers that God has given me, in other words, all the presents I didn't want or enjoy, but needed. I've used that one many times, and it's been a great help. And so have all the others. We can ask for what we want, but it won't necessarily be what we need. Thankfully, God loves us. He puts us where we are for a reason. He lets things happen to us for a reason. Thankfully, He hasn't given me everything I've wanted, but much more than that. He's given me gifts that I didn't want or even like, because He knew I'd need them later on. And thankfully He continues to do so.
