The Chapters of My Love Story

The first chapter of my love story began when I was a little girl seeing the adoring love that my mom and dad had for each other. I witnessed their sweet affection for each other. In fact, my dad couldn’t keep his hands off my mom. “Roscoe, QUIT!” she’d cry out when he was waaay too affectionate in public for her very prim and proper ways. They were my first example of true love. I think that’s why I’m a hugger today! Be forewarned!

The next love chapter was the love of my boyfriend who became my precious husband a few years later. What a wild and crazy adventure we took on by marrying when we hardly knew anything about life, but we kept practicing and before long, we had learned many trial-and-error lessons. Actually, we never did stop learning about life and each other.

Then, turn the pages to the love chapter of starting our family -- 3 months into marriage. Love took on a whole new meaning when it produced our most treasured possessions – our two beloved children. We hardly knew how to take care of ourselves, never mind two children. I apologized to them many times for my mistakes along the way. In remorse, I'd say: “Please forgive me! I’m new at this!”

We wrote many chapters in our many years that followed: the right things to do to show love; things NOT to do that takes love tokens out of our “love” bank; setting a good love example for others to follow, and loving each other for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and health until death parted us.

I began a new love chapter yesterday when I witnessed God's love in human form. As I arrived at Children’s Hospital for my volunteer work, this precious, beaming boy, in for new x-rays, came to me with this Valentine. I teared up as I told his mom that she was doing such a great job in guiding her boy into being kind to others. A radiologist came by and loved on me with words and action. My sweet girl took me for lunch and gave me these beautiful yellow roses. She knows her daddy and my love story so well. Our wedding included yellow roses and we have had yellow rose bushes planted at every home we’ve lived in. Later at home, my doorbell rang and this gorgeous floral arrangement, that could easily fit at the front of a church, arrived from my son with words “You will always be my first sweetheart!”

I love to give love, and I’ve learned to receive love. I’ve learned that compassion sowed, is compassion reaped; kindness given is kindness received. Through God's great LOVE example of the gift of His Son to us, you and I can be that someone to someone else. We are chips off the ole' block -- and our BLOCK gave to us BIG TIME. Yesterday I was the recipient of God’s love through others. Tomorrow, I plan on planting love and compassion and kindness – not to receive, but to give. I assure you, however, God just can’t help Himself. When He sees His kids taking after Him, He just pours it on for us even more. Every chapter of my love story is interweaved with God’s great love for me. BTW -- yours is too!