In it for the Long Hull aka Long Haul

While Ryan and Shawntel have been away a few days, I’ve stayed here with their boys. I loved big brother, Bear, his girlfriend, Hannah, and oldest brother, Braden, and his wife, Ruth, hanging out with us. My heart has been filled with love. Four boys in this Wuerch family here in Austin – so I must tell you about the joy and fun it was to have some “girl” time, talking girl "talk". It was easy to talk that talk because of the family wedding this weekend.

Ruth, my grandson Braden’s wife, my “granddaughter”, is a triplet. The last of the triplets married her dream man on Friday here in Austin. Of all the places in the world where these two sisters would end up is here in Austin. The wedding had been planned for a later date, but they couldn’t wait any longer. They married in a sweet and intimate outdoor setting (the groom’s parent’s home) here in Austin. Pictured here is Rebeca, her new husband, Ben, and that’s my Ruth, the Matron of Honor, behind her. Photo with Braden, Ruth, Rebeca & Ben includes the third triplet, Ruben, who is a Navy Officer, with his wife. Covid kept them from traveling.

We three girls oohed and aahed at the tender and precious moments as Ruth played the wedding video for us. Both bride and groom had written their own vows, so beautifully said through tears and laughter. My heart was touched seeing this strong man, cry his way through almost the whole wedding. He was marrying the love of his life. The three of us teared up when Rebeca, while saying her vows said “I must stop a moment so I can make a vow to someone else”. Rebeca walked over to Ben’s younger sister and vowed to love her, protect her, and care for her all the days of her life. That’s when the tears flowed from everyone at the wedding and we three girls who were enamored by the beauty of that special moment.

I always love hearing the words from I Corinthians 13 that most often are heard at weddings. The minister started with these words: “Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing. But rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” As soon as the minister started speaking those words, it started to rain and, so the next words were: “I’ve been told on many occasions that rain is a sign that the marriage will be long and enduring. I think we’re looking at a couple who are going to celebrate 75 or 80 years of marriage.” That is when a pause came to reconvene under the patio. Moments they’ll never forget for those 75 or 80 years to come.

Now, with great expectations, Ben and Rebeca have begun their lives together. I’m so faith-filled that I believe their vows before God of loving, caring, sharing, and helping-each-other-reach-their-full-potential marriage will be blessed by God. A beautiful rite-of-passage that once were two hearts, are now one. As I type this blog, I pray those words for my readers today – to remember 1 Corinthians 13, with those love words, and to do a self-analysis. “Is our love still defined by the words of St. Paul? If not – then why not begin again to remember and put those words first place for the long haul? Ben’s last name is Hull – so that was the theme of the wedding “In it for the long Hull”. I pray the long Hull and long HAUL for them and you, too!

Love is the Answer to EVERYTHING!

Day 29 in this Month of Love -- Love is the Answer to EVERYTHING
This day marks the last day in my celebration of this month of love. Why would God want me to post about love this month? And perhaps a more telling question, why would our enemy NOT want me to post about love? Love is the answer to everything that this crazy world needs more than anything, and, of course, the enemy of our souls wants to keep us from loving. But, we refuse his tactics and lies, and with everything in us, we choose to love. I want to end this month of love with a strong nudge to all of us to take these messages of love beyond today and this month to a love that lasts a lifetime. A love that is generational. A love that is universal. May we become radical about the love we have for others that will cause this world to be shaken up with the power of love.

Mother Teresa said, “I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, He will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' Rather He will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?”

Since the beginning of time, the enemy has done his best to try to eradicate love from this earth. He keeps failing at it. One of these days he'll get it -- BIG TIME! He's doomed. Love created this world and all that is in it. Love created you and me. Love will win in the end, for God is love and His love is unchangeable, unending, and best of all -- UNFAILING.

Love will still conquer any and every matter of life. May love be our driving force as we pursue it in every way. What if our world could be changed by the measure of love we give. Where do we start? Remember the "love is" chapter -- 1 Corinthians 13? Putting the love chapter in the "first person" tense and REALLY strive to live it and be it -- that's where......
OUR LOVE IS.....
We determine to be patient and kind.
We refuse to be envious and boastful.
We will not be arrogant or rude.
We will not insist on having to have our own way.
We will not be irritable or resentful.
We will not rejoice at wrongdoing.
We always rejoice with the truth.
We bear all things.
We believe all things.
We hope all things.
We endure all things.
Our love never ends.

Love is the answer to everything. 1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

Let's change our world with LOVE! I love you and you and you.....pass it on!

Can We Pass the Love Test?

Day 11 in this Month of Love -- Can We Pass the Love Test?
I can't post about LOVE in this Month of Love without mentioning the scripture that we hear in just about every wedding ceremony. Words from the "Love" chapter, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way (oh me, how many times did I miss that one?); it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

WOW -- that's a boatload! And, I'll admit there have been plenty of times when I had to do a self analysis and if God were giving me a Love Test, I'm not quite sure if I would have passed the test. If I replaced LOVE in that scripture with my name, how would I measure up? For example, "Donna is patient and kind; Donna does not envy or boast; Donna is not arrogant or rude. Donna doesn't insist on her own way.........."

I wonder if we sincerely took those words to heart and applied them and heeded them in our marriages and friendships, how many relationships would be saved? What if we quoted this chapter before our feet hit the floor each morning? Imagine how we could change our world when we made LOVE our priority? .

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."

How can we compare THAT love to the love that we share? In reality, we are just not capable, in ourselves, to love the unlovely or love those who have hurt us, but if we ask God to place within us His AGAPE love (His selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love), we CAN be that kind of LOVER. AGAPE love is a divine capacity to love. And I pray for His AGAPE love to be in me and you today, AND to flow through us to those who need His love so much.

Love through me, Holy Spirit, love through me,
I will be my brother's keeper, love through me;
Hearts are bleeding deep inside, love can dry the weeping eye,
Love through me, Holy Spirit, love through me..