Monday Meme: Love and Honor

"With freedom comes responsibility."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

We have free will.  God lets us choose. Look at how Christ dealt with the people.  He said his peace and then let them choose to follow him or not.  That does not mean the decision is easy.  It is a choice, just like love is.  Love is a choice.  Love of one’s spouse.  Love of one’s family.  Love of one’s country.

What will one do to show his love?

What is a person willing to give to protect?

Christ showed the ultimate love:  giving of His life for others.  

This holiday weekend, we stand in awe of those who chose to love, and showed that love by sacrificing self.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

~John 15:13

Monday Meme: Messages with Love

Messages with Love

 

This morning I promise myself to be patient and loving. I will not yell.  I want a peaceful home. I will not yell.  Two minutes pass, and chaos surrounds me.  Kids want this, and husband needs that.  I just smile. 

 

I am armed with ammunition of love.  When faced with challenges of lost shoes or siblings arguing, I say nothing.  Instead, I give a heart.  Shooting a heart may be more appropriate in a house of five boys, but there are enough projectiles flying via their toys.  On the heart is the message, whatever the message needs to be.  The recipient reads it, thanks me kindly for the reminder, and we both move on.  Tranquility…

 

Reality is different.  If I give my kids candy hearts, they’d be on a sugar high.  They’d also learn quickly to misbehave so they could get candy.  However, this idea of candy hearts may not be all bad for me.  It’d remind me to speak with love, to ensure whatever I say is spoken to encourage or teach.  It could remind me to address just that issue and not drone on.  Too often, I yell at those I love dearly.  I react instantly instead of taking a moment to think.  A message on a heart from me reminds me to speak from the heart—with love and make that my reality.

Monday Meme: Love Begins at HOME

What is THE most important lesson to learn in life? The Golden Rule? Redemption? The two Great Commandments? Don’t kill the little one who left the Lego out for our little toes to find? Well, they all have one thing in common! Love. So simply put: love. In English, we love everything. We love our coffee. We love our kids. We love not having to clean or do laundry. However, we clean or do laundry because we love. We love our family so they have a clean home or clean clothes. We love our coffee so we can clean and do laundry… because we love our family. No matter how you phrase it or reason it, love is our motivator. Love is a decision. Love is WHY we do what we do, especially if we don’t love what we actually are doing. Sometimes, recognizing that difference can help us finish those mundane tasks with a smile. St. Therese of Lisieux articulated it best: “Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.” Story of a Soul, Chapter VIII