overJOYed!!!

(listening to Needtobreathe; The Heat)

What an exciting week it has been for 2 of my very best friends! Joy and Eric are officially engaged! I am so happy for the both of them! It is such a sweet moment in life when 2 people find each other through life's fateful paths. Who would've thunk it that the boy next door, and one of my dearest friends would, through the twists of life, end up betrothed to a later-in-life best friend. God is good! They have a child's romance and I pray they continue to love one other more and more each and every day. It has been particularly JOYful, for me to watch their relationship unfold and to see the love grow right before my very eyes.

Thoughts on the "L-word"

Love is a most beautiful thing and I believe that the union of man and woman is the closest humans will come to physically "seeing" what Christ's love looks like on earth. In my finite mind, I paint the picture "love" with these words: selfless, giving, patient, loyal, deep abiding respect, genuine interest, appreciation, encouragement, unfaltering support, positive communication,willingness to forgive, meaningful togetherness, romance, working and dreaming as one, surrender, understanding....just to name a few May we love one another and look for opportunity to share Christ's love with others today. And I don't mean just loving the one to whom we may be involved with relationally, but love those all around us.

"Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle"

Romans 12:9-10 (The Message)

"9 And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],

10 So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].

11 May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized]."

Philippians 1:9-11 (Amplified)

"Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!"

1 Peter 4:7-11 ( The Message)