Um, that is fantastic. Write about that, stat.
So I figuratively ran back to that convo to see what the heck I'd written. And of course, it's only good because it's inspired by my Mom.
Let me share the convo:
What I wrote there was inspired by my Mom. She was the Mom who didn't have to work when I was little. She started part-time around when I was 8 so I had a lot of years of just the two of us. My siblings are all significantly older than I am so I basically had all day with her everyday.
I get that these days, being with your kids is a lot harder. Money is tight everywhere, and staying at home with the kids is hard to come by. I pray that I'll get the opportunity some day to stay home with my own children if God leads me to marriage and parenting.
My Mom was the first person who I got to see everyday all day. I got to see how she loved (which is greatly), how she served (which is often), how she cared (which is a lot), and the list goes on. She showed me love in her actions to me and to everyone she met.
Nowadays I spend a lot of times with friends who have kids. I love the opportunity I have to love all.
But sometimes I hear a mom say something like:
tell Mommy how much you love her
who's your favourite person? MOMMY!!!
if you do that Mommy will love you more
And my heart hurts.
Because that is not the right way (in my humble single girl opinion) to show or even gain love from your child.
I love my Mom not because she has ever said you had better love me now but because she is the most consistent person in my life. She loves me no matter what. She takes time to listen, time to care, time to offer wisdom, and time to let me figure things out by myself.
She is compassionate and kind. She is wise and loving.
She is never forceful. And on the rare occasion when she is, she's a fast apology.
I think this love translates to more than parenting though. It goes to friendship.
The line I tweeted bears repeating.
I *think* the key to gaining a good friendship with her is to love out more than you expect love in.
In every area of friendship in my life, I need to love out.
At my Mom's work, she is known for her kindness. When I talk to anyone who works with her, they always have kind words to say about her. It's because she's authentic to love.
And if I'm unsure of how to do that in my own life, in friendship and relationships, I can look to Jesus.
Well, I can look to Jesus when I'm unsure about anything.
He was the ultimate LOVE OUT person - to the point of death, even death on a cross!
He did it all for love, for our love.
And not to gain our love.
But to give us love.
Love, that if we accept it, leads to life.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
(1 John 4:18-19 ESV)
I want to love out.
How about you? How do you love out?
