Love

There are a ton of love songs. Some are about the pain it brings, some are about the magic of it, some are longing for it. I've written a few that I sing to Jason often when words aren't enough. Few songs, however, really, truly capture what love is. My dad did an excellent job teaching me about real love. He told me all the time, "Love is a choice." He showed me all the time, "Love is an action." He is constantly thinking of his wife, constantly showing her his love, constantly reminding her that they chose each other for better or for worse. It is a beautiful picture and one that I try to imitate. Jason's parents were the same. Very loving, very sweet, very romantic. Both Dad and Peter (Jason's dad) understand "Love is a choice. Love is an action." One of my favorite passages of all time is 1 Corinthians 13. I think it demonstrates the choice and the action of love in a beautiful, real way. It also reminds me that I'm not perfect. I can tell someone I love them all day long but I am not perfect. I am selfish, not selfless. Love is selfless.

Scripture is in italics. I am in bold.

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
I am nothing! How incredible is that? I can have faith, knowledge, gifts, and many other valuable things but all of that is worthless. I am nothing but a "clanging cymbal." What is faith and knowledge without love? What is it worth? What purpose does it serve? Better yet, what is love? Answer:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
That's asking a lot. I am not patient or kind. I envy, I boast, I'm proud. I'm rude, I'm selfish, I'm short tempered, I hold grudges, I protect myself, I trust no one, I hope but have a backup, I give up easily. I am not love. I do not portray this love that's outlined. And it's just that: an outline. These are the guide lines to love. And I can't even follow the basics? I am a failure. I fall short of the glory of God. Yet, He sent His one and only Son so that I might believe and have everlasting life. Incredible, huh? I am not the picture of love, but He is. He is patient with my mistakes and fumbles. He is kind in His rebuking. HE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS! Woo!! He rejoices in truth. He is constantly protecting, trusting, hoping, persevering. He had to, to die on the cross. How great is our God!!
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. Everything we value and everything we see is fleeting. It will all go away! 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
The greatest is looooove.... I can't help but sing the song. "Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us and the greatest is loooooove" All other things are small, insignificant, meaningless without love.