Monthly Archives: April 2014

Love is a choice

We have Aqua Notes in our shower. Maybe a little TMI but stick with me. It was a fun little Christmas gift for my husband since he’s a creative  director and often has ideas in inconvenient places. Pat me on the back for being so thoughtful. And it’s a gift which he has used for that purpose exactly zero times. Because our kids have filled it up with I Love You notes.  Which is adorable. But this isn’t about that, so stick with me.

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Sure, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know my kids are moved to express their love for me, their father and sibling in writing. But it’s never brought me to tears. Until this morning.

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Let me translate: “I love you. If I had to pick a family I would say yes to you.”

What moves me is his choice. He doesn’t feel like love, he is choosing love.

Sure, love may start with a feeling and express itself as an emotion, but it needs to move to intentional action if it’s going to last. Because if I were to only be loved by those that feel like loving me, I’d be alone.  I mess up. I mean really. Y’all, I have to apologize after homework nearly every night – just one example among many. And he still chooses to love me! My husband still loves me even when I hurt him. Jesus still loves me even when I sin against him. Think about that. That ultimate choice of love. Beaten, bloody, humiliated and dying on the cross, I highly doubt Jesus felt love for me. But he chose to love me anyway. And in doing so gave the greatest gift of love of all time. My salvation.

And now my calling is to love others. To choose others, even when I don’t feel like it. To show it with action and to express it with words. Like on an Aqua Note. From the heart of a child. Love is a choice. Who are you choosing to love?