If I speak all wisdom, and can train my children to have great character and great knowledge so they get full-ride scholarships to college, and they turn out to be respectful, responsible and resourceful citizens, but I have not love, I am only a nagging drone.
If I have a great gift of design and can create a beautiful home, and actually keep it mostly clean, and can entertain all kinds of parties and people, and if I plan great trips for my family and spontaneous fun adventures as well, and if I can balance all my responsibilities, work, projects, and errands, and even come up with witty Facebook statuses once in awhile, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give up all my desires for a shower, and still manage to look delightful, and if I surrender my body to be the playground my babies want it to be, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient when I hear the 426th question from my children that day. Love is kind to my husband even when he comes home later than I was expecting him. Love does not envy people like Carol Brady who have an Alice to do all the work and meals; it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude to the person driving in front of me going way too slow and not letting me pass; it is not self-seeking even after 9:00 pm when the kids are supposed to have been in bed an hour ago but they keep coming down; it is not easily angered when things I just did are now undone; it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, even when the lawnmower won’t start. Love never fails, even when a full night of uninterrupted sleep is a distant memory.
If I have a great gift of design and can create a beautiful home, and actually keep it mostly clean, and can entertain all kinds of parties and people, and if I plan great trips for my family and spontaneous fun adventures as well, and if I can balance all my responsibilities, work, projects, and errands, and even come up with witty Facebook statuses once in awhile, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give up all my desires for a shower, and still manage to look delightful, and if I surrender my body to be the playground my babies want it to be, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient when I hear the 426th question from my children that day. Love is kind to my husband even when he comes home later than I was expecting him. Love does not envy people like Carol Brady who have an Alice to do all the work and meals; it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude to the person driving in front of me going way too slow and not letting me pass; it is not self-seeking even after 9:00 pm when the kids are supposed to have been in bed an hour ago but they keep coming down; it is not easily angered when things I just did are now undone; it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, even when the lawnmower won’t start. Love never fails, even when a full night of uninterrupted sleep is a distant memory.
brilliant. true.
ReplyDeleteLove it, Amy!
ReplyDeleteThis is going in my curriculum! I love it!
ReplyDeleteLOVE this!! I think I'll print it out and hang it up! :-)
ReplyDeleteAmy that is awesome..
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder! Preach it!!
ReplyDelete