Love

I know I've talked a lot today, but I have more to share. It's amazing what happens when we are still and well, relaxing! I haven't feel this good in such a long time!

This is going to sound strange, but I finished the end of Martha to the Max, and will go back to the beginning (I actually do this a lot, even with movies...kinda weird!). I started the book last year and picked up in the middle of it last night so I could read the parts that I felt applied to my recent situation. (By the way, watching the last part of Gone With the Wind first (without realizing it) is kinda strange but fun at the same time. And then when you watch the first part last...oh, never mind! Ha!)

Anyway...the end finished with such a neat truth. It's all about LOVE!

Here's the scriptural story about Martha in Luke 10:41-42:

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered (burdened) about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

What is that one thing? I believe it's LOVE.

When I read this I sat for a moment and thought about this. I really pondered it. And when I'm doing such, I feel the need to write. I journal quite a bit, so I started to write. I don't normally share what I journal about with anyone, but I thought it would be good to in this case.

Being a perfectionist isn't being "loving". Perfectionism says, "I will love and accept you when you are flawless." Perfectionism holds up high standards; it's kind of love is conditional. When I think I have to be perfect, I'm telling myself that what God has done in me and created wasn't good enough.

Love looks at flaws and short-comings with patience. Love looks at the heart, not the appearance or performance. True love accepts a person just as they are--no matter what--we are to love everyone, even our enemies. Thinking everyone and myself has to be perfect all of the time isn't love. That's conditional. When I look at life through the eyes of love, I don't assume bad things about others or even assume they are judging me or thinking bad of me. Love believes the best.

When I create a card for a demonstration, I have done my best. If someone doesn't like the card and thinks evil of it--they are not believing the best. They assume I was short-handing them. They are basically assuming I purposely created something they wouldn't like. They aren't believing the best. I have heard women complain about some demonstrations, like I purposely planned on their crafting demise. [As I was typing this I realize that just because someone doesn't like a card I have demonstrated doesn't mean that they think evil of me, they just simply might not care for the card (and that's ok!), because that would be me assuming bad things, BUT for the general purpose, I hope you see my point].

We recently had a guest who didn't meet my expectations of dish cleaning. At first it bothered me, or rather, I let it bother me. But then I realized I wasn't thinking the best of this person (love). I told myself that they weren't out to get me. Their heart was good in wanting to help out. They purposely meant well, not evil. (And why do I have to have such high expectations on washing dishes, anyway? Ha!) And so I was able to rest in that love.

It really all DOES come back to love and assuming the best of every person! When I allow myself and others to be themselves, to be human, I am in turn loving them.

When I love, I no longer feel the need to constantly apologize for or justify my mistakes or imperfections. I no longer need to comment on every single flaw on a card or scrapbook. [I realize I do this because I don't like criticism or feeling rejected]. Flaws mean there was a human touch. Would you rather receive a) 1 of a million copy of a letter signed by the President (like a printed one that has been mass produced)? or b) a letter actually signed by him with a smudge-mark from his ink pen? I love personal touches. I love ALL cards I receive, but I really enjoy cards with a personal human touch (that have been written in, smudged, sneezed on, spilled with coffee, etc.). We are not perfectly programmed robots--we are humans!

Love says, "You are free to be you! And I am free to be me!" Love brings such freedom! [Love says it's ok that dinner is late and your house looks like a bomb went off]

When we truly love then we truly liberate those around us. We believe the best and stop assuming the worst. We may never know someone's true motive, but when we look through the eyes of love, their motives are always pure.*

*I realize that just because we believe someone's motives are pure because of love, doesn't necessarily mean that they are. There are people with wrong motives. My point is that love believes the best and doesn't hold a wrong done against someone. Love is always the answer. It is "the one thing".