Winter

Winter

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Thursday Thoughts


I have had a few conversions that have caused me to think
about things and I know with Valentines Day around the corner,
it made me think about what is love. Is it a feeling or an action.
Me, being a mother of course sees love as being an action, my life
for yours, and what Jesus did by dying to free us from death and to give
us hope. The Bible says God is love, so by that I know that that is
in His nature as is mercy and forgiveness. I also know that while
we were yet sinners Christ died for us. I know all of that and while
it has taken me a long time to try and see with eyes that understands trials and
hard things as love and for my good.

So I had these conversations, One was with a mother who
is raising her daughter to like boys " because of what they buy
her daughter and he is good if he gets you presents." I am not
a fast thinker so I knew that was a wrong thing to be teaching your
daughter but of course it has taken me a week to come up with an
answer. My next one was with a man who has lived a lifestyle that
will kill him. He was telling me that love to him was that he would
be accepted and loved for who he is and that I would overlook his
lifestyle.
I had to explain that his choices have made it impossible for him to be
around my children and grandchildren. I explained to him what I
thought love was and that it was sacrificial that it was giving up
what I want to make other people happy and to think higher of others
than myself. To put others first.
He got mad and yelled and stormed. I have had these talks now with
him for at least 20 years and they always end this way.

So as I was thinking about what love is, a story came to me
so I thought I would share it. When we had our son, our first
son, we were really poor. Only I didn't really know it. I can
look back and it was a really bad recession then. We were so poor
that I had to take the baby to a Well Baby Clinic to get shots and
I remember the lady looking at my paper work and told me I could
get assistance. I blew a fuse and yelled at her saying, " We are not poor!!
we live just fine." Which we were living just fine. We had food and a roof
over our head, I had two healthy children and I had a loving husband.
What more did I need.
Well, just one more thing. After having the baby my hair was straight. In
1986 it was the years of big hair. I loved big hair, still do. I needed a perm.
but we didn't have the money for me to go get it done. Valentines Day was coming
so my husband, said, " To go down and buy one at the store and I will give you a permanent."


So I went to the store and got the cheapest one I could find and came home.
It was a Sunday after church. He got out the directions and read them over
and over looking at the diagrams on how to roll the hair around the roller.
He thought it looked like a piece of cake. I was already seeing myself with
big hair again. So after lunch that day we started. He must have stood and
rolled my hair for four hours. I would have to stop and nurse the baby and
by the time we got to the last part the baby was screaming, my poor husband
had worked so hard and spent the whole day doing that. But when it was
finished it was so soft and lovely.
So when I think about love I think of the million little ways that love is shown
and it doesn't come in a heart shaped box nor in a vase of flowers. Love is made
up of the tiny ways every day that we choose to give of ourselves to others.

These are just my thoughts, just things I was thinking about. I know if we were sitting
down over a cup of coffee, you could think of tiny little ways that say I love you everyday
we don't need one day to make it special. I really think that is what makes life special is
all of the ways we can serve others. A smile, a touch, or even a kind word, then everyday
can be Valentines Day.
~ Kim~

19 comments:

Julia said...

Oh my Kim, how loving of your husband to give you a perm, That is so sweet. That is love for sure. JB

Miss Debbie said...

What a sweet post. I can just see your hubby studying those directions to make sure he did it just right.That is a nice picture. You are right about love. I think there is an expression that says..."love isn't love until you give it away."

Kim said...

How lovely. I think you are a living example of love. Love should be an action more than a feeling.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts today.

TexWisGirl said...

What a sweet and wonderful husband. God has indeed blessed you. :)

Verde Farm said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Verde Farm said...

h Kim, what a wonderful post. This just makes my heart burst. You really have a wonderful, wonderful man and he has a wonderful, wonderful wife. I can just see him rolling your hair--that is definitely love. I am like you--I still love 80’s big hair. If I could get my perm and gel and my big bottle of white (extra strong) Aqua Net spray, pull my sides out and spray em till they stood out 3 inches from my head...I would be so happy.
You are right, love is the everyday thing and it’s not in a box.
Hugs my friend, Amy :)
PS-had to delete and re-post due to an awkward typo :)

Patrice said...

I had a Farrah Fawcett hair-do!I can't believe your husband would perm your hair. How cool is that! I just asked my hubby if he'd perm my hair. He looked at me kind of strange and replied "No way- I wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole. If we were so poor you couldn't get your hair done, I'd find a way to scrape up the money." That works for me!I can't imagine this farmer doing a perm anyway!!!!! lol ;)

Meg said...

That is so cute! Haha I had never heard that one. I think the ways Ben shows he loves me is by going to work every day, so we can have what we have, and doing all the little stuff like emptying the kitchen trash or getting the kids to play with him because it's just been one of those days and mommy needs a break.

So, is R back in town then?

Sue said...

Oh! Kim am I glad I came by tonight, My socks have been blessed off of my feet. I want to cry, and I want to laugh, this is one of the sweetest gifts ever.
And you have nailed what real love is about, how do I know? Why, I have been loved in the same way for many years by such a giving man, and I was thinking God had thrown the mold a way !! LOl. And I still do! LOLYou are such a treasure.
Love,
Sue

Jennifer said...

I wasn't expecting your perm story to turn out the way it did! What a blessing. A sweet love story.

WhiteWhispers2u said...

How Sweet! yes, even just a simple kind word can show someone how much you love them.I too think it's all the lil things that really show how much you love each other.~Cheers Kim

Debbie said...

OH Kim what an amazingly sweet post!! I think you have captured what love is REALLY well. It is the giving of oneself to another so that the person FEELS sooo loved. I think it would do us all good to think back and dwell a little bit on all the ways we have FELT loved and cherished over the years. It would make not only a good "blogging party" but remind us all how blessed we really are. Yours waa just wonderful. Have a good day! HUGS

I Love Pretty Little Things said...

i agree Wholeheartedly! Beautiful reminder of true and lasting love. :)
joyce

Kessie said...

Aw, I never heard that story before. That's so sweet.

The stories about the girls only liking men for what they buy, and the man who wants his lifestyle overlooked ... wow. I shall have to ponder that.

Farm Girl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Donna said...

That was just the best story ever!! To think a husband would take the time and trouble to do that is just...wow! A movie could be made fromt hat one scene. Perfect Valentine's post!!

Jacque. said...

ohgosh, Kim. That husband of yours is quite the man! Wow...I was blown away by your story. True love there!

Dawn said...

(sniff)...what a sweet Love Story!...
It's difficult for me to define love sometimes...especially with all the ups and downs in my personal life lately. I feel like a kid still trying to figure it out. Then I read stories like yours and it hits me just what Love is and is about.
Thank you

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Love this...I think you tie it up with a bow! That is what Love is...and I am so glad I can love, even in a very imperfect form, those around me and I have also received that kind of love from my husband also...what a treasure to have such wonderful husbands...a true gift from God.
Thanks for sharing...what an awesome post...you are truly gifted.
The greatest Love gift was an action...His death on the cross and resurrection!