Love wins! Or so I thought.

Back in January I ventured out to post 365 days of love and it only took a month before I fell off the wagon. I can't remember exactly what happened, but I wasn't feeling the love anymore.

It could have been something someone said or did.
It could have been something I felt or assumed.
It could have been nothing.

Nevertheless, I let it go and ignored it. I allowed "it" to get in the way of my attitude. How often do we set out to make good and someone else messes up our plan? How often do we have good intention and someone else comes in with negativity?

It always gets me when I allow someone else to ruin my day or affect my attitude for no reason. But if I had been focused on others rather than myself, I wouldn't have let it get to me. I wouldn't have quit on love.

Sometimes we have to push through our own insecurities to let love win. What is getting at you today? Move on, you be you, and let your love affect others rather than letting them affect you.

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Forgive and Forget...#loveproject365

11/365 #loveproject365

I don't like to be fooled.

I don't like to be lied to or deceived and I would bet most people don't.

But as humans, it happens to us all at some point. In our culture today, it seems that it is easier and even acceptable to stretch the truth a little, keep some details out or just simple keep quiet all together and we aren't actually lying. I have said it many times before, but I one of integrity regardless of what it might cost me. I value honesty and truth and if it hurts, so be it. Just be honest with me.

As a teacher, I get a lot of stories. Stories that stretch the truth and even flat out lie. Sometimes the stories are so believable, I am not sure what is truth anymore. Today, for example, a student came in to contest his B+. As we looked at his grade, I realized he submitted his final project three days late and it didn't even look like he worked an extra three days on it. Actually, it looked more like three hours on a five week project. His explanation? He didn't know where to submit it. Hmmm....I have 38 students in the class, and 37 knew where to submit it. Lie? Maybe? Maybe he just was too afraid to ask someone, knowing it was so late. Who knows? This is a minor offense, but a lie nonetheless. Unfortunately, I have a hard time letting it go for the next time he comes in with a story.

I am sure you could think of a few stories of your own to share where someone has told you a story that just didn't seem right, only to find out later, it was a flat out lie. I don't know why people are so afraid of the truth, but they are. Knowing this about others, I have become quite skeptical of pretty much everyone and everything. Over the course of several years, I have a hard time trusting anyone, in fear that what I think is true is a lie. That some day down the road, it will hurt me. With this attitude, love is hard to find.

But then, I look at Jesus and I think about Judas. Talk about the ultimate lie! He sold him down the river to be crucified. AND they were friends! But guess what? Jesus forgave him and let it go. If only I had a little bit of that Jesus in me to forgive so easily and then forget. As I work through this year, trying to love more freely, I am reminded again that I have to be willing to let go. Let go of the little lies and the big ones. To love no matter what. To be like Jesus, is to forgive, so you can forget. To give that young man who came in desperate to save his grade, a little forgiveness, so next time, I can be open to his next story.

"it (love) is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

1 Corinthians 13:5

Everyone Wants to be Loved #loveproject365

10/365 #loveproject365


Yes, it is true! No matter what we say, we all want to be loved and be pursued. Sometimes I wonder what God was thinking when he created man and woman, both so different and with such different needs. After watching the Bachelor last night, yes I went there, I realized how desperate girls are for love. We want to be THE one he chooses. We want to have what the others don't. I know it is a "reality" tv show but if it weren't so real, why would there still be an audience? And why would men and women still apply? They have watched the train wreck for years. Yes, of course, there are the exotic dates and trips to faraway lands that could entice any single male or female, but seriously, these girls really believe they will find love and are willing to pursue it at this cost. Some get it, some don't.

Unfortunately, for most of us, love isn't a trip to Paris to skydive from the Eiffel Tower or finding ourselves having a picnic on some deserted island for the weekend. Of course, we could all fall in love on a helicopter landing on a yacht in the middle of an ocean only to find ourselves in a hot tub that same day on that same yacht and then land ourselves dinner in the middle of Newport Beach with no one around. I wonder how many of us could arrange that for a romantic day out. When life is forgotten and you don't have to take the kids to school or get up in the morning to go to a job to pay the mortgage, it is easy to fall in love. BUT that isn't our reality, and nor is it theirs when it is all over. Love has to withstand life and all that it has to offer without the glamour and glitz and in order to do that, we have to pursue the one we love continually. The bachelor girls maybe go a little too far in their pursuit of love, but what we can learn from them, is the longing to make someone feel like they matter. You don't have to take off your clothes or make out on the first date, but be gentle, kind and most importantly, pursue love like God pursues you-unconditionally and mercifully.

"Love never fails." 

1 Corinthians 13:8

Enjoy the Simple Things #loveproject365

6/365 #loveproject 365

After a long drive home, I am always thankful to get back to this little guy. He wags his tag like crazy and follows me around for the first hour while I put things away. In the midst of it all, I have to remember to stop and reach down to love on him before I get too caught up in all that still has to be done.

The simple things can bring us joy each day. Don't forget to pay attention.

"But ask the animals they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." -Job 12:7-10

Working Together #loveproject365

5/365 #loveproject365

Today is our last day in Vegas at CES and what a great time it was! This will definitely not be a love post of Vegas but our time there was awesome. We aren't big gamblers, we don't drink and we didn't see any shows but working side by side and exploring new technology was fun. Maybe a little too nerdy for some, but Rob and I have different perspectives and different reasons for exploring technology in our lives. The cool part of the trip was that we worked as a team to review and experience the show. Rob meeting and networking while I was wowed by all the new ideas I could gather for my teaching. An overwhelming day for me at times, but the joy came in the end when I realized how fun it is to work as a team with my one and only.

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Ephesians 4:16

Don't get in my Way #loveproject365

"Love is patient, love is kind." 1 Corinthians 13:4

Some people are so good at being patient. Waiting in line, they spark up a conversation. When they are stuck in traffic, they turn up the radio and sing along. When they kids are taking too long to get ready, they embrace the time they have with them that morning. In every situation, they focus on others. For me, I am not very good at being patient and often am quite selfish. Like most of us, I want things now and want everything done yesterday. I have a schedule to keep and appointments to get to, but the funny thing is, even if I had all the time in the world, I would still rush people. 

But love is patient, love is kind. It puts others first and us second. It requires us to endure relationships and situations with patience. Sometimes relationships are hard and loving those who offend us or hurt us is even harder. For me, I just quit. Not because I don't like conflict but because I am afraid. During our times of hardship, love does not give up, but instead endures through patience and kindness. It allows the struggle and produces a deeper love. Like patience, kindness is sensitive to others in all situations. When I think about the times I quit because someone hurt me, I realize I made the situation about me. Loving others requires us to focus on others in a way that is forgiving and kind.