Love always...

(I started the draft on this post on Feb 22nd. It's taken me awhile to finish it! Probably a prime example of why I don't get too deep too often...no time!)

"Love always does what is good for another person" - Michael Wells

I really love this quote and the ideas behind it. Think I Cor 13...love is not selfish. This is a tricky thing when you have kids! You love them, and so you think that that love will cover 'a multitude of sins', so to speak. But it won't. Just like how our Heavenly Father loves us, yet still, in that awesome love, always does what is best for us. Even when it comes in the form of a chastisement or a hard lesson learned. Sometimes that is the greatest love.

In a certain way...yes, I love my kids (sooo much!)...but I still love myself more. Because it's easier for me to do it, handle it, take care of it myself. So instead of loving them by instilling in them the critical character qualities it will take to succeed in life, I am selfish...because it's easier.

I would rather pick up all the toys, because it takes them forever, they usually knock over another basket, causing twice the cleanup.

I would rather clean up all the dishes because in their enthusiasm for life, they break things and spill food on the floor. Giving me twice the work as simply clearing the table.

(I would rather not have to fold the laundry, so I am teaching them how). Please tell me I am not the only one out there whose primary desire is to be focused on myself!

I have to step back and remind myself WHY. I am not raising children. I am raising husbands and wives. I am raising adults who will one day influence the world in which we live, even if only in a small way. I have no pretenses to assume that my children will one day run the country, discover a cure to diseases, or be a published author. (And maybe they will). But the likelyhood is extremely low. Chances are they will be regular folks, with pretty regular lives, but they will still have influence. But we want to aim for the extraordinary that can be found within the ordinary.

And by God's grace, they will be responsible. They will be grateful. They will be content. They will be mature. They will know what they believe, and why. They will be full of compassion and understanding.

Loving my kids means doing what is good for them. Even when they don't like it. Even when *I* don't like it. It's not about my comfort and ease in life, it's about training young hearts to follow the Lord, and act in accordance with a high moral standard. These things are both caught and taught. Which requires not only teaching, but living. Sometimes I don't feel like it, but that's not real love. Real love is always doing what is good for them. Real love is showing them Christ in every situation.