Sweet love...

Today is Valentine's Day...all three kids had parties in their classes. I made treats for their classes and Ethan and Isabelle and I all made Valentines for their classmates. We all left for school this morning dressed in red. Although Valentine's Day is not celebrated here, our life in these moments is lived with mostly Americans during school, so at least for this year, we remember Valentine's Day.

So, getting to the point of this post...When I picked Audrey up from her class today she ran over to me with her little chubby hand clenched in a fist. With a smile on her face, she opened her hand to show me a pice of half-melted chocolate and said, "This is for you, Mommy! I've been saving it all day for you!" It was one of the sweetest moments I have ever experienced! The chocolate, which was once a star, was somewhat deformed and a portion of it was melted onto her chubby little hand. Nevermind that, she excitedly looked up at me and said, "Eat it, Mommy!" After asking her if I could wait a little bit, she said, "No, Mommy, eat it now! I've been waiting all day to give it to you!" So, I ate the wonderful gift she gave me, trying not to think about how long she had been holding it in her hand or if she had washed her hands before she unwrapped it and held onto it...

Such a sweet moment. To think that she was given this piece of chocolate and thought to save it for her mom really blows me away. What could I ever have done to deserve such love and devotion?

In chapel today at school, a missionary couple who are both students shared special songs and shared somne special moments form their lives as well as a part of their testimony. It was a special time to reflect on the love our Creator has for us, as well as the love we share in and through Christ with our spouse. Cliff, who is an ordained minster, stood before the students in chapel and gave the spouses the opportunity to renew their vows publicly. So, as a group, those couples in the chapel stood and shared their vows again with their spouse. And, yes, Matt and I spoke our vows to each other. It was a good reflection and time of remembrance of that moment 9 years and some months ago when we first said our vows. It was 10 years ago today that he first proposed to me...Then, when I came out of the bedroom after getting Audrey to sleep for her nap, I realized he had snuck away and bought flowers for me - a beautiful bouquet of lilies (Katrina- they are the exact color of orange that I love!!!)

All of this to bring me to this reflection...When Audrey handed me that candy today, she was so happy to give me the gift she had been preciously guarding for me for quite some time based on the appearance of the chocolate. She could have so easily kept it for herself and I never would have known or ever thought of eating it myself. But she was so happy to give it to me.

Isn't this just like what God has done for us? He has a Son who was pure,blameless, perfect that he could have easily allowed to live a perfect life with him forever. Yet, he chose to joyfully share his Son with the world that he created so that we would have a perfect example of the life we are called to live. Christ also could have chosen to keep to himself the gift he was given of a pure life. He could have lived out his life in any way he chose because he was in himself his father. Yet, he also chose to give sacrificially of himself. Just as Audrey came to me today, with her little hand holding a precious gift just for me, Jesus comes to each one of us, with a gift more precious than any other we will ever recieve- the gift of grace and salvation in him.

I stood before one hundred or so people a little over 9 years ago and made a committment to my husband to love him and stand by his side for richer or for poorer, through sickness and through health, for better or for worse, til death do us part. those are words I promised then and still hold true in my heart today. The couple that spoke today also read the poem entitled "Marriage Takes Three," which is one that we love. The point of it is that marriage is not just between a man and a woman, but must include the Lord has the cord that binds the two. This is so true and we know it from personal experience. Tonight Matt shared with our gringo team from 1 Corinthians 13 and our discussion brought up how love is a choice, one that is not easy at times and not within our nature. But, love is so freely offered to us from Jesus- with no strings attached. All we have to say is "Yes, Lord. Here I am. I here you and I want the gift you have for me."

Today, I encourage you to reflect on the love that Christ has for you- a love that is greater than even the love of a spouse or parent or any love found on this earth.