What's Love Got To Do With It?

It's Sunday night, and I feel relaxed. With one more week of break to enjoy, I can't help but smile as I sip on chai tea and watch football. I had a productive day starting with a freezing run, followed by church, and a few hours at Panera Bread working on a semester test for American Literature. All in a day's work!

Yesterday, my family traveled to my grandpa's house for Christmas. While we did spend time reading the Christmas story and munching on sugar cookies, most of our time was spent packing up my grandpa's things as he transitions into an assisted living facility on the other side of the state. We shared laughs as we reminisced and worked to get things in order for Grandpa. I've always been close with my grandpa. We share words and prays by way of email and even a few pieces of snail-mail. We spent ten days in Haiti building desks for schools in Pignon. While we were there, we bonded with the others and created memories that no one else but us will ever be able to understand. As Grandpa pulled me into his office to talk, I started to feel a little sad. He is going to be farther away from me than ever before, and I will miss the home that I have visited him and my grandma at for so many years. I realize it's just a house, and I can email, call, and even visit, but I couldn't help but feel a little sentimental about the whole thing.

In pure Grandpa VR fashion, he prepared a message for all of us as we sifted through the Bible and remembered the true message behind Christmas: Love. God gave his only son so that we could have eternal life. Grandpa gave each of "his girls" a Jane Seymour Open Hearts necklace along with a note explaining why... "If your heart is open, love will always find its way in." In the year 2015, I want to have an open heart. I want to be on fire for God, and show His love to everyone I meet along my journey.

This morning in church, the minister spoke about our "love priorities." Most Christians would say they prioritize love in this order: God, my family, God's people, others. In reality, it should go: God & God's people, my family, others. I would do anything for my family. If my sister called and needed me, I would drop everything to help her. Most of us can relate to this; however, would we do this for our Christian brothers and sisters? God calls us to. He calls us to love everyone as we love ourselves. It's not always easy. I mean, it's not always easy to love my own sister, but that love is unconditional. As Christians, we need to pour that love on everyone. We need to be willing to help, share, and care for others. When our hearts are open, God can pour in us; He can use us the way He has intended.

So, what's love got to do with it? Everything.