The Greatest Love Story

I have a weakness for love stories.  One of my favorite stress relievers is a bar of chocolate, a blanket, and a paperback love novel.  I don’t care if its a beautiful sunny day.  I can totally stay inside, get under the covers, and read a book.  My favorite is the love story between hero and heroine who have a past.  Couples who have once loved and unforeseen circumstances caused them to them to grow apart or be apart, when lo and behold they happen to reconnect years later as singles.  As hard as they try they can’t resist each other.  The love is too strong, the passion burns, the connection is like no other..... 

In real life, I’m more of a realist.  Darren actually complains because I'm missing a romantic bone.  I’m not one to plan a private dinner, or hold hands, or talk lovey, dovey.  I’m totally Patrick Swayze “ditto”.   I have to work at it.  Besides in real life  if I looked at my husband and said something from a book like “Oh my darling’ your love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes me reach for more; you plant a fire in my heart everyday I look at you!  Kiss me NOW”  he would have me at the doctor ASAP wondering if something was terminally wrong.  No need to scare anyone with my love quotes.

Speaking of being realistic, this weekend, we are celebrating Easter as a family.  The Easter Bunny is coming with baskets (if I can find the ones from last year).  We tried to dye GLITTER eggs (my hands are currently stained blue).  Cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents are gathering for Easter lunch (I think I forgot the plates).  My dream of buying a little girl a beautiful easter dress and a little boy a smart tie has come true (connor is already complaining about the tie and carlee's shoes don't fit- she has no shoes). 
It’s a special time, but it is also a time to never forget the most beautiful love story ever written.  Not a fantasy.  A true story.

A story about love so strong no amount of history or past could come between you.  A story of heartache and pain at the cross.  It was done because He choose you, He loves you, He planned you, He wanted you, He knows you, He cares about you, He wants to hear every detail, He celebrates with you, He knows your past, He forgives, He rejoices with you, He wants you to be happy, He feels your hurt, He Blesses You, He Saves You, He Died for YOU.  He is Risen.   The list goes on.  There is no hero like that.  

This week I sat in a meeting for my son.  It was so hard for me to separate the image in my head of his sweet baby face with bright blues eyes that would reach up with those chubby arms and ask for his “ma-ma” with the growing seven year old student he is now.  It is hard.  I love my children and they will always be my babies.  I don’t want them to struggle, or hurt, or feel pain, or cry.   I know they have to experience these things.  They have to grow, and struggle, and experience discomfort.  But I don’t have to enjoy it.  Jesus wants the same thing for His children.  In the words of Lysa Terkeurst, ‘Jesus has never ever asked for us to be perfect. He simply wants us perfectly surrendered.’

Jesus’ love for us is stronger than I could ever understand.  I can only try to understand through the love I feel for my family.

When I’m feeling like God isn’t listening, when I become overwhelmed with the horrors of the world, when I think I can’t do this, when I get mad that things can’t be perfectly easy for me....

I am reminded of the best love story of all time, where the hero is always there.  

Easter is not a holiday for Christians, it is a holiday for all people.

You are forgiven.

You are loved.