Loving.

My daughter Zoe is 17 months old. She is wild and crazy and hilarious and adventurous. She is also one of the most kind-hearted, loving children I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whenever we are out and about, she unabashedly smiles to everyone (even the cranky ones!), waves hello and tells them "bye-bye." She blows them kisses and likes to explain to them the details of her day. When she sees another "little" person her size, she runs to hug and kiss them... Sometimes accidentally tackling them. (Usually scaring them off... much to her dismay.)

She loves to love people. I love that about her. I love that she loves without reservation. I love that she is too naive to comprehend that some people are too cranky to wave back, so she waves anyway. I love that she's not afraid to love. It's like she enjoys making people happy.

So as we're walking through Albertson's the other day, and as I'm watching my child "love," I hear the Lord whisper, "Love like she loves."

Holy smokes.......

And here is the truth: I don't love half as well as she does. I am selfish, and rude, and afraid, and insecure. Granted, I am a grown person who also understands that there really are scary and creepy people out there who I can't go blowing kisses to. But that's not my point. My point is a matter of the heart. I don't want to be too selfish and insecure that it stops me from being cheerful to someone! I don't want to be afraid that I'll look like a loser for being kind. I don't want to think at all! I don't want to consider myself and my feelings more important than someone who may need a little encouragement. I want to love whole-heartedly, putting others ahead of myself.

I want to love like Zoe loves..... like Christ loves.


"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."    
1 John 3:16-18


"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
1 John 4:7-11

NEW Pictures.

Let me start you off with this bad boy. My husband is a great cook and he really enjoys baking (lucky me :) This is his chocolate chip cookie/brownie thing. And let me just say... It's a beautiful thing.

Then there's this beautiful thing. As you can see, she's practicing being a big sister.

I wish I could pull off this outfit :)

Life is good.

My mom and Papa Bob came for a visit.

Someone's going to have a curly head! (P.S. She's so serious sometimes!)

Collecting sticks... She loves sticks.

First morning in our new condo... Eating breakfast... Didn't have our table and chairs yet.

Snuggle time with Lambie.