If Jesus is no more than a scripted characterization or a splendid example, mostly looked upon as a baby in a manger during Christmas time. Or if Santa claus is like the wise men, deeming that all children are to be the recipients of gifts. Then, we can add the Easter Bunny (as we have), a leprechaun or two, or even a spooky, yet pleasant imagination of ghosts and goblins. Yes, with adding candy, anything is possible to look forward to ...even a nightmarish Halloween.

Yes, loving our children helps them to understand ...yet, that's not all they need to understand about love.

To me, nothing else comes close to the love of God.  In believing in Him, and seeing that He sent us Jesus ...how more convinced of His love could we be??

And there's nothing more beautiful and loving  ...as it is in reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Yet, First Corinthians, Chapter 13, is usually called the Love Chapter.  And people usually begin with verse 4, and recite some version of: "Love is patient; love is kind ..."

First Corinthians, Chapter 13 ...is the ideal we should always strive for. The ideal is a clear standard. And though we know we can never achieve it ...we should believe it.

Yes, I know we live in reality ...and everything is not the same for each individual.  Though the love of Jesus is for everyone, for each individual.

Yet, though Jesus extends His love to each individual ...each individual reserves the right to place whatever value they want on that love.

There is nothing that God doesn't understand about love ...we are only limited by what we understand about God.  But, God understands our limitations ...and we should understand the difference between excusing and forgiving.

Here are some of the ways we often are ...that we ask God forgiveness for:

• Sometimes love is impatient.
• Sometimes love seems like a different kind.
• Sometimes love thinks too little of itself, and covers the feeling with the opposite expression.
• Sometimes love is offended, hurts the esteemed self, and can become rude, or even angry for a bit.
• Sometimes love begins to list wrongs, from anywheres of fifteen to twenty or so years ago, in spite of the often stated excuse, "I'm sorry, I forgot! At times it's hard for me to remember things that happened just last week."  (A week argument, and if you think I'm buying that, you must think I'm in a days) ...and speaking of remembering, or lack of it:
• Sometimes love calls another on the phone about a personal need on the other's Anniversary, doesn't have a clue, and then keeps the person occupied for over an hour with a discussion over politics ...when that other person could be spending quality time with their beloved spouse (the guilty party not preventing those delights, but admittedly interrupting the inevitable Anniversary snuggles). 
• Sometimes love can be really stupid (that's the truth, whether rejoiced in, or not).
• But, sometimes love ignores (protects) all that ...simply because that is love.
• Admittedly, it's still stupid of me (and you can trust continued mess-ups).
• I hope that you won't be the same way when you get to be my age.
• And thanks for persevering ...you'll have to, as you'll be seeing me in a couple more months.

Here are some other images of love ...

Before I get to love, what we call love is not always what it should be ...but, it can be special for the time.  And it can start out as simple recognition.

We all seem to look to things to help us connect. Yet, in doing so, if we rely too much on technology ...we may miss out to much on those experiences that develop lasting memories.  

I know we have entered an age which may have a lasting effect, if not lasting experiences.  We have Twitter, Facebook, and (yes, even) blogs.  A good friend of mine, Jeff, shared this following note on Facebook:

"I’ve given up on the social media, and am trying to make friends outside Facebook while applying the same principles. Every day, I walk down the street and tell passersby what I’ve eaten, how I feel, what I did the night before, and what I will do tomorrow. Then I give them pictures of my family, my dog, and me gardening. I also listen to their conversations and tell them I love them. And it works. I already have three people following me—two police officers and a psychiatrist."

Now, on to some other experiences that do contribute to our emotional growth.

When I was young, it was not uncommon for someone to have a crush on someone.

Seldom did they share flowers ...more likely they'd share an Orange Crush, creating a great bond by sharing the same drink & without either of them caring about backwash. Backwash could be considered in the same category as kissing ...both your lips touching the drink.  When a boy & a girl saw each other as cool, the smiles and innocent conversation was also considered cool ...but, uncool for two guys to share in the same way.

Lipstick was still not trendy at that age ...the closest you'd get to facial paint was eating watermelon.

But, things seemed to change ...quickly, without warning, hearts began to soar.

You somehow felt connected ...and you didn't always know why, but it felt good embracing the idea.

You no longer seemed to care if the rest of the world knew.  It became more than a crush ...today, it's called crushing.  When it's still at the vulnerable stage, the fear of rejection builds with the degree that is invested emotionally.  It could feel like someone is sitting on your heart ...and that could be crushing, perhaps worried of also crashing.  But, on the other hand, more confidence in oneself also develops in the comfort of two. With that ...not even would it seem the sky is the limit.

And you may cross your fingers, knowing what you want in a relationship ...and hoping your significant other has the same mutual feelings.  At times you feel life is in the palm of your hand, with nothing able to discourage you, as long as you have each other. If life throws you a punch, you just knuckle down.

As we reflect on all the stages of life, there are times we can see ourselves soar. We may go hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, or lean on one another.  There are happy moments ...and there are grave moments.

We realize life in this world is only temporary ...and it can be spelled out so clearly, yet the next moment it can be washed away.

Jesus wrote something in the sand ...we don't know what it was, but he spoke aloud in defense of the woman, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone."

Jesus turned the tide with that one, and as all the stones were dropped and the accusers walked away, He told the woman, "Neither do I condemn you. Now, go, and sin no more."

Yes, there is an eternal love that has always been there ...whether we realized it or not.  And that love is waiting for us.  It helps when the world shares that love, but when it does not ...the love is still there.