Alright so how fair is this….I have taken teacup pictures of Tori three times now and I still have not gotten what I wanted out of her.?? Good thing she is staying so small so I have more time.?? BUT when I did Beth’s teacup pictures, she knew just what I wanted and delivered in two minutes.?? :)?? Guess Beth will be my portfolio model for the teacup and not my darling daughter.?? Though I must admit, I love her “relaxing at a day spa” expressions.

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You can’t give it if you don’t have it.

It seems that every day I am learning more about what it means to “live loved”.?? When I am able to really embrace how much HE loves me, my love tank, my mercy tank…they start filling.?? It isn’t just a mere mental acknowledgement though.?? It’s the kind of understanding that is changing me from the inside out.?? As I understand at greater levels the depth of what has been given to me, that was underserved and unmerited by me, the more I have to offer others.??

Last night Jim and I went to see Fireproof.?? As the theme of this movie is reconcilation of broken marriages, it seemed an odd choice for an anniversary date.?? :)?? Jim and I both like Kirk Cameron though and we were interested to see what the producers of “Facing the Giants” put out this time.?? While it wasn’t a high budget Hollywood movie and some of the acting left much too be desired, we though Kirk did a pretty stellar job.?? Jim and I were both really moved and would highly recommend it as a??great date movie with your honey.????????

They presented some precious and solid marriage truths – good for those struggling and also for those whose marriages are in a “happy place”.?? We can all use gentle reminders.

There was one conversation in the movie that drew my attention yet again to “living loved”.?? There is a scene where Kirk’s character is telling his father that to the best of his ability, he had loved his wife.?? The essence of his father’s answer summarized a truth that is becoming more and more apparent to me.?? This is not a quote, but basically he told his son that he had not loved his wife because he didn’t have it to give it.

As a wife, a mommy, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend…I can see in my own life that I can’t give you something if I don’t have it.?? If I am not living loved, I can’t give it – not the “Jesus” kind anyhow.?? If I don’t believe I am really forgiven, I don’t forgive well.?? If I don’t “get” the mercy that has been applied to me, I am not so quick to give it to someone else.?? If I think I earned my relationship with Christ through my “good works” – I am pretty quick to insist you earn your way too.?? See where this all goes??? I want my love for my husband, my children and for you to be sincere.?? I want to love mercy more than I love my own ideas of justice.?? Micah 6:8 has been going around and around in my head for a week.?? “…and what does the Lord require of you??? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”?? (Bold emphasis mine).

It’s an amazing kind of freedom and a gift that keeps on giving.?? I pray that Jesus moves me closer to His kind of lovin’.

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