Passion - and then some

Passion.  In this time of Lent and Easter, we often talk about "The Passion of Christ".  But what is passion exactly?  We say we are passionate about things or people but, again, what does that entail?

I recently attended a piano concert here in town.  In between musical numbers, the pianist talked about his gift of music.  I watched as he valiantly tried to describe what he felt when he wrote music or played it.  He could not find the words to describe that "feeling" that enveloped him when he created.  He desperately tried to use vain words to convey to us how he felt about his music. He viscerally turned himself inside out trying to make us understand.  Passion is not something easily described.  It is something internal, guttural, personal, something that can't really be shared with others.  They can see the end result . . . beautiful music, in this case, but never know how it came to be.  I can never know what drives this man to write and play music.  I can enjoy it and appreciate it, but never understand the process or the passion it took to create it.

In some sense I feel similar things when I write.  I love words, the way they sound, what they express.  How is it that mankind can string together sounds that create meaning.  Not only words, but punctuation, to give those sounds impact.  Words have power - power to create or power to destroy.  We all take them for granted, but for some they are a gift which expresses their passion.

The Bible says that before there was anything, there was "The Word".  Doesn't that strike you as a little strange?  Why not have God first, or Christ, why the Word?  In the void of nothingness, there was the Word.  God knew he had to find a way in which to show us who He was, what better way than with His Word.  His Word which reveals his character, his desires, his love, his care for us, his ultimate creation that He loved more than life itself.

God is a creator.  He instilled a need to create in each of us.  What a superb gift to bestow upon your children!  I taught my children to be honest, upright, hard working people, but I did not teach them to create.  I can't.  That ability is God given.  When we "feel" passionate about something, it is not something we want to do, it is something we must do!

God gave me a love of words.  He also filled me with a passion to use them.  I teach.  Not because I want to, or because I am excellent at it, but it fills a need in me so deep that I have to do it or life would be without much of its meaning.  So I write and I teach, because that is what I have to do.  God created that hole in me that can only be filled by Him, His Word, and my love for Him.  He created and now I create.

So how does passion and Christ fit together?  I always thought of passion as a relatively good thing, but in Christ's case, it just doesn't seem to fit.  Or at least it didn't until I listened to the pianist.  Now I think I may have an inkling of understanding.  Christ loved so deeply, his passion for creation was so great, that He had to do the one thing He had been created specifically to do . . .  give his life so that we could spend ours in eternity.  He felt so much passion for His creation that He suffered unspeakable agony to bring it to fruition.  What he felt was beyond love, or concern, or caring, He pulled from his very being everything He had to become that perfect sacrifice for ME.  There is no way I can understand that.  I can't even fully appreciate it.  But what I will never do is take it for granted!

Consider passion during this week of Easter.  Do you have deep, gut wrenching passion about something in your life?  Have you even thought about it?  How do you express that passion?  Do others see your passion?  Do some pondering.  You may discover what you were created to do!

Happy Easter to all,

Just Writin' on the River Road

Pauline's Adventures Continue

Pauling and her sister have now set foot in Alaska.  Her adventures continue.

June 21 - Wednesday.  Boat is still going up and down but M and I are happy.  Slept right through Yakutat last night which we reached about 1 o'clock.  We should get to the Columbia Glacier about 8 or 9.  Got up today about 7:30 - breakfast at 8.  Prunes, milk and toast!  Went up on the deck a while then played deck horse shoes with Mr. Shedd, Hale, Garvey and another lady.  It is now just before lunch.  Saw a school of porpoises playing beside the ship this morning.  The dining room has begun to thin out some - too much rolling.  Our table is still at last though.

7:30 PM.  Still bright daylight.  Still very cloudy and misty too.  Had our lunch at 12:30 then M and I came down to our cabin and went to sleep.  I slept all afternoon and got up just in time to eat dinner.  Didn't earn that meal, did I?  After dinner was through, M and I and Miss Collett went on the upper deck and played deck tennis.  It is lots of fun but it became so misty that the deck got slippery and I slipped and fell and got my blue shirt dirty.  It was too wet to play then so we went down and watched them play shuffle board a while.  Last night our steward brought us cherries to eat.  The night before we had oranges and apples.  I wonder what we will have tonight.  We got the return part of our ticket back from the purser tonight.  Our train leaves Seward tomorrow at nine.  Have to pack up tonight.

11:15 PM.  Should be 12:15 but we set our clocks back an hour.  M and I are in bed, our packing is done and we got everything back into our suitcases.  The steward said he would help us with them tomorrow.  Saw the Columbia Glacier - over a quarter of a mile wide and several miles back into the mountains and is 300 feet high.  Towering cold blue ice, every now and then a piece breaking off and splashing into the sea with a noise like thunder.  The boat pushed right through little and big pieces ice bergs floating at the foot of the glacier.  You could feel them bump the ship.  This was 1 o'clock at night and M and I used up our camera film taking pictures.  It was dreadfully cold  though with a misty rain  when the boat finally turned away and started back to the gulf again.  We had gone into Redemption Bay.  M and I were glad to go to the dining room and eat a cold meal and to drink hot tea.  Came back to our rooms about 11:15.  Packed until 12 o'clock then set our clocks back and got to bed at 11.  Good night!

June 22, Thursday.  Got up about 7.  Already knew by the numerous and loud noises that we were already docked at Seward.  M and I went on deck and watched them unload the cargo til breakfast time and paid our tips.  Mr. Shedd had helped us decide the amount - $2 for the table steward and $1.50 for the room steward..  M had a run in with the room steward but most of the time things went nicely.  Got our baggage down to the station and finally after a long wait set our for Anchorage on the train - 114 miles.  The train is slow and bumpity but was nice about stopping at scenic places so we could take pictures.  Scenery was beautiful - lovely high mountains covered with snow.  The snow coming right to the tracks.  Clear rushing streams wound around through the hills.  The reflections in the lakes and pools of water we passed were unbelievably clear and beautiful.  Saw two glaciers and took pictures.  Arrived in Anchorage about 4 and had expected trouble over our hotel.  There were no reservations here for us but our friend from across the isle on the boat - the man from Long Beach - requested in a loud voice that the hotel manager "fix these girls up" so we were finally placed through in single rooms.  We had checked our baggage to Anchorage so we just gave the hotel clerk our baggage checks and he had our suitcases brought up to our rooms for us from the station.  Very nice.  After walking around town a while, M and I ate at the Anchorage Grill.  Had razor clams fixed in butter.  During dinner Mr. Shedd's party came in to eat.  After dinner we met Mrs. Wilson - the Alaska lady who is flying into Mt. Bethal tomorrow.  She and M and I got to
talking with the hoel manager about works and pictures so he took us into the studio of Sydney Laurence, the painter, who lives at the hotel here.  We saw much of his work.  It is lovely.
lovely.

M and I walked to a bluff over looking Cook's Inlet.  M took pictures of the summit across

the water.  Coming home we saw some lovely houses with pretty flower beds and new gardens just starting.  The sun didn't set til 9:30 and now at 10:30 it is still bright daylight.  Tomorrow us M's birthday.  I bought her a dog carved out of bone.  Now I'm in bed in the hotel.  Very comfortable rooms, closet, dresser, very soft bed, hot and cold running water, telephone, easy chair and a heater that keeps the room nice and warm.  Has stayed cloudy today, although the sun broke through bight about 7 o'clock.  Nice and warm though.  Tomorrow we go to Curry.


To be continued . . . .

Just Writin' on the River Road

Peirls of Pauline

The continuing adventures of young Pauline and Margret as they enjoy their excursion to Alaska. It would appear that Pauline took many pictures during her adventure in Alaska.  I have tried to remain true to what she might have photographed during her trip.

June 15, Sunday, 9:15 AM.  Had a grand nights sleep, beds are very comfortable.  Woke up this morning about 7 - just in time to feel the ship begin to roll.  We were entering open sea for ways.  We had just left Queen Charlotte Strait.  We got dressed while the ship rolled.  Then about 7:30 Margret went to breakfast.  I went up on deck to hold high thoughts.  M had fresh strawberries, toast, and coffee.  She joined me on deck later.  It was misty, wet, but not very cold.  About 9 we came back again into the shelter of the islands and now I am hungry and have to wait until 12:30 for lunch.  There is a ladder that you can use to climb up into the upper berth but we don't need it and it is sort of in the way.  So I printed a "For Sale Cheap" sign and it is waiting for the steward.

11:15 PM.  In bed again.  Saw a lovely sunset tonight.  Sky seems to be clearing.  Had another grand diner tonight and a long talk with our African friend.  Then M and I went for a deck constitutional.  We walked around the deck several times when M suddenly slipped and we both fell flat.  We laughed til our sides ached.  Went through Kemtu (sp) Channel by Bella Bella and saw some fishing canneries. Too foggy to take pictures but you could see all the lovely tree covered hills on both sides very close to the boat with little and big water falls cascading down.  Tomorrow at 7 we dock at Ketchikan so M and I have to be up early.  We only stay until 9.  So now to sleep.

Ketchikan early 1940's

June 19.  Got up about 6:30 and went ashore at 7.  Sky was very overcast but it did not rain.  M and I spend about two hours walking around.  Went up to the government school for the Indians.  Bought a totem pole then went around through Totem Pole Park.  Saw the large totems -  very weird things.  Took a few pictures then came back by the creek to town to a curio store where I got an Eskimo doll and a free souvenir dog and sled at Billingsleys.  Back to the ship again at 9 and had some breakfast.  Scenery is still very lovely - getting more mountains and snowy all the time.  Saw some porpoises following the ship and later in

Totem pole

in the evening some little ice bergs.  One broke and went splashing into the water.  No time to go to bed now.  At 11 o'clock at night  it is still quite daylight.  Took some pictures at 9 at night.  Had an adventure show in the observation room at 9.  Some of it was good.  Played bingo too and M won $1.50.  Not me though.  Had to set back our clocks an hour too.  About 5:30 we stopped at Petersburg.  That is our dinner time so M went to dinner but I took a walk through town.  It was raining but I thought it was fun.  This is a friendly feeling port.  Saw the funny little raft houses that people live on in the ocean.  Also saw them unload a poor cow from the ship.  Swung her out over the side of the ship to the dock.  I went into dinner late so just had salad, milk, and dessert.  Got into Juneau about 12 at night and stayed until 4 in the morning.  M and I slept but up about 6:30 to find we were still in Juneau at the mining dock.

June 30, Tuesday.  Got up about 7 went up on deck.  We were at the mining dock at Juneau.  Saw the gold mine.  They were unloading all kinds of pipe and sheet metal from our boat.  Met a woman there who said she would take us around when we came back.  Went down to breakfast late, had an omelet.  Stayed up on deck all morning taking some pictures of   the snow covered mountains.  Passed the Mendenholl Glacier. Just after lunch we saw two rather large ice bergs.  Passed close to them.  They were covered with sea gulls eating ice worms.  Got some pictures. Played cards and slept most of the afternoon since it got cold again.  After dinner we went on deck.  A steward took us up to the Capitan's bridge.  We met the Capitan and he showed us the instruments.  Took some pictures of the sun set and saw Mt. Elias.  Capitan said we would see Columbia Glacier tomorrow.  Said winter was lasting long this year.  Went back on deck for a while then to bed about 11.  Meant to get up to see the fort of Yakutat but slept through it.  We have been in the gulf since this afternoon about 3 o'clock.  So far M and I have good sea legs.  Saw a whale this morning.

To be continued . . .

Just writin' on the River Road

A trip to Yesteryear

                                                                

On occasion a treasure accidentally falls into your hands.  Running a thrift store(Twelve Baskets Cooperative Ministry) and a consignment shop (The Calico Cupboard) provides me with more opportunities than most to find treasures.  I discovered a diary among a box of consignment items recently.  After seeking out the owner, I found she had no idea who wrote the diary and she gave me permission to publish it in my blog.  I hope you will enjoy stepping back into yesterday and experience a trip to the "New Frontier" with a pair of young ladies in 1939.


My name is Pauline.  It is 1939 and I am off on a trip to Alaska.  Join me as I journal my way through my adventure.  I documented my trip with an Argus Candid Camera Model A27.  Unfortunately, I have no original photos to share.  They have been lost to history.  (All photos in this blog have been taken from internet with permission.)


June 15, 1939, 7 AM.  On the train getting near to Sacramento.  Farm scenery - lots of cows.  Slept pretty well last night, considering the ice man ran up and down the isle all night.  The conductor flashed his light at us all night and there was no room for my extremities.  It rained during the night too and the day is still overcast.

Mt. Shasta

June 15, 1939, 9:30 PM.  Followed the Sacramento River, lovely mountain scenery.  Saw Mt. Shasta, all snow and ice covered, rather cloudy but beautiful.  Took some pictures too.  Had fun trying to catch a picture of the engine a head of us.  May have a whole seat to ourselves tonight.  The man across the isle is getting off at the next stop and said we could have his seat.  Met a Washington girl who works in a bank just back from the Fair.  Hooray, just entered Oregon.  Can't see out though.

Steam engine passenger train.

June 16, 1939, 6:30 AM.  had a good nights sleep, a whole seat to myself.  Margaret was across the isle.  Last night ate dinner in the diner - 98 cents.  Going through rolling Oregon farming country.  Sky is overcast, may rain.  It stormed last night and our train is over a half hour late.  Country is very green with many trees.  Just had a nice cup of tomato juice - 10 cents - feel very cheerful.  Bought a Portland, Oregon paper - can't by the Times any more.

June 16, 1939, 10 PM.  At Gebaroffs.  Had a good dinner tonight and then a trip around Seattle.  All set for tomorrow.  A real bed tonight for a change.  So must hurry and get into it.  Helped pick the strawberries for dinner - very good.  Clair, Diana, Paul and Margret are the only children at home.  Two are married.

June 17, 1939, 10:30 AM.  On the boat.  We got up this morning at 7:05 after a grand nights sleep - a real bed felt good.  Had a good breakfast - scrambled eggs, bacon, toast buttered.  I didn't drink coffee and miss my milk.  We ended up with nice fresh strawberries and cream with homemade doughnuts.  Then there was a scramble to get to the boat.  Everyone thought we would miss it.  We didn't start until 8:20 and does Mr. Gebaroff drive slow.  But we made it in plenty of time.  We got there at 8:45, got our tickets checked.  The man took all our ticket and only gave us a little piece of it and a key to room 237 on the SS Yukon.  We came on board, the steward used to be a pupil of Mr. Gebaroff's  and he told him to take good care of us.  He brought our bags to our room.  The room is about six by nine foot.  Two bunks on one side, one above the other, there are curtains you can pull if you wish.

Actual photo of the SS Yukon.

1:30 PM.  We continue after lunch.  Had vegetable soup with little crackers, steak tomato salad, milk, bread, apple sauce.  Excellent.  We have a nice table too.  Besides Margret and I, there are three men.  Mr. Shedd from San Francisco, a railroad man from Chicago, and a man from South Africa.  The two lady teachers from Tennessee, all very nice and interesting.  Had a fun lunch.  We had to fill out our cards for the passenger list and also got several pamphlets about Alaska.

Now I will continue about our room.  Opposite from the beds is a sort of couch where I am now.  Margret sits on her bed to write and I sit here.  It is upholstered and very comfy.  The porthole is right above me and we can open it up if we wish.  It is too cold now, though, it is still misty out.  Between the beds and couch on one side is the door.  Opposite the door is a wash stand with hot and cold running water, soap and above that is a toilet cabinet with an open shelf on the bottom then three enclosed shelves.  I have the top, toothbrush, cream, etc.  Margaret the middle and we share the bottom.  Beside the wash stand next to the beds are two shelves on the wall for water pitcher and glasses to fit into holes in the wood.  Below this is the towel rack with four towels on it.  Below the towels is a small steam heater that gives forth strange protesting noises from time to time as part of its work.  Our bags fit under the bed and under the couch.  They furnish six hangers on pegs at every available place around the room.  M and I have put some of our own things on top of the toilet cabinet, and some of the lovely roses Mr. G gave us when we left.  The take off was fun - streamers and the band playing "Anchors Away" and "Good Old Mt. Music".  Took a few pictures but it was pretty dull and misty.  The sun is coming out a little now.  Margret and I got some boat stationary now so guess we will write some letters.  There is a mailbox on board where we can mail them.  Forgot to say that while waiting to our table seating at the pursers office, M and I met a  Mrs. Wilson.  She and her husband have lived in the interior of Alaska a long time.  Mr. Wilson was a miner, now retired, with money.  She said he would show us around.

11 PM.  In my top bunk, we have our porthole open and it is swell.  Sun came out this afternoon and M and I took some pictures and also got a little sunburn.  We go along so smoothly that you can't even tell we are moving.  Had such a good dinner tonight that M and I couldn't even eat our midnight lunch.  We had consumme, hearts of lettuce salad, olives, baked halibut, potatoes, carrots and cauliflower, and blackberry pie a la mode and two glasses of milk.  Good.  There is a boat passing us now and he is tooting away.  This evening had a grand talk in the observation car with the South African man and then stayed on and saw some dancing.  I danced with Mr. Shedd, the man from our table.  Then M and I went out on deck for a while, then to bed.  M just came back and said we are entering the Seymore Narrows and it is our boat whistling and we are hearing the echos.


To be continued . . .

Just writin' on the River Road

Spring has sprung!

Yes it has!  The days are longer, the sun warmer, the fields are greening, the flowers are up.  And I am so ready!  Not only for summer, but for all of the activities that we have in our little village on the river.

The Elmore County Fair Grounds has now become an events center.  So look for many more activities being held there beginning this weekend.  Check out the Sports Show on Saturday and Sunday, March 16th and 17th from 10 to 5.  If you are an outdoorsy person, you will be sure to find something that interests you.  See what is going on at the Elmore County Fairgrounds website.

If you are into sports, Glenns Ferry hosts the Wooden Bat Tournament April 11th through the 13th.  Also the State Baseball Tournament will be here May 16th through the 18th.  Come and watch these young people play ball!

The circus is coming to town!  On April 4th the King Cole Circus will be spreading its tents and bringing out the child in all of us.  Come one, come all!

Easter is always a great time for family gatherings.  There will be special celebrations at a number of the local churches, including sunrise services.  Some even serve breakfast!  Spend this special Sunday, April 21st, honoring the greatest gift ever given to mankind, Jesus Christ.

The High School Junior Rodeo is back!  April 19th and 20th will bring our young cowboys and cowgirls back to Glenns Ferry for some rootin-tootin fun.  These are talented young people always put on a great show.

Father's Day weekend, June 14th and 15th, features the Community Yard Sale and the Elmore County Flea Market.  It is one stop shopping with treasures for everyone.  And it is a great time to visit our local businesses and check out our special little community.

The Old Opry Theatre will open its doors in June for a summer season of mystery and mayhem.  You will love being involved with the cast and maybe even participate in the performance!  They are open every Friday and Saturday evening through August at 7:45 for the performance or 6 pm for dinner and a show.

The Baptist Church offers Vacation Bible School for all the community children June 24th through the 28th.  Send your children for a good time and great learning experience!

The end of June brings the Bob Mullen Golf Tournament for those of you who like to swing a club.

And there will be another, bigger and better, Old Fashioned Fourth of July with a parade, food and fun in the park, and a spectacular fire works display.

And don't miss the Elmore County Fair July 14th through the 20th.  It is a great time to enjoy the talents of our local artists, gardeners, watch the 4-H clubs show their livestock and enjoy the entertainment offered each evening.

Join us in Glenns Ferry for some old fashioned community fun.  You can camp at the Three Island State Park or other RV sites, visit our museums, sample our local fare and shop at our unique businesses.  But above all, participate in our events!  It is a hoot!

Just Writin' on the River Road

Perks and then some

When did I get old?  I don't remember doing it.  Or even choosing to do so, but somehow it happened.  I always knew it was coming but I have to admit surprise at how fast it happened.  When did I begin to forget names?  Or find stairs difficult?  It snuck up on me when I wasn't looking!  I hate that!

We recently went to our grandson's middle school basketball game.  Bleachers.  No, they are not good.  No hand rails.  Envy does not even describe what I felt watching people climb up and down with ease.  Is it just me or do today's parents look a whole lot younger than they used to?  Was I ever there?  Yes, and it feels like yesterday.

Now, I am to an age when not everything comes easy anymore.  I can't wrap my brain around all this computer stuff.  Or my "smart" phone that must be dying inside because it is just used as a telephone and its multi-faceted functions are useless to me.  It takes so much longer to figure out the phone than it would be to do it the old fashioned way.

Well, I can whine or I can win.  There have to be some perks to getting "mature", right?  You do get discounts at certain places.  On occasion you get a wee bit of respect.  For some, you can relax in retirement and have fun.  For others there is only struggle to make ends meet.  Medical bills are not a perk!  And as the body falls apart, there are more and more of them.  The elderly ought to get a discount for being sick.  Like that's gonna happen!  I think wisdom is gained over time.  All that we have experienced is not lost.  And we are not beyond learning and experiencing new things, albeit takes a little bit longer.

Grandparenting is a definite perk.  We have the time to spend with grandchildren that wasn't there when we were raising their parents.  And we are certainly special to the grandkids until they reach a certain age.  Then we cease to speak the same language, understand the same things, or know what is going on.  I take my grandsons on a "date" with grandma for their birthday each year.  They have more "stuff" than they know what to do with, so I figure a little "one on one" time with grandma is better.  We have dinner and go to the theater.  Culture is good, right?  Besides, it is what I like to do.  But it is fun, we have time to talk and spend some quality time together.  Instead of purchasing a gift, I am buying memories.  It is special to me and I hope it is to them also.  This
year we will take in some Chinese history, dance and music.

The one thing that is ultimately unfair about aging is that our mind doesn't.  My mind tells me I am still a youth, I can run with the best of them.  And then I try.  My feelings and emotions are still the same as they were 50 years ago.  Young love, old love . . . love is still love, feelings still abound.  But they are now trapped in an sometimes ill, definitely aging body.  I am not suppose to feel those things because I am not 16 anymore.  Or at least the younger generations sees it that way.

Grow old gracefully.  We are suppose to, we want to.  Little hard to be graceful when your "shuffle" is not on the dance floor but on the way to bed.  Be we can still show grace, love, mercy, understanding, care, patience, hospitality and any number of other things that are desperately needed in our society.  So don't write me off yet.  I have things to do, places to see, and people to meet!  As my doctor says "You don't have an expiration date stamped on your foot."

Life is good at all stages of living.  Not just existing, but living every moment to the fullest!  Just because I can't run a marathon doesn't mean I can't contribute to my family, my friends, society in general.  So let's do it!  Let the "older generation" make a difference!

Love and More.

Love.  With Valentine's Day fast approaching, maybe we should explore this "four-letter" word bandied about by our society.  My new friend from Israel asked me "What is love?".  I have to admit that I stumbled and mumbled before coming to some sort of an answer.  But it is one of those





questions that won't go away until you come to grips with it yourself.  So let me paint you a picture of some of the faces of love.

If you are a hormone ridden teenager, you might describe it as romance.  All hearts, flowers and feelings.  If you are in your twilight years, it could be defined as companionship.  Our English language is inadequate in so many ways.  The Greek language has a number of words that describe love: 1) Eros, a physical, sexual intimacy, 2) Philia, a deep and abiding friendship, 3) Ludus, a playful love such as between children, 4) Pragma, a long standing love, 5) Philautia, which is a self love (and while this can be narcissism, it also lends itself to being secure and liking yourself), and 6) Agape, which is God's love.

We have no word that defines the difference between "I love pizza." and "I love my spouse."  I love them both.  So what is the difference?

Society as a whole tends to think of love as a "feeling", an emotion.  And in many ways it is.  It can combine passion and affection, which are feelings.  Our lives would be dull and uneventful without those things in our relationships.  The greatest pain you will ever feel is if love has been destroyed or defiled in your life.  Sometimes those scars remain for a lifetime.

But I think love is more than that.  I think loving is probably the hardest thing we will ever do in our lives.  Love involves forgiving when we don't feel like doing so, it is overlooking the faults of others, it involves sacrificing yourself for someone else, it is having compassion and understanding, it is dedicating your very being to something other than yourself.  Looking at it in that light, it doesn't sound like something I would willingly participate in.  But I do.  We are created to love.

Another surprising element about love is that it can be learned.  I grew up in a home where affection and feelings were not expressed.  I am sure there are many of you who can understand being tossed in to the world with no real understanding of really knowing what love is.  That hole is often filled with other things to make us feel better, feel worthy, be important.  We turn into workaholics, drug addicts, people pleasers, indulge in multiple physical relationships, or spend a life time wondering what we are missing, why we are not happy.

That Greek word, Philautia, is very important.  Jesus said we are "to love our neighbors as ourselves."
Most people never get passed the "love your neighbor" part.  It is not possible to love our neighbors until we love ourselves.  And, somehow, we have been taught that it is wrong to love ourselves.  It has taken me a lifetime to learn that one small truth.  I can not love you unless I love me.  So how do I get there?

For me it was a long path of learning to accept that God loved me, just as I was, warts and all.  And, I admit, there are days that have to remind myself that this is true.  It is easy to fall back into that feeling unworthy status.  But I refuse to stay there.  I am loved, and therefore I can love.  Is it easy?  No.  Does it involve pain and hurt?  Often.  But I persist.

So there must be an upside for this interesting concept of love, right?  Or else we wouldn't all "fall" for it so easily.  Firstly, it gives us immeasurable joy.  We feel special, important, a part of another person.  And, in turn, those feelings are reciprocated.  We know we can be "real" and still maintain a relationship.  We can trust and respect one another.  We are wrapped in a cloak of care.  We "feel" secure . . . loved.

So has you enter in to this season of "love", think about your definition.  How do you spell love?  Compassion.  Dedication.  Forgiveness.  Joy.  Friendship. Sympathy. Empathy. Tenderness. Devotion.  Sharing.  Sacrifice.  You fill in the blank.  You are the only one who can define love as it appears in your life.  Do it!  Think about it, ponder the question, find your own answer.

Just writin' on the River Road