WHAT IS TRUE LOVE?

I love Valentine's Day. I think I always have. When I wasn't married, I was throwing cookie decorating parties with my friends, or taking someone's shift at work so they could surprise their girlfriend with a special date. 

I just love that we have a holiday completely dedicated to love. To loving our spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, moms, classmaters, coworkers, and even occasionally strangers that we choose to serve. 

So what is love? Is it kissing by the Eiffel tower? Staying up til 2 am talking? Is it coming together and buckling down on finances to buy a house? Is it praying together every evening? Is it growing old together? Is it getting dressed up for no other reason than to knock the socks off your spouse? Is it getting up at 2 AM with the baby, even though it's HIS turn? 

Love is SO many things. I love this quote about charity, because charity is the pure love of Christ. And if I can learn to love my spouse the way Christ does, our marriage will be so blessed. 

"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other. When we don't judge or categorize someone else. When we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness & being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." (Marvin J Ashton)

So what is love? You decide. And then, go out... and love.