All We Need is Love

1 Corinthians 13:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres . . . . 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. . . . 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I love romance, but to me love is not expressed by buying frivolous items (especially when one can not afford such attrocities). Our materialistic society has made yet another holiday which has people declaring their adoration in mass droves with flowers, cards, candy, jewelry and the like. It seems so trite to expect our significant others to bestow gifts on a holiday largely created by business owners looking to cash in on our insecurities.

I don't mind giving the kids a box of chocolates and saying an exra "I Love You" to my husband, which you can never hear too often, but why is it that people, specifically men, think women want a bunch of random gifts, none of which are actually from the heart. They go with an ideal that has been set in their minds by the masses - that love must be purchased. So, maybe I'm one of the few women that actually says what I mean and means what I say, but when I say, I don't want anything on this commercialized holiday, I really don't want anything.

If you want to prove your love for someone, give them the precious gift of your time. Acts of service, telling someone how much you care for them (in your own words and not some generic Hallmark card) - none of which cost a dime but show that in your taking the time to truly appreciate someone you are giving them the best gift of all.

Don't get me wrong, I think flowers and chocolate are great, but not on this set day when everyone proclaims their undying love for one another. It's as if we've subscribed to some cult where no one wants to be outdone so they naively flounder for whatever trinket they can get their hands on. What we should be doing is loving one another EVERY day, not just taking one day out of the year to go overboard. Romance is like exercise - you have to take time for it every day. Just because you miss a day here and there doesn't mean putting in an extra hour on one particular day is going to make up for the neglected time.

All we truly need is love, but the kinds that comes from the heart, not from our wallets.

Resolutions - Better Late than Never!

I'm VERY late on posting New Year's Resolutions, but I think it's important to do a little trial run and see if your goals are attainable or need to be readjusted before an actual committment is made. Here is a list I think I can manage:
1) More "me" time. I'll always put my kids' needs ahead of mine, but I want them to see that mommy has needs too. Like a bubble bath alone every now and then to shave my legs, a meal sitting down without jumping up to get someone more juice or more crackers, the occasional rights to the TV remote, writing and of course, reading adult literature.
2) Take better care of myself. Exercise on a more consistent basis. At first I thought I'd say 5 times a week, but honestly, I know there would be many weeks where that just didn't happen so if I get 3 days in a week that's better than nothing. Eat healthier and drink more water. I get dehydrated really easily yet I can go an entire day drinking little more than a cup of water.
3) Schedule quality time with each member of the family. Norah gets most of my time, I'll admit it. She's just at that age where she is into everything and only when she is taking a nap can I let my guard down. When she is taking those naps though, I intend to give the boys my undivided attention. If that means playing the Wii with Kaleb or pretending to be the pink Power Ranger for Myles, so be it. I'd also like to have a "date night" at least once a month with Josh even if all we do is watch a grown-up movie or play a board game together.
4) Don't get too involved. I have a tendency to take on the issues of everyone around me which is very stressful. I'm learning to just step back and remember that I can't fix everything. So far, this has resulted in me being much quieter than usual and I really have been calmer as a result.
5) Coupons. I'm cutting them, matching ads, trying to go for the best deals. I'm not a pro at it but I am seeing a difference of $15 or so on my grocery shopping. Hopefully with the money we save we can actually afford a vacation this year!
6) Faith. I am always working on this one. I want to take more time to read the bible, make church a priority and integrate God in our daily conversations and activities.

I could probably go on, but this is a list I know I can fulfill with a little dedication and time management. Hopefully by writing them for all to see, I will be that much more committed to it.