Anna Updates

  Its so great loving people who love you back and think you are wonderful! Every time I see Noah I feel all giggly and silly… kind of like a 5 year old. He is so easy to love, because he lavishes me with love.  Even when we have conflicts I always feel like we get through them loving each other more than we did before! But what about when people don’t think you are wonderful?  And what about when you don’t think they are so wonderful either? The past few months I’ve become aware of “conveniently loving” that is, loving those who love me and think I’m great, and doing everything possible to stay away from people I feel I cannot love or be gracious too.  J. has some pretty strong words to say about that.  “If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:47) which was a huge slam… especially then, because tax collectors were definitely everyone’s least favorite people. I have come to believe with all my heart, that authentic loving of others can only begin when I face those I feel I cannot love, first in my heart.  It is in those moments that I realize the power of the cross and my inability to say and do the right thing in love without the real power that comes through JC. Only can He enable true authentic love between people and make it possible to love when I feel helpless to do so.  And only when I have true authentic loving relationships will people be drawn to me.  They will know I am a C. by my love!  May G. help us.  May He give us the power to love.  He made a way so we could, but will we choose this radical way of loving?  Will I?