Meaning of love

Lately I have been pondering the word LOVE. The people of this generation throw it around as a child would a rubber ball. In one breath they love their significant other and the next they love football or shopping. I do not know how you feel about this. Like me, maybe it was a habit picked up by listening to the television or radio. Alternatively, maybe even by the people that surround you each day.

After my ex husband asked me for a divorce I started noticing the word love and how we in society use it. Since I am a Christian, I read articles and studied what the Bibles’ meaning of love is. I realized that my ex had not loved me in a while. That was a tremendous blow since I had put my all in being a loving wife to him and a loving mother to our children. When someone loves you, people do not toss you to the curb after being together for over 20 years or any amount of time for that matter. In the time since that day, the meaning of that powerful word love has a different meaning to me.  I sense in my spirit the awesomeness of that word, the meaning behind it and the emotions that go with it. The depth and emotion will be different depending on whom I may be saying it to but I will not say it unless I do have the feelings that go along with it. I want the best for those I love and I want to give my best to them. I care about the person I utter those words to and will prove it to them. In the Greek language, there are four words for the word love… The following comes from Wikipedia….

§                    Agápe (ἀγάπη agape ^[1]) means "love" (unconditional love) in modern day Greek, such as in the term s'agapo (Σ'αγαπώ), which means, "I love you". In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros". Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one's children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast. It can also be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard. Agape was appropriated by Christians for use to express the unconditional love of God.^{[citation needed]}Before agape love there was no other word to express such great love.^{[citation needed]}

§                    Eros (ἔρως érōs^[2]) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Modern Greek word "erotas" means "intimate love;" however, eros does not have to be sexual in nature. Eros can be interpreted as a love for someone whom you love more than the philia, love of friendship. It can also apply to dating relationships as well as marriage. Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, "without physical attraction." In the Symposium, the most famous ancient work on the subject, Plato has the middle-aged Athenian philosopher, Socrates argue to aristocratic intellectuals and a young male acolyte in sexual pursuit of him, that eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth, the ideal "Form" of youthful beauty that leads us humans to feel erotic desire -- thus suggesting that even that sensually-based love aspires to the non-corporeal, spiritual plane of existence; that is, finding its truth, just like finding any truth, leads to transcendence. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth through the means of eros."

§                    Philia (φιλία philía^[3]) means friendship or affectionate love in modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. In ancient texts, philos denoted a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.

§                    Storge (στοργή storgē^[4]) means "affection" in ancient and modern Greek. It is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant.

I remember learning about these types of love in Sunday school. It was interesting to me that we use one word to describe all of these loves. The amazing thing is they all refer to the emotion someone has toward another human.

How can I in good conscious love my chocolate brownie Sundae and in the next breath love you? I like chocolate brownie sundaes. If I had to make a menu for my last meal, I am sure I would be savoring one of those tasty treats. Do I have loving emotions attached to them? No. I can make a memory with loved ones eating one but I do not love them.

I am trying my hardest not to say the L word when it comes to a thing. I am thinking up new ways to express what I really mean. Love is a precious thing. It is a fragile thing that takes time and devotion. Love should not be something thrown in a closet like a rubber ball to be played with later. Love is not to be tossed and bounced around it should be cherished and nurtured. Never taken for granted and always protected. Love is sacred. Football, shopping, chocolate brownie sundaes, and any other “thing” do not fit the category of love, at least not where I am concerned. It is possible that I might fail at times in voicing my “feelings” toward things but one thing is true, love never fails.

Walk in the creation of who God made you

I have been in deep thought about who I am. At times, I become uncertain of that. I glimpse images in my mind of myself as a child. I knew who I was during that span of my existence. I believe that is who I am. Fragments of that little girl still are apparent in my everyday life. They have remained attached to the core of what makes me.

Problems have arisen in the foundation of whom God made me. The unenslaved spirit that I use to possess has been on the verge of completely leaving me. I have granted people freedom to do this. Understand that it has not been a conscious thing. I have always been in awe of things great and small. I was free as a child. I would run around unafraid of anything. I remember going to a creek when I was seven. My best friend and I had asked our parents if we could get in it. Of course the obvious answer was no from all of them. After a hard day of us digging out tunnels and forts in the mounds of sand made by new homes taking away our “wilderness” we decided we needed to cool off. Now mind you, our thought was that we would wade around in the creek. In Mary and my mind, there was no harm in that. A smile creeps across my lips as I recall the recent storm that had passed through the area. The creek was flooded and soon showed us that it was more powerful then we thought. A small current made Mary fall. She grabbed a log close by I went to her and decided that since she was all wet I might as well join her. Was there any fear involved? Of course, there was, but I figured that if we were going to get in trouble, we might as well enjoy ourselves.

I now hold in me the knowledge of whom my Maker made me. I was not created to be a fearful and reserved person. People in my life, along with many terrible tragedies have shaped me into something I am not.

Over the past year, I have been searching for who and what I am. I put others needs and wants before my own. I want others to be happy. I keep my mouth closed at times just to keep the peace. I have allowed myself to be mistreated by to many.

I am not living that way anymore. I will continue to be kind and care about others. That is how God made me. I will not allow me to be lost anymore. I have a right to speak my mind as long as I do it lovingly and with respect. I deserve to have my wants and needs respected as much as anyone does. As long as those things do not hurt another, I will reach to and strive for them. When I am happy, I am able to bring more joy to others that walk this path of life with me.

I am going to be who God created me to be. I will strive to shut out the hurt that cruel and angry people have done that I have not deserved. How they have left their mark upon me and molded me to be broken. It might take a few tries to reach that destination but I believe the journey will be miraculous. I have been stuck in this creek of life wet and not enjoying it. I no longer want the fear that has been living in me. It is time to accept that I am wet and start living and enjoying my life with people beside me who wish the same thing for me.

Never Give Up

There are times that I have wanted to give up. I won’t put up a front and say it hasn’t been like that at times. My path of life has been obstructed with craters in it. Many times I wanted to give up. At times I considered it my prerogative to stop the trudging I was doing. I let go and slid down into the massive pit of hopelessness.

I wouldn’t advise that journey. It generates more sorrow. The memories are recalled and it accomplishes nothing but regret. It may seem painless. Who wants pain right?? Life isn’t without hurt, torment, or confusion. At times it takes the negativity in life to be able to embrace the abundance of life. The blessings we receive. At times we might think that we are in this journey alone. I’m here to remind you that we never are.

God has wonderful intentions for our lives. At different intervals of our existence things are allowed to get us to where we need to be. It molds us into His plan and not ours. We have a narrow vision of our life. He sees the entirety of it. It resembles chaos at times. It becomes war when we try to fight it though.

Allow yourself to feel every emotion life tosses your way. I dare you to snuggle up to it. Prohibit yourself from running from it. Don’t duck from it when it comes your way. Suppress the urge to veil it with alcohol or drugs. Acknowledge it and live through it. Situations in life can be devastating at times. They don’t define us. They only shape us for the joyous things yet to come upon the horizon.

The moral of this…When life gives you oranges make orange juice….lemonade can be to sour. 

Have a Little Fun!!!

I'm a little music freak....this statement doesn't bother me in the least little bit. As Popeye would say, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam." Music engulfs me with the tides of every emotion imaginable. During each season of my emotions music has brought to the forefront the depth that I wanted...or needed to feel. 


Have you ever been meandering through an aisle and heard someone singing out with the song piped in the store? Maybe you are the type to think the person must not have been taught how to, "behave properly". Perhaps it brings a smile to your face and as you walk on by you wish that you would be brave enough to do the same. If you are a fortunate soul you allow your pipes to burst out in song with them. There is always that chance that you are the one singing out loud. If the previous sentence fits you I would pronounce you a little music freak as well.


My daughter will sing at the top of her lungs in all types of places....at home, in a vehicle, at church, on stage, anywhere she deems it acceptable to do it! When she was younger she didn't care where she sang. She was singing "Shake your Booty" at 18 months. Everywhere you saw her at home she would have this little wind up music toy that had all types songs on it. She would sing and dance just like I did as a child. 


The quandary that I face is remembering that I too stopped my little freak on at a certain age. I retreated into the norms of the world or maybe I just retreated. Packaged myself up in paper that didn't fit me with a bow on top that I wish I would have smashed. A smile spills forth as a imagine the picture that portrays. I did smash that bow! Little by little my music became more important to me. I wish the same for my daughter. My prayer for her is that it comes sooner then it did for me.



 I will continue to do what I do best and that is embarrass her with all the abilities a mother posseses.  When a music kiosk is waiting around and trying to blow the dust from itself I will be the one to do it. My trigger finger will get happy. It will start dancing around the touch screen and make that music blare out! My voice will be melodious and my feet will start moving.....in the back ground I will hear my daughters foot steps walk away as she moans, "mom", under her breath just one more time.

Let's Do This

March 19,2011


I have felt the desire to have a blog for a while now. It started with a comment to a friend on Facebook around a year and a half ago. I only thought my life was turning upside down at that time. Knowing the things I know today I would say that I subconsciously knew I would soon be faced with yet another roller coaster ride in my life. 


I want this blog to be about perseverance, the determination and yes even the stubborness that it takes to get through this gift we call life. At times I have wanted to throw my gift back to God and tell him that I didn't like what I was finding inside of it. I would tell Him, "Thank you very much but I knew what I needed and wanted". What I was receiving seemed more like someones rejected and recycled gift. Maybe even a gift that had been tossed in a dump for years and uncovered and handed out to me! 


Yes I do talk to God like He is my buddy at times. I guess that is how I have made it this far in life. Sometimes I think I will show Him who is the boss.....Have you ever tried that? It doesn't work very well! Not for long anyway. I have to laugh at myself when I think about it. I can do that today though. Just shake my head and laugh at my self for thinking that I know what I need. 


My life has been a dramatic, traumatic, suspenseful comedy. I've been bounced, beat, shoved, and flat out drop kicked in this life. There is a difference between those and me that can't find the rainbow because of the storm that engulfs them. It might be that word that is so seldom used today...gumption: the boldness of enterprise, initiative or aggressiveness, Guts, Spunk, Common Sense.


That is what this little blog is going to be about. So I hope you join me for the ride. No gurantee that it will be smooth travels. It will be enlightening. It may even help you know that you are not alone in the struggles of this "gift of life" we have been given. I believe that is what we all need. Someone that has the guts to admit that sometimes we want to catapult our "gift" back at God and tell Him that we don't like it one little bit!