BECAUSE OF LOVE! 5/8/10

My mother did her mother's laundry and every Saturday morning we carried a large basket of laundry to my Grandmother's house. It took two of us to carry it and in my mind I imagine it was a long way. My Grandmother had jars of money on her buffet and after we would deliver the laundry, she would give us each a dime so we could go to the movies. Imagine, a dime to see the movies. My mother's reward was just that she loved her!

Around Thanksgiving and Christmas you could get in the movies just by bringing canned goods. After the can good drive was over they would be divided up and always my Mom would get a box of canned goods. This wasn't because they loved my mother but it was a Christian act of love.

During this period in my life I remember walking home through the train graveyard. This was a place where all the cars would be for cleaning, dismantling etc. It had lots and lots of box cars sitting on tracks. Once, after dark we were walking through and I noticed the door to a box car was pushed all the way back. I stopped and stretched my body up so that I could just barely peek inside and heard a low, gruff voice say; "hit the road toad!" We ran out of there for all we were worth, being scared half to death. When we finally slowed up long enough to catch our breath, my sister Janice said; "I told you never to do that!" Her reprimand was not out of love but her love for us was evident in the instructions.

Have you ever done something that you were told never to do? Have you ever gone someplace that you were told never to go? Have you ever been in a situation that you wished you weren't or perhaps no one would ever find out? Of course you have! We all have placed outselves in places and situations which involved us in doing things we knew we shouldn't.

Because I loved my mother and my family I never wanted to cause them disappointment in me or be ashamed. That didn't mean I wasn't argumentative or that I was always obedient; but I tried! It wasn't until I moved out that I was able to listen to my mother instead of arguing with her. It wasn't until I became a mother that I understood about the relationship between a mother and her children. If I could redo my relationship with my mother when I was young, I would!

Love is funny! It means I would give my life but does it mean I will do as you say? Jesus and His Apostles talk about this word so much you would think it would be ingrained in us. "And He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 Just that verse should be enough for us to be Holy but Jesus takes it further; "This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:38-40

We place much credence in the Ten Commandments" as found in Exodus and are disappointed that our country wants them out of the buildings of liberty. However, we never seem to understand that loving God first and others second is the Ten condensed and should be evident in our lives day in and day out. When we love God first and others second we are putting our faith where our heart is.

"God hath not promised skies always blue, flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun with rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain. But God hath promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, light for the way, grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love." By Annie Johnson Flint My mother's love was evident in that she cared for us even though her being was spent. My mother's love was calming because she gave us a place and the knowledge of a loving God.

Lord, thank you for your great love! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/4/10