To Infinity and Beyond!

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Cor. 13:1, NRSV)

I have shared parts of this story with folks before so I apologize for any repetition.  I was reminded of it earlier this morning, however, as I carried Hallie up the steps to "find Sissy."  I put her down at the top of the stairs and away she went (as best she could, being wrapped in a blanket) calling for her "Sissy."  She went into Mabrie's room, made a bee-line for the bed, and proceeded to climb in and plop herself down, giving a contented chuckle as her Sissy reached out and pulled her close.

Love.

There's no better way to start the day.

The Love of children: simple, authentic, unquestioned, totally open and vulnerable.

One night during a "sleepover" Mabrie and I were out lying in the motorhome, wrapping up the day, sharing what new experiences she'd had, and just 'slowing down' to the point she could go to sleep.  She wrapped her arms around me and said, "Opa, I love you!"  And of course I replied, "I love you, too."  Now, she was only five at the time and immediately seized upon the opportunity to say she loved me more than that.  Well, as you might imagine, what then ensued was a sort of Abbott and Costello routine as we each expressed our love for each other in increasingly grandiose fashion.  Finally, as she lay there with droopy eyes, just before dropping off to sleep, she decided it was time to play her trump card.  She took my hand, looked me right in the eyes and said, "Opa, I love you infinity, infinity, infinity, infinity, infinity."  She paused for effect and then added, "and that's more than you can love me!"

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Cor 13:4-7, NRSV)

The birth of my two grand-daughters has launched me on a journey of discovery that has taught me more about our relationship with God than at any other time in my life. Of course, my own children taught me much. Likewise, being my parent's son taught me many lessons. But, for whatever reason, the grandparent-grandchild relationship has been more illuminating. That may be so because as parents and children we get caught in the "rules and regulations" associated with that relationship. As grandparents and grandchildren we are free from all that and can take the time to just enjoy the relationship and let love wash over us.

"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13, NRSV)

Oh, I almost forgot: Mabrie added one more comment, however, perhaps more important than the first. She scooted as close as she could to me, wrapped her leg around my leg to keep me from getting away, put her arm across my chest and said, "I just had to tell you that."  And then she was asleep.

Oh how I have come to understand that God longs for that same relationship with each of us. A relationship where God can love each of us "infinity, infinity, infinity, infinity, infinity," and where we don't try to 'one-up' that love or get away from it

Peace & love. I hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth of July weekend.