Love One Another...Even in our Differences...

 

Recently I had a conversation with someone who had decided to not attend an event because there was going to be a family at this event who is...different.  Different from her family and different from mine.  I was taken aback that I was actually hearing this in the year 2010.  How is this possible?  It would have never occurred to me to NOT attend this event because there would be a family there who is different than mine.  I then realized how lucky my family is to live in a diverse community.

As I thought about it more I became Thankful.  

Thankful that I don't live my life like that.  

Thankful that we are surrounded by families who are different than we are.  

Thankful that I get to have conversations with my boys about the fact that not all families look like ours.  I get the opportunity to talk to the boys about kindness...tolerance...peace...and respect.

There are all different types of families...cultures...religions...lifestyles...ideas...

Love is what makes a Family.

Love One Another...Even in Our Differences.

1 John 4:7-10 (New Living Translation) 

Loving One Another

⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  ⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

 

Photo courtesy of flickr.com and remember the United Colors of Benetton commercials from the 1980's?  That's is what I kept picturing when I was writing this post.  I couldn't find any old shots of those but the one above is a good substitute.

Doing The Dishes...

 

Eight years ago I worked for a professor here at the University and we had some interesting, deep and philosophical conversations.  He was about to retire from a long academic career.  He wasn't easy to work for, but he had a lot of knowledge and I learned from him.  One of our conversations was about Doing The Dishes.  Yes.  Doing The Dishes.  At the time, my first born was two years old and I was still trying to adjust to Motherhood and Working and what that meant.  In one of our conversations, I remember him telling me that every night he and wife would dine together and then he would put on some music and do the dishes.  He did the dishes.  He said, "it's the most relaxing part of my day".  I probably smiled and said something like, "that's nice".  What I remember thinking is, "what in the world is he talking about?"  I just want to get home, see my baby, eat dinner and get the clean up over with so we can get on with our evening.  I was definitely moving at a fast pace and not enjoying the little things.  Not really taking the time to enjoy the Moments. 

Until last night...I had forgotten about this conversation.

Last night, like always, Pat was at work and the boys and I had dinner.  After dinner one was showering and one was in his room.  I commenced with the usual after-dinner cleanup.  I filled the dishwasher, started it and then began hand-washing some of the pots and glassware.  The window above the sink was open and there was a cool breeze blowing in.  The sink was full of suds.  The house was quiet except for the running water from the shower down the hall.  

Then.

I got it.  I understood why that was the most relaxing part of his day.  I felt it too.  The busy-ness of the day was being washed away as the dishes in the sink were becoming clean.  It was a simple and repetitive motion.  But I relaxed.  I enjoyed it.  This simple task.  It didn't feel like the chore it has always felt like to me in the past.

I'm not sure what has changed within me.  Growing older maybe?  Probably.  But I'm learning to enjoy all the moments.  Especially the small ones.  

Until Next Time,

Jackie

**photo courtesy of flickr.com 

I'm linking up with Blessed Little Nest's - Life Made Lovely Monday (even though it's Tuesday).  Head over there for more loveliness!