Agape

Well...
Long time no write eh? I'm sorry about that. I really haven't felt much like blogging to be honest, but since someone *coughStefcough* said she would write a blog about how I haven't blogged I figured I'd better update.

Let's see...the safe thing to do would be to stick to two topics: The weather and every body's health. (A cookie to anyone who can tell me what movie that line is from).

I'm not exactly a 'safe' type of person, but I will say that the weather on the mountain is absolutely spectacular today and that as far as health goes, if you're not feeling well, then back into bed with you...and better take a thick book cause it gets kinda boring lying in the dark.

Okay, now that those topics are exhausted, I will now move into dangerous territory.
I'm going to talk about love.
Yes...you heard me.
No this won't be gushy.
No I'm not going into a rant about castles or fairy tales.
Okay, happy? Ahem...let's begin:

I'm sure many of you know that there are different types of love. You don't love your mom like you love your fish...or dog, cat, hamster...etc. You don't love your favorite shirt like you love your best friend, and you don't love your 'significant other' [spouse or otherwise] like you love ice cream (least I hope not...it'd be bad to confuse those two...amusing...but bad).

Aside from these distinctions...our culture has blown the idea of 'love' completely out of focus. I don't believe in love at first sight, although I do think that you can see someone constantly and then one day get whacked upside the head by feelings you didn't know existed, but if that's a type of love...I don't know.

Love has been smeared.

Men manipulate women and call it 'love.' "Oh, but baby I love you. Come on, if I didn't I wouldn't want to share this with you."
Right. love. Hm...no...

Women use love as a weapon..."If you really 'loved' me you'd change. You'd be what I need. You say you love me...prove it."
Is that love?
Better hope not.

Love, true, honest, pure Love is a sacrifice. Look at our example. The King of Heaven brought Himself so low that people spat on him, tortured Him, mutilated Him, and He took it...for what? Agape.
Never ending, never changing...L-O-V-E.

I'm not saying that other kinds of love are horrible or insignificant, but they all need to looked at through the lens of Agape Love.
haha, now I'm not saying that in order to say "i love ice cream" (can you tell I'm hungry?) that you need to be all "okay, hmm...well if I say I love ice cream but I don't sacrifice for it...something is wrong..." hehe, I mean unless you really want to run that seven miles before diving into that bowl of moose tracks...but otherwise...not so much.

C.S. Lewis described love as a giving of one's heart. I like that. In order to give though, you have to actually have something to give. You can't give love while wrapped up in self pity or self loathing, or self....period...in order to be able to love another person, romantically or not...you have to give of yourself.
I'll be honest, that is really scary...what if you give and then the other person lets you down? Welcome to life. We'll all fail each other at one time or another, but Agape Love doesn't quit...
I'm not saying to be stupid. There are certain things and people that should not have your heart, but if something is worth fighting for, worth the risk...then take the risk. Don't stand back afraid to leap because you're not sure if you'll hit cotton or jagged rock.

There will be pain, but without the pain the reward would be useless. You've got to keep trying, got to keep fighting...because He fought for you...you in turn need to fight.

It's about time we stopped focusing on our own pain and let ourselves give to others...

Okay, now that I've completely confused everyone, I'll shut up.