Love and Coffee

Good morning friends!! I pray that everyone is having a wonderful morning and will have a fabulous day. Today is the day the Lord has made. REJOICE!! And be glad in it. I know I want to strive to find joy in today. My plate is not slammed packed with things to hurry around and do today. I have to work and I had to take Matt to school this morning since we only have one car. Since I woke up with him, I came back and made some coffee so I wouldn't go back to bed. :-p I realized I hadn't made time in the past several weeks to have some time with the Lord like I should. After pouring my Kaua'i coffee and finding a seat on the couch, I opened my Bible to Romans 12:9-21. Paul is speaking on the topic of love in these verses. I could probably talk for several pages on these passages but I would like to focus (for now) on verses 9-13. It reads:

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."  

Now, there are many passages in the Bible that speak on love. Why did this one stick out to me today?? I think one reason is because of the new chapter I've turned in becoming a "Mrs." Since the beginning, Matt and I have made it a point to pray together on a regular basis and that has not changed since being married. Spending time with one another has created a bigger yearning to spend time with the Lord also. This most certainly does not come easy!! The first thing Paul writes makes me immediately think about what it means to love sincerely. Thankfully, for all us "laymen-terms-needed" people, Paul goes on to write out what loving sincerely should look like. All these things can be a no-brainer for sure. But do these things change importance when it comes to the different people we encounter?? With my husband, we are devoted to one another. We made a promise to honor one another. We push each other to keep our spiritual fervor and serve the Lord. We find joy in hope, patience with one another, and are faithful to pray together and for one another. At times, it can be much easier to follow these things with those we are close with and see on a regular basis. Being in the restaurant business, I see all kinds of people along with personalities. Patience is tried on a regular basis both from customers and those around me for sure haha!! Honoring someone else above myself can be difficult especially when respect is not shown. Showing hospitality comes with the job title but I find being hospitable to others a joy. Yes, people can weigh that joy down for sure!! But that shouldn't give me a free pass to not love them sincerely. I think of what was done on the cross out of sincere love. Jesus didn't have one question in his mind if I was worth going through the pain and humility he would have to endure on my behalf. He knew he was the only way I could spend an eternity with him. These are simple requests written out for us all to follow. Why, then, do we struggle to show these on a regular basis to EVERYONE we come in contact with?? Jesus didn't pick and choose who he would go to the cross for. Why should we get to pick and choose who we will love sincerely?? Today, I rejoice because I am a princess of the Most High. I am loved by my creator sincerely and in him only will I find everything I need and want. Try passing along sincere love to someone you know and perhaps someone you don't know. See how it changes your outlook of others and maybe, just maybe, you will begin to see those around you like our father in heaven sees all of us.

 A hui kaua...