Loving Well

If I had to choose one, I would rather be remembered as a person who loved well than  someone who always had a clean house. Of course, I know there is no chance of being remembered for my clean house. But I wonder if I am as concerned about the one as the other.   

How will we be remembered? It seems I've put a lot of hours  into the external appearance of myself, my family and my home over the course of my life. But this is not what should matter most to those of us who have answered the call to be followers of Christ.  

My sphere of influence, first and foremost, is my family. It is here, in my home, where I have the opportunity to do what matters most..  

...to love.

I want my husband and my children to be loved well. How is this to be accomplished since I am a selfish person by nature? God has graciously accepted me, in spite of my condition, and over the years has been sculpting my heart into His image. He knows all about love. He IS love! And He has not held back in lavishing His love on me. I think about that and realize this is my calling and my desire. My husband and my children should be the recipients of unconditional and beautiful love.  

It is His love for and in me that enables me to love well. My prayer is simply that my life be a living expression of the love of God and that I be remembered as one who loved well.