Love You More

It's the battle back and forth. It's a contest that never ends. It's a fierce competition that we both try to win. I love you more!

What does that mean? I love you more-the phrase itself has many meanings to me. Perhaps you can put all those meanings into three separate categories - physical, emotional, and spiritual.

I love you more physically means:

• Leaving more food for the other if there's not enough to go around. Sure you might be hungry but love will fill the void.
• Staying up at night to help your sick loved one. Sure you might be tired at work the next day but love will give you energy.
• Holding hands more
• Kissing more
• Hugging more
• Smiling more

I love you more emotionally means:

• Providing a listening ear
• Giving a shoulder to cry on
• Talking less, listening more
• Standing up for someone
• Telling someone they are beautiful
• Giving encouragement DAILY
• Asking for forgiveness 
• Apologizing
• Working through a conflict
• Making selfless choices
• Recognizing sacrifices
• Sacrificing 

I love you more spiritually means:

• Praying together
• Caring for each other's soul
• Making time for God in your relationship

But more than anything, I love you more means - you've never stopped giving more!

It's beautiful! You betcha!

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."- John Burroughs, American Conservationist

As I drove to work this morning, I did something that I always do - I looked at the sky. This may seem like a simple and meaningless gesture. Yet, for me, there is so much more to it than just a simple glance. Psalm 19:1 tells me, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." So many things in this life are glorious, so long as we take the time to see that glory. I look at the sky and know that glory abounds. There's a soothing and a healing to be found in skies of blue and clouds of white.

I've come to appreciate nature more and more the older I get. Yet, it's not so much the nature itself that contributes to my appreciation. It's the people who find that same feeling I do in the sky of blue and clouds of white.

If you have never had the chance to visit northern Minnesota, you should definitely go. Most any part of the Land of 10,000 lakes is easy on the eyes, but the best of views is in a canoe with a friend or two. It certainly helps if that canoe is laden with some fishing gear and people you hold near.Don't forget to look at the sky of blue and clouds of white.

Paddling is hard work, but it's not so bad if you happen to find yourself on Birch Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I've been there and I'm a better person because of my trip. I caught a fish or two or three. I heard a story or two or three. I even got a little upset when my line tangled in the net. Luckily, the beauty of not only the land but a lady calmed me down. After all, I was under the sky of blue and clouds of white.

Yet, the most important thing that I took away from my journey on Birch Lake was this: We all live under the same sky. The sky stretches forever, much like a good friend and a great family are there forever. Sure, the people under the sky may talk differently, act differently, and think differently. Yet, we are all living under the same sky- a sky of blue and clouds of white.

It soothes my soul to know that I have people who care about me under the sky thousands of miles away. From Minnesota to Alabama, from North Carolina to Nepal there's people who live under the same sky that can look up and think about me - in the sky of blue and clouds of white.

It heals my soul to see the sight of two families becoming one -under the sky of blue and clouds of white. Life is full of divisive things, but you won't find a divide in the sky of blue and clouds of white.

No matter the distance, no matter the time, always look up to the sky and think of the people you love who live under the same sky of blue and clouds of white. Let new love for them take flight- into a sky of blue and clouds of white.

A sky of blue and clouds of white - it's beautiful! You betcha! That's right! A sky where love takes flight!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man.

Most of all...

Sometimes in life, we really need a best friend. Friends may come. Friends may go. Yet a best friend will remain forever. In life, we sometimes think we have found our best friend. As time goes on, actions and words may reveal otherwise. So, the question remains, how do you know when you have found your best friend? I think some lyrics from a classic Don Williams song can tell us.

"You're My Best Friend"
by Don Williams

You placed gold on my finger
You brought love like I've never known
You gave life to our children
And to me a reason to go on.

You're my bread when I'm hungry
You're my shelter from troubled winds
You're my anchor in life's ocean
But most of all you're my best friend.

When I need hope and inspiration
You're always strong when I'm tired and weak
I could search This whole world over
You'll still be everything that I need.

You're my bread when I'm hungry
You're my shelter from troubled winds
You're my anchor in life's ocean
But most of all you're my best friend.

You're my bread when I'm hungry
You're my shelter from troubled winds
You're my anchor in life's ocean
But most of all you're my best friend...

A reason to go on - that is a best friend. You see, a best friend brings out the best in a person. Sometimes the things they help a person reveal about themselves may be something completely unknown to that person. Self worth is important and there are times in life when you can't always find your own self worth. That's where your best friend comes in and helps you to see the best in yourself and that is reason enough to go on.

Hunger - what is hunger? In America, we are fortunate enough to not have to deal with very much physical hunger. Yet, we hunger in other ways too. We hunger emotionally and spiritually. A best friend doesn't let a friend go emotionally hungry. They provide them "bread" for their emotions. This could be a word of encouragement, a listening ear, or an understanding heart.

Troubled winds - do you have troubled winds in your life? We all do! Life sometimes feels like one giant hurricane or an f-5 tornado. Where do we go when the "troubled winds" of life arise? We go to our best friend! Our best friend protects us and provides shelter from winds of persecution, winds of change, winds of doubt and winds of fear.

And...these few words get me every time: "You're my anchor in life's ocean." Stability is important to me. I guess that's why I sometimes make a big deal out of the future in terms of finances and careers. Stability is also important to me in terms of love. You see, a stable love is a love that's not dead. No love life will ever be perfect. However, it can remain stable and steady in those "troubled winds" We love someone through the "winds"  and the "waves" if we truly love them.  A best friend provides an anchor to keep our "ship" stable in "life's ocean." A best friend keeps us grounded for the future. If it weren't for our best friends, we may end up drifting through "life's ocean" with no hope for a safe arrival to the harbor.

But most of all, if you have a friend that fits all of the things I described then you have a best friend. I've found my best friend! I placed gold on her finger. Well, white gold with a touch of blue, that is!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

It's my strength for holding on

Some of us, by circumstances of life, may find ourselves separated from the ones we love. As unfortunate as that may be, there is one thing that remains constant through it all. That one constant thing is love. Love is the only part of a person that you can take with you wherever you go. I think George Strait's song says it bes:

"Carrying Your Love With Me"

Baby all I got is this beat up leather bag.
And everything I own don't fill up half.
But don't you worry 'bout the way I pack.
All I care about is getting back real soon.
A goodbye kiss is all I need from you.

[Chorus:]
I'm carrying your love with me.
West Virginia down to Tennessee.
I'll be movin' with the good Lord's speed.
Carrying your love with me.
It's my strength for holdin' on,
Every minute that I have to be gone.
I'll have everything I ever need.
Carrying your love with me.

On a lonely highway, stuck out in the rain.
Darlin' all I have to do is speak your name.
The clouds roll back and the waters part.
The sun starts shining in my heart for you.
You're right there in everything I do, 'cause...

[Chorus]

This song shows that material possessions don't mean a lot. It shows that we can get by with only the necessities of life, as long as we have love. I know that I carry the love of many with me each day. I carry the love of my family, I carry the love of those who are no longer here on this earth with me and I carry the love of my best friend, the love of my life. She knows who she is! Sometimes life gets rough. Sometimes life seems to be like an ocean that separates us from loved ones for what seems like an eternity. Yet, just like this song, my strength for holding on during those times of troubled waters is the love of others that I carry with me each day. Everything gets just a little better when I realize the love that I carry with me. What about you? Do you carry love with you?

The clouds come - but they will roll back

The waters swell - but they will part

The sun does shine in my heart for you!

So, until me meet again, I'll carry your love with me because it is my strength for holding on every minute and every second that I have to be gone <3

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and ponder but never wonder

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. - How true is that statement? I would say that absence does make the heart grow fonder. Knowing what you did have and not being able to have it makes you want it even more. Absence makes you do something else too. Absence makes you ponder.

Ponder - to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply

You see, chances are, if you are experiencing the absence of someone you love, you probably spend many minutes, hours, and days pondering. What do you ponder? For me I:

• Ponder about what I can do next when I am with that person - I have always been a person who tries to be a forward thinker. The minute absence kicks in, I start trying to think of things that can be done when the I am together with that person again. I do this for several reasons. First, I believe that what you think about often become reality. What reality could be any better than re-uniting with a person you love? Secondly, I try to think forward because everything in life can be improved upon. I want things to get better and better.
• Ponder about what life would be life without certain people - I try to avoid sobering thoughts sometimes. Yet, it is so important to ask yourself: "What would my life be like without __________?" If you can't imagine your life without that person, then you should be willing to eliminate the absence.
• Ponder the meaning of love - Absence makes the heart grow fonder. How does the heart grow fonder? The answer is simple. Hearts grow fonder when they're filled with love. So, what is the true meaning of love. The most simple and concise statement that can be used to clearly explain what love means is this: Love is a journey in which both people commit themselves to the good of each other every step of the way.

So, ponder this, have you experienced the commitment of a person who always looks out for your good? If so, you have found love. When you find love, do what it takes to keep it safe!

Though we may experience the absence of someone in a physical way, we must always remember that love remains despite physical absence and it is there every step of the journey. You never really are alone. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and ponder but should never make you wonder. I don't have to wonder. I know the love I have and my heart grows fonder for her every day.

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man.

Hands, minds, and hearts

Hands, minds, and hearts...what do these three have in common. Other than being parts of the body, these three things are all used to express love.

With your hands you might express love by:

• Making things for people
• Holding someone steady to keep them from falling
• Pulling someone  to safety
• Embracing in a handshake of brotherly love
• Mending something that is broken for someone

With your mind you might express love by:

• Thinking of words to say to someone sad or grieving
• Creating ideas that will serve to help someone accomplish something more efficiently
• Lending your expertise in a subject to someone who could benefit from it
• Thinking of words of encouragement to express to someone
• Thinking of how to find out what someone needs help with

With your heart you might express love by:

• Welcoming a lonely friend into your home
• Being friendly to a stranger or someone no one seems to be noticing
• Giving up something you have plenty of to someone who may be lacking
• Pouring your heart out in prayer for someone
• Loving unconditionally, through the good times and bad

Today, I stopped and thought about how I tend to express my love quite openly. Love comes in many different forms. For example, there's brotherly love between friends, there's parental love between children and parents, and there's romantic love between a couple. And while these different types of love are shown in different ways, they all don't just happen without effort and putting yourself out there. Love doesn't go "poof" and appear. It must be expressed. I have often wondered why people have so much trouble expressing love. I have come to the conclusion, that people have trouble with expressing love because they don't realize that love is not complex. You can show love in so many ways. With our hands, minds, and hearts we can express love in the simplest of gestures. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all expressed more simple gestures of love? Be open with others and truly show them you care- that's love and chances are when you are openly expressing your love and care, an open expression of love and care will follow from the recipient.

I'm so very thankful that I and those around me are not afraid to express love. Love is the happiest of all expressions. I can honestly say, that I get to experience love from others every day and that makes me one happy man!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

Love is more than a 7 point word

Those who know me, know that I like to play Scrabble sometimes. Double word scores, triple word scores - it's all fun. So, let's tie in Scrabble to something that shows up in our everyday life. Love, without any double letter, triple letter, double word, or triple word scores is worth 7 points in Scrabble. Compared to some words you might have managed to hash out in Scrabble before, the word love may seem kind of small. However, when you manage to capitalize on those doubles and triples, you may end up cashing in big time. The same is true in life. You must capitalize on love.

As a business major, I've been taught to learn to capitalize on investments much like you capitalize on words in Scrabble. Love is certainly an investment on which I enjoy capitalizing. You see, love has a lot to offer. Yet before we can capitalize on love, we have to learn what is (the structure of the investment), what it does (the purpose of the investment) and what it gives (the return on the investment).

Love is...

• Giving away the last shrimp even though you know it would taste so delicious
• Putting ear drops in someone's ear because it's not exactly the easiest task for someone else to do on their own
• Buying someone's tickets because you want to show gratitude
• Making friends with someone's dog because you want the dog to like you as much as you like the dog's owner
• Listening to a guy ramble on about his hometown because you know it's special to him (even though it is a little boring)
• Picking someone up at the airport, but dreading when you'll have to take them back

Love does...

• not hog the last shrimp on the plate
• buy things for others that you know they will love
• show affection for someone both physically and emotionally
• shares in a tear 
• shares in a fear
• plan for the future
• encourage in the present
• holds on to good memories of the past

Love gives...

• Time for talking
• An ear for listening
• really, super cool, thoughtful cards
• crazy but really cute pictures
• all it can

You see love is so much more than just a little word. By knowing what love is, what love does, and what love gives, we can all understand that real love is true and it's all about me and you! Love takes two and it's an investment we all need to go and do!

That, my friends is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!