Love One Another

Jesus said many times, "Love one another." You can find this statement (or something similar) in many places in the Bible. Here are a few: John 13:34, 1 John 3:11, Romans 12:10, and 1 Peter 4:8.

Christians base much work on these sentiments: missionary work, work to eliminate poverty, general  kindness to strangers and those in need. Good work. Good works.

This glass piece, "Love," speaks to a love that's closer to home, though. I'm stunned by an attitude I find more than occasionally: "How can you homeschool your daughter? I would go CRAZY!"

Go crazy? Because I spend most of my time with my child? This little person with whom God has trusted me? This precious image-of-God that I am blessed to parent?

Now, I'm not some Pollyanna-Mom who doesn't have moments of frustration with my imperfect child. And when my older children were young, I shared some of the sentiment above, but I'm not proud of that. I am in NO WAY perfect at loving my children, far from it.

But this attitude still puzzles me as a Christian. The "love" Jesus commands isn't just about others! Sometimes that's easier than loving those in our own home. However, Jesus doesn't command us to love just the easy ones. He says, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

"Love," the glass piece, was designed to remind me that love and home are intertwined. The one above is finished and ready to go to a friend. The one to the right is more like my life: a work in progress! Can you see the words "LOVE" and "HOME" in these pieces?

So, on those days when homeschooling is not fun and easy, when loving my children, my husband, and/or our parents pushes me to my limits, I ask God to sustain and strengthen me. To help me see that this/these person(s) were formed in the image of God Himself.  That I am commanded to love them. That they are fearfully and wonderfully made, and worth loving.

That's what this piece reminds me. If you would like me to make a version of "Love" for you, the size is 12x6 inches. It is framed in zinc, with rings for hanging. The cost is $60.00, plus tax and shipping, if needed.