"...but the greatest of these...is love...." 1 Corinthians 13:1-13) Part I

I've so excited to share with you, my blogfriends the amazing things that have been happening since Ashley has returned from her YWAM outreach.

The theme of my post will be around "love", as this is one of the greatest lesson's our precious Father has been teaching Ashley while on outreach. And, so like our Heavenly Father, he's been challenging my dh and I in the same area for the past 2 1/2 months. Isn't his timing amazing!?!?!?!

Webster defines Love as:

*strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

Yet, one of the ways the Bible defines love can be found here. Love....what a powerful word!!!

shley's first few days at home were filled with much needed sleep to help her get back into a new routine; yet I'm certain that the transition from heavy, spiritual darkness, outreach, intense Bible Study, living a life that was focused on Jesus 100% of the time....will be major culture shock!? Yet....should there be a transition???? Where does true LOVE fit into this???

Last Wednesday Ashley was over the moon with excitement to have an appointment with our salon to have her hair taken care of. Six month without getting a haircut, color, foil, can do wonders to a girls hair. Needless to say, a dear friend of ours called in to the salon and paid for EVERYTHING!!! Ashley called me at work to share this news and she was so touched!!! What a great demonstration.....of LOVE!!!!

Last Friday Ashley and I spent the day together running to doctor's appointments to make sure that everything internally was OK..upon returning from Asia, and PTL...everything checked out a-ok. We enjoyed our Starbuck coffee...and some sweet conversation as we ran a few errands before my parents arrived from out of town for the weekend. My parents joined us for Andrew's final basketball game of the season and his team took the sectional Championship!!!

Woo...Hoo...for Andrew. Following the game my parents took us all to Texas Roadhouse...(if you've not eaten here...you need too.......Ashley works here as well..and we LOVE the discount. Check it out here!)

Following an amazing dinner we headed home to celebrate both Ashley and Andrew's birthdays as well as Christmas for Ashley! It is here...that I MUST insert an Annabelle story. For those of you who do not know who Annabelle is....I'll fill you in. She's a 4 1/2 pound Yorkie...who is the baby of the family! SPOILED...doesn't even come close to describing her! When we arrived home from dinner and everyone was changing and I was getting things ready for gift opening I noticed something on our living room couch. As I moved closer to the object, I noticed it as 1/4 of a $20.00 bill!! As I picked it up, I noticed TINY teeth marks....and off to my right a little princess....hiding in the corner. I then turned around to find Ashley's birthday gift bag SHREDDED all over the floor! As I gasped, my Mom walked into the room and I told her that Annabelle had eaten Ashley's $20.00 that they had given her for part of her birthday gift. My Mom quickly informed me that Annabelle did not eat $20.00...but rather 1-$20.00 bill, and 1-$5.00 bill!!!

Can you IMAGINE that!!??!?!? I tell ya girls, Annabelle has had an attitude every since Ashley has come home....call it jealousy....call it seeking attention......but I'm calling it being naughty!!! :-)

Of course, Grandpa and Grandma were quick to replace the $25.00....and I have a sneaky hunch that Andrew will be out in the backyard hoping that Annabelle passes the $25.00 in quarters...so he can collect the missing money! lol

Saturday was the day of the Welcome Home Party that we planned for Ashley's friends, as well as our church friends; and since my dh and I do counseling for our church, we had appointments lined up from 9:00am - 1:30pm and we didn't get home until one hour before the party was to start! Thankgoodness my Mom was here to help get things set in motion.

Let me just say that her party was a HUGE hit!!! (especially the chocolate fondue with fruit, cookies, pretzels..you name it..we had it) It was so neat to watch each of our guests come and listen to Ashley as she shared her video presentation with each of them. It was also very interesting to watch the facial expressions of our guests as they listen...sometimes in horror as to what Ashley saw and experienced. What a great demonstration of LOVE for our family and friends to take time out of their busy Saturday to come and welcome home our princess!!!

Well friends....this is the end of Part I..stay tuned as Part II will be coming soon. In Part II I'll be sharing with you...the message God laid on Ashley's heart to share at chruch yesterday! It was powerful, and I believe life changing for many.

In closing, I'll share a few thoughts that we've been talking with Ashley about at LENGTH:

1-I can say all the right things, I can do all the right things...I can APPEAR to be Christlike.....but if I do not have LOVE..I am nothing.

My challenge to you today, is to search your heart. Why do you do what you do? Do you do it because there's a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? Do you do it out of obligation...guilt....or from a heart that is open and transparent before your maker and your only desire...is be like him??? Does God us me with spiritual gifts...yet I'm rude, and often hurt people.

You see my friends....God has been challenging our family that you can have all the right words....have all the right outward actions.....BUT...if we do NOT LOVE...we are like a clanging symbol!!! What good is that???

2. Do I know my Bible...because I spendt time...QUALITY time...in it??? Or, is it easier for me to take someone elses thoughts and make them my own???? (PLEASE NOTE: I'm not saying it's bad to follow Biblical preachers/teachers...however...I believe God is challenging his people...to KNOW him...intimately.....!)

For more thoughts along this line..you must go HERE!!!! Mary, from Kisses From Heaven posted an amazing blog post that goes along with what my heart has been sensing and feeling. (hope you don't mind Mary..that I've linked to you)

Lord Jesus, please continue to transform this heart of mine, into your image! Please turn my often "clanging symbol"...into a heart that beats like her Fathers, that demonstrates his amazing Love to those around me.

Continue, giving me the desire to dive SO deep into your word that I may know you so intimately....I want my heart to be so close to yours....that when people see me...they see your image!!!

In Jesus name...Amen.

Blessing to each of you...my precious blog-friends!!!