Unconditional Love

Unconditional love. Wow, is it costly. I did not know until recently that I did not love people unconditionally. My journey through parenthood has been showing me that as long as my kids do what I think is right and acceptable it is relatively easy to love them, but what happens when they have their own ideas?

I found out that when someone I love has a different set of beliefs than me,that they are operating out of, I have a very difficult time loving them. Needless to say this begins to show through my actions and speech in short order. Why is that? Why is it that I can't love my child fully unless he/she is living the way I want them to? Is it all about control? Not sure. Is it all about protecting them? I don't know. But I do know that my children deserve my love just because they are my kids, not because of how they are living.

By not loving unconditionally, we actually push those we love away. The very thing that we are trying to avoid. I am thankful today, that I am learning how to love without conditions. It is not easy, but it is so worth it. My kids are worth it. So are yours.

Unconditional love is not by any means easy, but it is so rewarding. It actually has the potential to take a lot of pressure off of your relationships. Can you imagine how much better your relationships would be if the ones you love new that they did not have to earn that love?

It seems like an epiphany to me. I did not know that kind of love growing up so I have a very difficult time operating in it, but I am so relieved that I still get the chance to show it to my kids. Just because it is hard does not mean it is not worth it. I wish I would have know this before I had a family, it would have made life a lot easier for all of us through out the years. I guess all I can do now is look forward to better relationships with my family, friends and even the Lord.

God's love is unconditional love, and I think that I am finally beginning to understand that. Praise the Lord.

I strongly urge you to search out your own heart. Do you love people unconditionally? Or, do they feel as though they have to earn your love?

Fathers and there adult "baby girls"

One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was becoming a dad. Without question I love both of my children unconditionally. Though our situation has never been the ideal, and we have had to fight for every bit of happiness we have ever experienced, I would never give my kids up for anything.

There are times when I feel as though I am the worst father ever. Whether it is because of mistakes that I have made or other life problems, I have never really seen myself as a very good dad.

My son disagrees with me on that point. My daughter on the other hand has had a dad who has interfered in her life way too often.

As I have sought counsel recently to try and figure out why, as dads, we respond differently to life's struggles it has come out that we feel as though we are our daughters' protectors. Even if they don't want us to be.

As I have recently found out, we need to back off and let them live their own lives. It is so hard to do when your identity is wrapped up in the idea that your purpose on this planet is to protect your little girl from every conceivable heart ache. Before long, you become the heartache in her life, the person that she needs to run from rather than too.

I am learning this the hard way, but you don't have to. Learn from my mistakes. Trust that your daughter is intelligent and strong enough to make her own decisions and is capable of dealing with the consequences of those decisions. Let her go. She needs space to run free. She needs to be allowed to be independent. She is not just your little girl, she is also a woman who is an individual. Let her grow up.

I am sorry sweetheart, that I do not always make the right decision. But I am ready to get out of your way and let you become the woman that you want to be.

Keep Fighting

Do you ever feel like there is no point to going on? Keep fighting.

Do you ever feel like it just isn't worth it any more? Keep fighting.

Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you just keeping failing? Keep fighting.

Do you ever feel like no one understands what you are going through? Keep fighting.

Do you ever feel like you will never win? Keep fighting.

Do you ever feel all alone? Keep fighting.

Do you ever wonder when it will all be over? Keep fighting.

When the Lord sees you in agony, He keeps fighting.

When Jesus sees your hurt, He keeps fighting.

When the Holy Spirit feels your pain, He keeps fighting.

God will not give up on you, He keeps fighting.

God will not abandon you, He keeps fighting.

God knows the out come so He keeps fighting.

Whatever you are going through, do not lose hope, do not give up.

Just keep fighting.