Love your Neighbor

Love your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:39

I absolutely love it when my husband I can get together with all of our children and grandchildren at the same time.  However, with their busy schedules and growing families, it is often hard to find a time for this to happen.

We were fortunate enough to get together for weekend recently.  We met in Springfield and spent our day at Knights Action Park…a fun water park! 

It didn’t take long for the older ones to try out a few of the larger slides, while the little ones waded into the pools and went down various slides for their ages!  They laughed and giggled as they splashed in the water and went down slides numerous times!

Hudson and Graham are both three years old and enjoyed their time together!  I often watched them hold hands as they went from one activity to the other…and they even tried to go down the different slides holding hands.  Beau, Hudson’s younger brother, didn’t want to be left out.  He would reach for one of their hands as they walked to their next destination.  Their desire to be together blessed my heart.

After a busy morning, we took a break for a picnic lunch.  As we were getting things out, Hudson, Graham, Beau and Emmett all sat patiently waiting, laughing and entertaining themselves until their food was ready.

Their time together continued throughout the weekend!  We headed to Red Robin’s for dinner, which was followed by a movie…Disney’s Planes!

The following morning, we met for breakfast before everyone headed back home.  The boys laughed and played while we finished up our meal, and of course, continued to be inseparable throughout the morning.

I love that not only are they close in age, but they love being together!  I pray they will continue to be close, as they grow older.

I thought about our weekend as we headed home.  I was reminded of the scripture…Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself”, Matthew 22: 37-39.

Those little cousins definitely love each other, but God calls us to love everyone.  Often, it is easier for us to love those we are close to…those who are similar to us…those we encounter on a regular basis…our family and friends.

But as I watched those little boys display their affection for one another with such ease, I realize that I need to do the same.  I need to reach out to others…those who are different from me…those who I don’t know as well…those who need a friend and someone to share Christ’s love with them.

I need to step outside of my comfort zone and be willing to love unconditionally.  I need to have my eyes open, so that I might see those who need a loving word…a loving hand…God’s love!  I need to be as willing as my small grandsons to extend my hand in love to those around me.

Dear Heavenly Father…help me to love unconditionally.  Give me eye to see those who are in need of a tangible touch from you.  Not only give me eyes to see, but give me a heart that reaches out in love…help me to share your love with others.