Brotherly Lovin'

Tonight I was fixing dinner and the boys were in their room playing together. Whitman would read his book to Waylon and show him the pictures and Waylon was looking up at him in awe of his big brother.  I was amazed at the intense amount of joy this simple show of love and enjoyment brought to my heart.  Then I began to realize that things won't always be this blissful.  As they grow up they are going to have their disagreements and fights, like all siblings do.  I realized how much the thought of this broke my heart.  

I then began to ponder my childhood and how it must have hurt my parents when we bickered and fought.  I guess I never realized how those moments must have hurt their heart too.  (Sorry mom and dad for hurting you.) It hit me that parents want their kids to enjoy each other.  Not just because they want well behaved children or for them to just stop trying to kill each other, but because it brings a super intense amount of joy to their hearts when siblings just love on each other. Also, nothing grieves their heart more than when their beloved children are fighting and trying to hurt one another.  In my head I've known this, but it wasn't until I saw my own boys playing together that I felt it. Feeling this is a whole different experience.

Since becoming a mother two and a half years ago I have learned a lot about how crazy Good is about His children.  I love my boys like crazy...like I could never imagine before I had them.  I'm not perfect (just ask Josh) so my love for them, while immense, is not perfect, but Gods love is perfect. To just imagine that God loves me more than I will every love my sons is overwhelming at times.  Tonight I glimpsed the sorrow it must bring Him when His children are not loving on one another, and the incredible joy He must feel when we do love each other as He would have us love.  Tonight I was challenged to continually bring my heavenly Father joy by loving my spiritual brothers and sisters in deed and truth.  And to be more intentional about loving my own brothers to bring my mom and dad more joy too! 

John 13:35

By this will all men know that your are my disciples, by your love for one another.