love like that

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but EXTRAVAGANT. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
ephesians 5:1 the message

a year ago that was the passage that we had for our wedding ceremony. and i still like to read it over and over and think about God's extravagant love. amazing love.

this morning i wrote this after listening to the worship in singing portion of our service, including the words from 2 of the songs that really spoke to me this morning:

Love unfailing.
Overtaking my heart.
You
take
me
in.
Finding peace again.

Fear is LOST

in ALL YOU ARE.

our God is an AWESOME God
He reigns from heaven above

with WISDOM

with POWER

and LOVE

our God is an awesome God

*i humble myself to love you *

This was the main line in Frank and Karis' wedding vows.
What a good line. I actually think it started by saying "I choose to..."

So now Michael and I have been married for one whole year. and it has been FULL.
Full of learning. Full of fun. Full of family. Full of faith. Full of church life. Full of grief. Full of adjustments.
Full of love. Full of love. Full of love.

FULL.

I have learned that being married doesn't mean your relationship is always perfect or always seemless. Some days you have to choose again (as if for the first time) to humble yourself.

To choose to love.

I think being married has really shown me how important love is. That when you are based in love, you are a strong team. (and God is LOVE). Even when I've felt like I was drowning in grief, I am help up and anchored by love.

I've often said to Michael that he has taught me so much about Jesus. Michael isn't Jesus, I know that! but he has shown me, many times already, unconditional love.
On days when I'm so grumpy that he can't do anything right. On days when I'm feeling so sad that I just want to sit with him and cry. On days when I'm so tired that I want to just sit. On days when I want to dress up and go out on a special date. On days that are really just 'normal' and on days when I'm just my crazy self (ask Michael about my unique dance moves!). On all of those days he loves me and shows me love.
I have learned a lot about love from my family. I have always felt drenched in love. But one of the most special differences is that even tho I know my family still has to choose to love me, to an extent... they are still my family, and sort of have to love me (to a certain extent of course!), we are together forever. By the same token, Michael doesn't "have" to love me. Our paths never had to cross.
But everyday he chooses to love me. He chooses to take my family as his. He chooses me!
And God chooses us, every minute, of everyday. Amazing.

I feel pretty blessed to have the priviledge to love Michael. To talk to him, to make a home with him. To share our families. To be a family. To make meals together. To clean the house together. To snuggle. To laugh. To take care of him. To tease him. To know him like no one else does.
I am so blessed.

On my wedding day I could've never imagined being more in love with Michael John Thiessen. But you know what? i love him about a million times more now than I did then.

I am so thankful for this man of mine. For a God who chose to bless me and show me His love thru Michaels love, and so many other ways. For a family that has been such an example of love. I have grown up watching my parents, my Grandparents and Josh & Leah.
And I am so thankful for the love they share and for the example they have been.

Thank you Jesus for this love. Thank you for Michael and our 1st year. I pray that we will only grow in our love as the 1st year turns to the 2nd, the 5th, the 10th, 25th and so on.
That we will learn more every day to love like that.