In Love

I'm reading through Ephesians with the girls in my small group right now. During the week I have been reading through the same two chapters of scripture over and over to soak it in and really pray about what God wants to reveal to me. Last week we were covering Ephesian 1 and 2. For the entire week before small group I read it over and over again. Each time two little words stuck out to me. Two simple words who's meaning is greater than I could ever imagine. Two words which seem so basic of an action but is nearly impossible to truly follow through with.

In love....

Two simple words.

In love....

I couldn't figure out why out of the entire two chapters of scripture these two words stuck out above the rest. I prayed about it and talked about it in small group and I realized that God has called us to be "holy and blameless in his sight in love." I asked myself the following questions.

Is everything I do in love?

Is every word that comes out of my mouth in love?

Is my attitude reflecting that of love?

Is every action I do done in love?

Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14

I know for me I certainly don't do everything in love. Lately it has gotten worse and worse. I realize that I don't intentionally do things in a non loving matter but a majority of the time I let tiredness or crankiness get in the way of loving those around me. We are watched all the time. I don't think we even realize how much we are watched by those around us. I know my volunteers watch me. The kids in my room watch me. Their parents watch me. My family watches me. My classmates and professors watch me. We are suppose to be an example of Christ to others.

It's such a simple thing. We teach my Motion kids it all the time. It is one of the greatest commandments. Yet somehow for me it is sometimes the hardest one to follow. I let my emotions, my silly manners and pet peeves get in the way of loving everyone around me. I keep praying for God to reveal to me the things in my life that are keeping me from growing closer to Him. It's a hard thing to ask for but I think it is so necessary for me to do. I pray that God continues to challenge me in my life, from the simple things like loving others to chasing lions and repairing broken relationships.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
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.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:37-40

Dance Dance

I have a new found love for dance. Growing up I always wanted to take dance classes but I wanted to play sports more. My freshman year of high school I started taking ballroom dancing lessons. I loved it and started competing at the end of my sophomore year. Then that summer my family moved to Lexington and I never had the opportunity to continue on with it. My freshman year of college I took a tap class and loved it. The next semester I took a beginning ballet class and absolutely fell in love. There is something so relaxing and calming about dance. Now I'm a dance minor and trying desperately to learn and keep up with my classmates who have been dancing for years. In my ballet II class there are only two other girls in there with me. Of those two one has been dancing since she was 8 and the other since she was 12. I started at 19. It has been a challenge but there is nothing I don't enjoy more than one of those. Now I have a dance class every day except Sunday and am having so much fun with it.

Recently I have been realizing how I can use this new found creative outlet to worship God. Recently I ran into a passage in 2 Samuel about David dancing to worship God.

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might
2 Samuel 6:14

I had never really thought of dancing as a form of worship. It has taken me a while to realize all of the different ways we can worship God. I had always though of just singing as worship. Occasionally raising my hand as worship. But I have recently I have discovered the freeing feeling of dancing before the LORD with all my might.