LOVE: A Variation on a Theme

A very dear friend gave this to me years ago. It hangs on my fridge everyday. I don't read it everyday but it's there. Today it's soothing to me. 

LOVE
A Variation on a Theme

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in it's place,
but have not love, I am a housekeeper ~ not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love, my children learn of cleaniness ~ not Godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adutlhood.
Love is the key that open's salvation's message to a child's heart.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
As a mother there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.

I don't know who the author of this is. Whoever it is, she understands how fast time goes and what's really worth her efforts.


I hope my kids don't remember how dirty or clean our house was or how I often put THINGS before LOVE. I hope they mostly remember the times we snuggled, played, read, prayed, laughed, served, created, and danced together.

Now go sit on the dirty floor with your kids and PLAY.