This is my first blog carnival. You can join in, too. Post your entry and then link to Bridget's page to read some great posts about love.
The word love is the most overused word in the English language in my opinion. And because of this, it has lost most of its special meaning and its place in this world. I want to look at it from my perspective, through my filter.
I view true love as something you're willing to give your life for. Something you would die to protect. You can say you love something or someone but do you really love them? Would you gladly lay down you life for it? Would you really die for that person if you had to? Some people will answer these questions with "Yes" and hope they never have to back up their words. Some will say a flat "No". A few will say "Yes" and really mean it.
What about me? you ask, well here's my spin on it. There are few people in this world that mean that much to me, and even fewer things that I would give the ultimate sacrifice for. But those few things I feel extremely passionate about.
The first being my God. I'm not a shout-it-from-the-rooftop kinda guy. I'll never shove my beliefs down your throat or force you to see it my way. I try to show people what my God looks like by my actions. I fail on a daily basis but I keep trying.
A close second is my wife. Yeah, I know it may sound sappy, but I'm not trying to score points with this statement. I would gladly give my life to protect my wife. I'll step into harms way, any day and twice on Sunday, to make sure she is safe. She is my world, my place of peace, my soft place to fall when I screw up, she kicks my butt when I need it and always shows me love even when I don't deserve it.
Third would be my children. I have two boys that are far from perfect and do things daily I don't agree with or even like, but there is nothing they will ever do that will make me stop loving them. I'll do everything in my power to make sure they are free from life-threatening harm. Notice I said life-threatening harm. I can't protect them form every harm that will come their way but if it came down to my life or theirs, I would give mine to protect theirs.
Last would be my country. Yes my imperfect, frustrating country. I joined the Air Force almost 21 years ago to protect my wife and our first child, and to provide a stable home for them. I also joined because I believe this is the best country in the world and I love it. Every time I hear the National Anthem I get choked up. Every time I see the American Flag displayed I feel an overwhelming sense of pride. Yes I would gladly lay down my life to protect the freedom we all enjoy.
Love! What are you willing to die for?
While 18 is the legal age of adulthood, 21 is a much more important number for some people. At 21 you can legally drink. It seems that at age 21 you finally lose all innocence. You can’t be charged with underage anything ever again.
21 is also the best score you can get at Black Jack. If you get 21 you’ll hear the coveted phrase “Winner, winner chicken dinner”.
On December 17th I’m looking at another 21. 21 years ago I married Eva-Michelle McElyea. 21 years ago my life officially changed forever, I became a married man. While this sounds ominous it started the best days of my life. I've had the privilege of loving the most perfect woman God has ever created. Now, some may argue with me on that statement and I hope they do. I hope they feel the same about their wives as I do mine. You see, I thought I knew what I wanted in a woman, I was wrong on all counts. It took a blind date, set up by mutual friends, to get two people that were created for each other to meet. Eva is my best friend, my soul mate, my lover, and my helper. I shudder at the thought of living in this world without her. She is the one who encourages me to always strive to be better, to not accept anything less than the best and to not give anything less than my best.
This anniversary will go by without any bells or whistles, no huge celebrations, no parties, but my love has never been greater for the one woman I have chose to share my life with. When you find your one true love you do everything in your power to keep her. There’s no place for pride, ego or selfishness when you commit your life to that one love.
Eva, I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow. You truly are the wind beneath my earthly wings. I look forward to spending many more years with you.
Happy Anniversary Baby
Happy Anniversary Baby
Ok, so I'm really bad at this blogging thing. I want to be better at it but when I think of something to write about I'm almost always away from the computer or busy doing something else. Guess I need to work on my short term memory so I can remember, what was I trying to say? Oh yeah, so I can remember what I wanted to write about. I'll try to be more consistent in the future.
On my daily commute to work I listen to a few of the news and talk radio stations on XM in my car; I try to spread it around so I can stay balanced on the issues. I prefer Fox News but only because I like their format better than others. I also listen to America Right and America Left. A wise person once told me that the extreme right and left are pretty much the same in their beliefs, they just don't see it. I think its because they have or at least display hatred for each other. Why is this? You can't blame it all on the media for how they report things; it's the politicians, media and individual people who promote and generate this hatred for each other.
I have been saying to my close friends for years that we're in a civil war in this country. It's not a civil war in the sense that shots are being fired and people are dying. It's a civil war of hatred, words and actions. Democrats and Republicans, Left and Right are destroying this country with the partisanship they are promoting. The Left is degrading, insulting and demoralizing anyone who is opposed to their viewpoint on current issues and agendas. The Right was just as guilty when they were in power. Each side is so busy trying to promote their ideology they refuse to hear any other position.
I personally believe that once elected officials take office, they should no longer be considered a Democrat or Republican but rather an American representing a designated population. They are charged with representing the people of their district, not their political party. They are required to vote on items the way the people of their district feel, even if they personally disagree with the majority of their constituents. Was that not the original intent of our form of government representation? Any American Government experts reading this, please educate me if I'm wrong.
I'll get down from my soap box for now. Thanks for reading, feel free to comment with your thoughts.
I have been saying to my close friends for years that we're in a civil war in this country. It's not a civil war in the sense that shots are being fired and people are dying. It's a civil war of hatred, words and actions. Democrats and Republicans, Left and Right are destroying this country with the partisanship they are promoting. The Left is degrading, insulting and demoralizing anyone who is opposed to their viewpoint on current issues and agendas. The Right was just as guilty when they were in power. Each side is so busy trying to promote their ideology they refuse to hear any other position.
I personally believe that once elected officials take office, they should no longer be considered a Democrat or Republican but rather an American representing a designated population. They are charged with representing the people of their district, not their political party. They are required to vote on items the way the people of their district feel, even if they personally disagree with the majority of their constituents. Was that not the original intent of our form of government representation? Any American Government experts reading this, please educate me if I'm wrong.
I'll get down from my soap box for now. Thanks for reading, feel free to comment with your thoughts.
We've been doing a series at church titled Hidden Things for what seems like forever. It's all good though, I'm learning a lot and being stretched in many different directions. The biggest thing I've come to realize is that I'm not a label and you're not a label. What I mean by that is that I'm not a christian, atheist, democrat, republican, murderer, thief, rapist, cowboy, homosexual, trucker, guitar playing freak; the list could go on forever. What I'm learning and holding onto is that I was created Imago Dei, that is, in the image of God. If He sees me as an image of Him, then that's what I am, no label needed or earned. Oh, the freedom this brings! I look at people in a whole different light than I used to. I'm not as quick to judge, condemn or profile people.
I've always believed that words are powerful and can shape the fabric of a person. Tell them they're stupid, or worthless enough times and they will eventually start to believe it. I tried my best to always tell my boys they had value and were amazing. "Tried" is the operative word in that equation. I failed more times than I can count but I feel fairly certain they are the men they are today because of the words I spoke over, and to, them. I do not agree with every decision they make and sometimes wonder that the hell they're thinking but they know I love them and I am proud of them no matter what. I see God this way, He may not be happy or agree with the direction I go in but He loves me because I was made in His image.
Of course this is how I understand things, may not be the correct way or what works for you, but its what I feel God is teaching me at this stage in my life. Who knows where this fantastic journey will take me next week, but its a journey I choose to take.
I've always believed that words are powerful and can shape the fabric of a person. Tell them they're stupid, or worthless enough times and they will eventually start to believe it. I tried my best to always tell my boys they had value and were amazing. "Tried" is the operative word in that equation. I failed more times than I can count but I feel fairly certain they are the men they are today because of the words I spoke over, and to, them. I do not agree with every decision they make and sometimes wonder that the hell they're thinking but they know I love them and I am proud of them no matter what. I see God this way, He may not be happy or agree with the direction I go in but He loves me because I was made in His image.
Of course this is how I understand things, may not be the correct way or what works for you, but its what I feel God is teaching me at this stage in my life. Who knows where this fantastic journey will take me next week, but its a journey I choose to take.
The Rambling Moose is a series of random thoughts about life, religion, politics and well, pretty much anything I want to write about.
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