Love.

All of the things pictured here are things I have spied online recently and can't help but love. {I don't claim rights to any of them.} I think I must be in a muted zone right now because I didn't realize, until I posted these images altogether, that all of them share similar colors/tone. I'm terrible at keeping track of where I find stuff I like- I have a tendency to click and save images into folders, but I rarely ever keep track of the original sources. I plan to edit this post and link up all the neat stuff pictured here today. Just give me a bit of time and I'll go hunting for sources. (Here's where I saw the cute cupcake garland.) (And here's a link to the rainclouds canvas.) (Found the pinatas via this blog.) So, other than the bird wallpaper, I'm all set on sources this time around!

Okay.

Speaking of love, besides felt clouds and expensive pinatas (the ones pictured above cost $135.00!!) and cupcake liner garlands, I have been thinking about what love really, truly is, and just how hard it is to love consistently in my life. I am good at kissing my kids goodnight and telling them I love them throughout the day, but I have to admit I fall short at 'loving them' when they yell at one another over who's turn it is to play the Wii or when they have to be called 6 times before coming to the table to eat, and other various moments when they're being less than perfect kids.

I find it hard to love Chip when the kids have drained my energy for the day and he walks into the house after work and finds me tired and short-tempered. I find that more often than not, love is not an easy thing for me to do- unless I am consciously making the effort to show love. I am realizing more and more that most of the things I do- my "acts of love" for my family- are so routine that they end up being overlooked. I'm sure if I quit doing laundry for a few days, the piles of dirty clothes would start to make a statement. But in doing daily loads of laundry, it just becomes a "chore" and nobody 'sees' it as love. It's expected and it just gets done.

However, I believe that in doing things for others- our actions- express our love more than simply saying the words, "I love you".

As I continue to strive to live an intentional life, meaning being fully aware and engaged in the things I do and say (or the things I don't do or say), I am finding that there are ways to show love and be a 'better person' if I just act on certain things. It seems like such a simple concept, and it is- but it's not always easy to implement- especially on the long, hard days that come our way at times.

Today, I did a little thing. I took the garbage out to the end of our driveway. Chip most often brings the garbage out on Friday mornings as he's getting the kids loaded up for school. But today he had a meeting and was gone, but rushed home to pick up the kids and drop them off at school. I knew he would be in a bit of a hurry. I knew it was a chore he normally does, but I also knew that by taking the garbage bin out it would save him some trouble. So I did it, all the while knowing it would make his life a bit easier.

When he came home, one of the first things he said was, "You must like to take the garbage out... I see you beat me to it today". I said, "I don't like to take the garbage out, but I know you don't either".

Now, before you start to think I am some superwife or want some bragging rights, I'll tell you I mess up more than I get it right. I am a work in progress. My family knows I love them all very much, but I blow a lot of opportunities to show them just how much I care. I am challenging myself to love in ways that I wouldn't automatically love- in ways beyond just doing the 'usuals'. I am wanting to push myself to love- even when it's not comfortable or expected. I have known what love is for a long time, and I know there are times when it's wasy to love and times when it's hard to love.

But no matter the circumstances, I want to be a person who loves no matter the level of ease. I want to be a person that loves. Period.