Acts of Love

There is a song out right now that I absolutely LOVE.  As a matter of fact, I am mildly obsessed with it.  My children know almost all the words because of how much I play this song.

It's called "With Every Act of Love" by Jason Gray.  Here are some of the lyrics:

Jesus help us carry YouAlive in us, Your light shines through
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come.

God put a million doors in the world for His love to walk through

One of those doors is you.

That is so powerful to me.  Maybe it's because I am a young mom, striving every day to raise my children to be one of those doors for other people.  Maybe it's because so many people have been that door for me at times when I needed encouragement.  Maybe it's because I pray that my everyday words and actions show others the love of Christ.  Sometimes love is shown in a grand gesture.  But mostly, in my experience, it's the small things that open those doors in people's lives to let the Light shine through.

Don't worry.  I am going somewhere with this.

In mid June, we packed up all our belongings AGAIN, and moved home to Texas.  We were absolutely, positively thrilled to be making this move. 

However, it doesn't matter how excited you are to be moving.  It is a pain!  It is horrible, actually.  It takes so much time and so much energy.  Throw a 2 year old and 4 year old in the mix, and it becomes a big nightmare.  From changing your address on every single important document or account, to sitting in line to get a driver's license with 2 cranky children, to trying to find new doctors and dentists, to looking for a new church.  I could go on and on.  It's kind of stressful!

I was totally dreading the whole process, and totally resenting that this would be our 6th move in the last 7 years.  It felt like a giant mountain that I would not be able climb, especially while dragging my little darlings behind me.  

However, thanks to all the people who showed us love and opened doors for us, it was all pretty smooth.  Like Jeana, who took her little boy with her to the grocery store early one morning to load a million large boxes into her tiny car to bring to my house for packing.  Like Marcie, who let me drop my kids at her house for hours, so that I could get things done without the extra "help".  Like Larry and Tina, who opened their home to us our last two nights in town for a homemade dinner and fellowship.  And those are just a few.  We were completely overwhelmed with love and support.

Moving day came, the truck was being loaded, and I was sitting in a chair, with my precious little girl.  I glanced at the very large amount of junk still sitting in my garage, and then I glanced at the truck.  Nope.  Not gonna happen.  There was NO way it would all fit.  My friend Jeana was sitting beside me, and could see this as well.  Dave and I started talking about getting him a flight to come back the following weekend to pick up the rest of our junk.  But Jeana had other ideas.

Before I knew it, we were in a caravan, heading to Dallas, with Jeana and her family following behind with the rest of our things.  The first night in Dallas, we all slept on the floor of our new home.  It was incredibly uncomfortable, but we did not hear one complaint from our friends.  They spent the entire weekend pouring love on us, helping with anything and everything they could help with.  

What a great example of Christ's love.  Just giving.  No expectations.  No demands.  No worries about their own comfort.  

Sometimes I get discouraged.  I feel like "just a mom" at this stage in my life.   I feel like I don't really have a chance to make an impact on people's lives, to let my light shine, or at least to shine beyond the people who live under the same roof as me.  

I think that's why I love that song.  It reminds me that every day, I have a chance to love others, whether it be in my home or out in public.  It's in the way I talk to the grumpy lady who is checking me out at Target.  It's in the way I offer to help my friend with her kids while she goes to the doctor.  It's in the way I treat the lady who just cut in front of me at Chick Fil A.  In every moment, my attitude, my words can open doors for God's Light to shine through. 

With every act of love, We bring the Kingdom come.