I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss... and a prince I'm hoping comes with it...

This time of year, especially, it seems that is all everyone is talking about. We hear stories, know beloved fairy tales, and listen to music that portrays love. And what is that one thing that seems to conquer everything? True love. 

True love's kiss is said to be the most powerful thing in the universe. Belle and the beast; Ariel and prince Eric; Prince charming and snow white; Aurora and Prince Philip. Or even Princess Mia's theory of the "foot popping" kiss. Now, maybe I watch too many fairy tale movies and read too many books on this sort of stuff but it seems pretty convincing. There is always someone doing something terrible, and once the protagonist and the hero find each other and share this special kiss, you just know. Magic covers the land and fixes everything. Every one is happy, just like that....

Yeah, news flash, I do not believe in magic and true love's kiss does not exist, at least not in the way it is portrayed by Hollywood and famous authors. But wouldn't it be nice if it did work like that? Then you would know, without a doubt in your mind, that this person you are with is the person God has made for you. Alas, it does not work like that. I understand that we all want to find our true love, get married, and ride off into the sunset together making everything perfect. (Although some people seem to skip that whole marriage part nowadays, but that is a whole other can of worms I will open another time). But, we search for it so much sometimes that we forget that God has a plan for our lives and He knows exactly who He has picked out for us to spend the rest of our lives with in marital bliss. It may not come easy and it may not come soon, but we have to remember that love is around us all of the time because God is love; and God's love is true. 

"Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

 God is love. He is all of those things listed in that Corinthians verse. He loves us so much that He has planned great things for our lives and they will lead us to the love we desire here on earth.
But also, every day, as you go about your relationships in your life, remember that we should not be sitting around waiting for true love to come to us like in the fairy tales, waiting for true love's kiss to come make our foot pop and send some magical spell over all of the land making everyone happy. It is just not going to happen, people. People think that they should be in love this time of year or Valentine's day will be ruined. I'm not in love. I'm still skimming the surface of what being in love even means. What if I fall in love with the wrong person? What if I think I'm in love with someone and God has a completely different person planned for me? We do not know the answers, but we just have to trust in God and His plans.
 So maybe this Valentine's day, and every day, you can help bring joy to others, and yourself, with love for your neighbor, and not focus so much on making sure everything is "perfect" just for this hallmark holiday.

"As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  John 15: 9-13

The Fear of Ridicule?... or The Ridicule of Fear?

You would think that after a few years of this blog, putting my words out there and my opinions, I would not be afraid of what people think anymore. Truth is, I am still completely terrified. I cannot even count how many pieces I have in my drafts that I have written and not posted because I am too afraid that they sound ridiculous, or unintelligent. Given that this is all behind a computer screen, I cannot see how people react to it, so that should make it easier, right? Wrong. I do not know what is the matter with me. When I started this blog I wanted a place where I could put my thoughts and words out there for others to see, and I would not have to explain myself individually to every person who asks. Some days, I want to be sad. Some days, I want some time to myself. And some days, I take those times and write out my feelings here. But as I stare at the black words on the white page, everything starts to sound stupid. My mind races, second guessing itself left and right. My fear builds up inside me, and before I know it I am nitpicking every little thing, but my selfish self is still not happy with the product. This "great" idea I had for a post crumbled and disintegrated before my eyes. All because my fear took over. I have become more prone to caring what other people think about my writings, my thoughts. And it is not even just with my blog. My relationships, my decisions, my judgments; all are clouded by this fear of ridicule, when really it is the ridicule that fear gives off which is the problem. I have become more meticulous with every aspects of my life, careful to note how it will make others feel, or how it will effect their view on me. Recently, I've stopped to ask myself... why should I care? People are going to have their opinion of me whether I like it or not. It may be good and it may be bad, but the only thing I can do is be myself, the best 'me' that I can be. Talking about certain issues, proclaiming my opinion, but not forcing it on anyone, is who I am. I am starting to realize that it is not so important what others think as long as I am standing to my moral and ethical grounds and proclaiming my faith. Some people just will not like me, and I have come to accept that. That is okay because the only person whose love I want and need is my heavenly Father's, and I know that He loves me because He has showed it by sending His son to die for my sin's. He has defeated sin, death, and the devil and kicks my fears right in the face, away from me. His is the only acceptance I need. And that thought right there is what gives me my joy in life, and the push to move forward and put my thoughts out there.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10