Unconditional Love: Rule #7

Unconditional Love finds a way to give – sometimes without words, like 40+ homemade from scratch Dress Cookies and 60 Daisy Cupcakes plus icing.

“We Love because He first Loved us” (1 John 3:19)

Unconditional Love learns how to make fondant daisies, researches to find the best icing, cookie dough and cake batter recipes. Unconditional love is unrelenting.

Love practices hospitality whether it is in classroom cupcakes, home grown vegetable baskets, best dishes for homebound friends, a welcome pie for the new neighbor, or a bouquet of zinnias to brighten a hospital room (Romans 12:13).

“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (Romans 12:7-0).

All for free – meaning free of any return expectations. Just wanting to give love shaped like cupcakes and cookies.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phillipians 3:2-4)

Unconditional Love does that without moaning or complaining, with a heart humming and a joyful spirit.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good” (Galatians 6:9a)

One night, a little worn out from my new job, cooking dinner, washing a bit of dishes – and I just wanted to write and go within myself. Unleash the thoughts bottled up during work.

My little guy, he came in as I sat down. “Can you help me now?” he asked. “Help me clean my room and move the bed. I’ve got the Lego’s picked up.”

My illustrator, he likes his room organized. Sometimes, it explodes with all his creativity – and he just needs companionship to muddle through it.

I left my quiet time, fenced in those racing ideas – and followed my son, my illustrator. Not as though I had lost something or as though something was taken from me. Interaction was intentional, focused – on his words, his ideas, his goals – and the being together, the interaction.

In the fasting of self, true love grows, with seeds left over for sharing.

Unconditional love fasts self and counts it blessing.