What does love have to do with it???

EVERYTHING!!!

This is what I have concluded in my personal time.

Love has everything to do with everything!

Especially when you are trying to work things out with someone who is (really and truly) different from you in so many ways!

Let me explain myself somewhat:

I have been working on my ability to love. Not just love people from how I would like to be loved, but from their point of view too. This has actually manifested itself strongly in my relationship with Alex, my dearest...whom I'm engagaed to! As much as I love him, and how I want to work things out with him, I simply don't understand the man some days! I really (for the most part) see things from my viewpoint, and then work from there... and it is really, really difficult to separate myself from myself (if that makes sense). But, in order to truly love him, and honor him, and respect his place in my life...I have GOT to change how I view some things! I have to work on how I relate, how I communicate, and ultimately how I love.

This reminds me of Paul...the Apostle of Christ. He had to change his viewpoints, several times, in order to become the man that he knew God wanted (and needed) him to be! Not only initially...when Christ came to him on the road to Damascus. He also needed to daily renew his mindset on things that would benefit his own way of "doing" and "being". If he had just let himself be Paul, the human, he wouldn't have gotten very far...(I know this, because I know me). I'm realizing just how tough it is to DIE to yourself, and what it means to actually rely on God's strength. Not that I know what that perfectly looks like...oh my, goodness no! But, I have been smacked upside my spiritual head with this concept a lot recently...which is...

What it truly means to LOVE!!!

(P.s. I will accept comments or encouragement at any time, regarding this subject....)