Thursday, February 16, 2012

Love

The topic of love has been weighing on my mind for a while now. I have been observing other people in their relationships and there are a few things that I feel I must get off my chest. Now, I will never claim to be an expert on love and I was not trained in analyzing relationships, but I do see failed relationships on a daily basis and I myself am in love and want to say the following things.

Many people around me are claiming to be in love, but somehow I just don't believe you. I know that love can come in many different forms. Not everyone will have the type of love that I share with Chris. Relationships are not always the same, but I can say a few things that I know are not signs of love.

~ Love doesn't try to control your life or try to tell you what you should do
~ Love doesn't try to change you into something that you are not, rather it encourages you to be the best version of you
~ Love doesn't try to take you away from your family and friends with whom you share a close relationship, rather it should want to be a part of that relationship
~ Love isn't something that you hide from those who care about you, but rather something you want to share with those around you
~ Love isn't physically, verbally or emotionally abusive, EVER
~ Love isn't lying to one another about what you are doing or who you are with
~ Love also isn't encouraging your mate to lie to friends, family or each other
~ Love doesn't cheat nor encourage you to cheat
~ Love isn't disrespectful - to you or others you care about
~ Love doesn't ignore you or your needs
~ Love doesn't care how much money you have nor does it ask others for money

One thing I dislike is when people say "oh, you should support me because I am happy". Most people saying this are reminding me verbally daily about how happy they are without being asked. The more you tell me how happy you are, the more I question whether you truly are happy. I feel more like you are trying to convince yourself that you are happy instead of convincing me. I'm not buying it. Happiness is something that can be shown through your behavior and actions, not always something you have to say.

Lastly, I will leave you with this final thought. There is this great book called the Bible that tells exactly what love is supposed to be like. The following verses are quite commonly spoke, but not everyone actually thinks about the meaning behind it. Although we had read the words many times, Chris and I were tasked to read them during pre-marriage counseling and were read during our wedding ceremony. We were told that anytime we had issues/disagreements, we can go back to these words and help us through whatever troubles we may encounter. We often go back and read these words. They are marked in each of our Bibles and these words are hanging on our bedroom wall as a reminder. So I ask you this, if you think you are really in love, is is the kind of love that God created for you?

Love suffers long and is kind; 
Love does not envy; 
Love does not parade itself;
Is not puffed up; 
Does not behave rudely; 
Does not seek its own;
Is not prevoked;
Thinks no evil; 
Does not rejoice in inequity;
But rejoices in the truth;
Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
And now abide faith, hope and love, these three;
But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8; 13 (NKJV)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

You Had Me at Hello

Although we don't celebrate the special holiday of love, this little love survey sounded fun. Head over to From Mrs to Mama to play along.


1. How long have you and your significant other been together?
Our first night hanging out/date was October 18, 2003. We have been together every since. Crazy how those 8 years have flown by


2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}
Chris and I grew up in the same small town, so we knew "of" each other for years before our actual friendship/dating began. During my sophomore year of high school, I had been dating a close friend of Chris. Due to their friendship, Chris and I became friends as well. We were always together, hanging out on weekends all together, double dates, etc. We found out years later that we each developed a crush for each other during that time. After realizing previous boyfriend was bad news, I broke up with him in September 2003. The night of our school's homecoming dance was October 18, 2003. I hadn't felt like going, so I was in town cruising with my sister. Chris was in town with his friend Anthony. After thinking Anthony flipped my sister off, she flagged them down in a parking lot. We all began talking and decided to hang out that night. We cruised town, did some dirt roading, shared our first kiss, etc. At the end of the night as we said our goodbyes, Chris asked if he could call me the next day. He called the next day and has called me every day since!

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}
We recently got married. Our wedding was September 24, 2011 and it was the greatest day of my life. We waited so long because we wanted to wait until I had graduated college and law school and took the bar exam. School was over, long distance was over. We were then ready to actually begin the new chapter of our lives together. He was every bit the man I hoped to marry. He is my soul mate and my perfect match!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
We were married at the First Baptist Church in West Plains with a reception following at the historic Opera House. Our guest list was around 200, so not too small but not huge either. To us, it was perfect

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
He calls me Linz or Linnie. I occassionally call him Critter. No real nicknames we call each other regularily

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
1. He has always been there to love me and support me through everything and I couldn't ask for a better best friend
2. He makes me want to be a better person
3. He loves his family and mine. He is willing to do anything for anyone

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?
Nothing romantic here. It was August 19, 2005, the day that I left our hometown to attend college 200 miles away. He picked me up to take me to breakfast (having only decided he was going to propose about 1 hour before he left the house). As we were driving to the resturant, he stopped at a car wash to wash his car. I guess he couldn't wait any longer, so as I was getting back into the car, he took my hand told me he loved me and didn't want me to leave for school without knowing how he felt about me. It was adorable.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
We actually do not celebrate Valentine's Day. We are one of those couples who believe that we express love for each other every day of the year and not just one. I prefer the little things all year round that remind me he was thinking about me during the day, like a text, buying my favorite candy while at the mini-mart, etc.

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
We are homebodies for sure. Most nights we can be found cuddled up on the couch with a good movie or TV show. We do enjoy the occassional date and time away, but nothing fancy for us.

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
This may sound cheesy, but I would just like to raise a family and grow old with Christopher. It wouldn't matter where we went or what we are doing, I am happy so long as he is by my side. We talk about vacations occassionally, but nothing fancy (Chris won't get on an air plane). We talk about long term plans - building houses, having farms, etc. But those are just part of our life together

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.
Again, we don't celebrate, so nothing. We will come home from work, have dinner together and cuddle on the couch with our two pups, Dozer and Boots

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?
Nope

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
I am going to give two, just because I feel like being a rebel today.
Thing 1 - One of the things that I think helps us the most is being 100% honest with each other all the time. We never try to hide things or feelings or desires from the other person. This tactic may not work with every relationship, but to us it does. There are days I am being irrational and I need someone to make me see that I am wrong. If I want him to do something or if he has upset me (or vise versa), we are open and honest about it.
Thing 2 - Do things together. At the end of the day, all that will matter is your relationship and the time that you have spent with your mate. We make it a point every night to have dinner together in the kitchen and just talk. Then we have devotional time together. On the weekends, we try to do as much stuff as we can together. Sure sometimes, I don't want to go cut wood, but I enjoy being with Chris and he enjoys the company/help. Don't get me wrong, there are times that we do have apart. We aren't together 24/7. But we are a team and vowed to be as one, therefore we spend the time together.

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Again, I will be a rebel and show several pictures. Love to me means Chris and Lynsie and the life we share together.









Hope you enjoyed learning more about Chris and I!