Love and U-turns!

We spent our 25th anniversary weekend and Easter weekend in Texas attending a concert at Six Flags. We went as a reward for Katie, who had memorized the entire book of Colossians last school year (an amazing feat-the only student in high school that took the challenge!). The concert came up so we jumped on it. She was so excited, and although Toby Mac would not be my music of choice, we so enjoyed being there with her. The most amazing thing was to see this entire stadium packed (sold out concert) with young people responding to Toby Mac's message-which was "we were made to love HIM." In between songs, he stopped and talked to us, read Scripture, and as he said, "got his preach on." He encouraged all of us to get off any wrong road we were on, stop, turn around (which is what repent means-change your mind about where you are, what you are, and who Jesus is), and let Jesus meet us there, and set our feet back on the right path. How easy it is to get distracted by this life, how easy it is to get off the right road, to make a wrong turn, to choose to live in a way that seems harmless, yet dishonors our Lord...how hard it is to turn around, to admit failure, to back up, to see ourselves just as Jesus does, yet loves us anyway. We were made to love. Steve and I celebrated 25 years together-no one really stopped to take notice, but he and I, and my sweet daughter. Her card reminded me of how important it is to love and the example it sets. That we DID do right...we have loved Christ, we have loved each other, we have loved those God has brought into our lives...and we have done that faithfully for 25 years, all by God's amazing grace and through His amazing empowering love!