Care

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Care

Ready?

GO.

I had a hard time just now deciding what to write about for this prompt (and sorry it's a day late.  My in-laws are in town and we've been catching up and out and about, Caroline is loving the extra attention, and I'm loving the help with her and the dishes and cooking!).

As I prepared to become a parent, and since becoming a parent, I've frequently heard some variation of this comment: "Becoming a mother/father has given me real insight into how much our Heavenly Father loves us."

I have to say I haven't had an epiphany like that yet.  When I try to compare my love for Caroline to the love I know God has for me, I find myself truly lacking and inadequate.  But rather than criticize myself, I think it actually means two things:

1) I have a sincere belief that God loves me and loves me perfectly.  I feel there is such a gap between our levels of love because I think I have been shown over and over again in life how much he loves me and takes care of me.

2) I am human and not perfect, but I know the more and more I get to know Caroline, the more and more I care about her and love her.  And the more and more I worry about her and try to protect her.  I think Mike and I are both the types of people that can easily form friendships but need lots of time (i.e. years) to really develop that friendship and come to care deeply for that friend.  I assume it's similar with kids - you have an initial love for them but it only grows. And maybe God's love for us is so perfect because he has a much longer memory than we do and has been caring for us for the past.......eternity.

And I have a husband who cares for me enough to take me to my first NFL football game!  Go Washington (Redskins)!