Tangible

If my Christmas blog seemed like a brag or a selfish list of the gifts I received, I expressed it badly leading you to misunderstand.  And, I'm sorry.  I apologize. In the first place, I've been needing a laptop for quite a while now.  It was a wonderful gift.  Even better, it was a tangible expression of children who love me.

Bob had every intention of making a laptop his gift to me this year until our son and daughter-in-law beat him to it.  He then decided to get me a purse and shoes, but the purse was the kid's gift for my birthday. While out shopping, I saw a pair of shoes that were supposed to be comfortable on my bunion.  Since it was Christmas Eve, Bob laughingly agreed to the purchase when I asked him Before I made the purchase, he took Deb outside to the porch and scolded her for messing up his plans.  He then had Deb wrap a large amount of cash in a small box to give to me from him. That was his tangible expression of his love for me. He was emotional as he told me I could only spend it on clothes.  No bills, no appliances, nothing by clothes.

I now understand the wisdom of our son and daughter-in-law's agreement that no personal purchases be made between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It might be on the gift list.

Getting back to tangible, it's my heart's desire to be able to tell those who will listen that sex is not love.  It's a tangible expression of that love.  Or not. That's why the movie my granddaughter wanted me to see was so disturbing. It had nothing to do with love. She did say the story would eventually work into something sweet and loving.  Sorry.  I'm not buying it anymore than I'd eat a delicious dinner covered in sewage.  Wouldn't it be nice if Hollywood would go back to understanding the imagination is so much more powerful than the visual? It would be even nicer if they understood that indiscriminate sex has nothing to do with love.

One of my favorite movies is "The Quiet Man."  You don't have to see sweaty, entangled flesh on a bed to know when love has been consummated. A certain look, a sweet smile, a brief touch. I'm a firm believer that love begins in the spirit.  There's a certain connection experienced. Over time, it moves to the soul.  Love is expressed.  Finally, love is tangibly exhibited by giving self to another and no one else.  That's how it's been done throughout history and until society returns to that, we'll continue to have STDs, broken hearts, single moms, impoverished children, and lonely, lonely people who can't figure out what went wrong.

Did I need the laptop or the cash to know I was loved or to celebrate the birth of my Lord and Savior? Or course, not, but every once in a while, that tangible expression doesn't hurt.  It made the day very special, not because of the gifts but of what they expressed.