“Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly notice when others do it wrong.”    1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (Amplified Bible)

Wow! This is the way REAL love acts. Who wouldn’t want to be loved like that? But do I love that way? When I read these verses, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. I love my teens but I don’t always show them love in the way I should.

• When my teens treat their friends better than me, or worse yet, their girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s parents better than me, I can get jealous or envious.
   

• There are times when I am proud and haughty. Times I think I am right and my teens should listen to me without questioning me. At those times I can demand my own way.

• I hate to admit it but I can be cranky, which can lead me to be selfish and rude; irritable and touchy (and no, my hormone fluctuations don't excuse me!)

• *sigh* I can hold a grudge with the best of them. And I’m a good record keeper!

I may not always love like the model in 1 Corinthians 13, but I CAN! I need to keep these verses in my mind and heart and need to remind myself that loving my kids with this kind of love –God’s love- is a possibililty.

I truly believe love is a choice. You can choose to love your kids with God’s love and your family will thrive because of it. Remember…practice makes perfect!