Just so you know where I'm coming from...

Someone very close to me (you may be reading his blog, too) likes to say something that is both simple and profound: Love is the key.

Sounds simple, and it is. It is also very complex. The complexity lies in the fact that this simple statement can and should be an integral part of every facet of our lives. Since these are my own thoughts that I'm sharing, let me show you a little of what I mean.

I love God.
I love my wife.
I love my family and friends.
I love my country.
I love this messed-up human race.
I love unborn humans.
I love this beautiful place we call home - planet Earth.
I love the environment.
I love animals.
I love nature.
I love those who don't agree with my point of view.
I love those who have no intention of loving me back.
I love those who would persecute me for loving them.
I love the Peace that my Creator has put in my heart (in fact, it is that Peace that allows me to love a lot of these other things).
I love you.

That is just a tiny snapshot of how I am trying to let Love invade every crevice of my life. Do I love all of these things the same way? Of course not! Do I have to try REAL hard to love some of them? You bet! I am just beginning to realize just how much your quality of life is changed when you start to view the world through the eyes of love. The Word of God has a LOT to say about love, but for me it can be simplified into three little words: God is love. I want to know God as closely and fully as is humanly possible. If I want to know Him, I have to know love. Trust me, I am at the beginning of a long journey where learning about love is concerned. The more I understand, the more I know my Creator, the happier I am.

I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things. Sometimes I can come off as being a bit abrasive. Let me assure you, I am humbled that you would take the time to read my thoughts and participate in what I hope to be a learning journey that takes us all closer to knowing our Creator and what his plans are for us. If I occasionally get on the soapbox or ruffle your feathers a little, please come back to this starting point and realize that I love you. Even if I act like a jerk sometimes.

Love is the key.