© Celne Sparks 2022
Love sleeps on a root sticking up out of the ground and through your tent floor because camping on vacation sounded like a good idea at the time. Love suffers long. Love puts neosporin on the cut on his head without saying, “I told you that tree branch was too low to ride the mower under.” Love is kind.
Love kisses hello even when she comes in frazzled from a school event and he is sitting on the couch watching Wheel of Fortune and eating ice cream. Love does not envy. Love doesn’t wear her husband’s ears out talking about why she does all the work and someone else gets all the credit. Love does not parade itself.
Love does not slam the dryer or storm down the hall. Love does not behave rudely. Love does not pout because she’s sitting in McDonald’s and she wanted Cheesecake Factory. Love does not seek her own.
Love runs the other way when she sees an old boyfriend. Love thinks no evil. Love prays with her husband at the first hint of worry, and opens up her Bible to see what to do about it. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.
Love breaks out the peanut butter and crackers when the doctor appointment lasted too long and the tire blew out on the side of the road, and the restaurant’s going to close before they get there. Love bears all things. Love says, “God’s got this! And I believe in you,” when she stares with her husband at another email about a job he didn’t get. Love believes all t.hings.
“Love stares in the face of cancer, and says, ‘we will get through this.’” Love hopes all things. Love stays long nights in a cold hospital recliner holding the iv-punctured hand. Love endures all things.
Love is there when the bills mount up, when the tears hit the pillow, when the ugly shows through, and the storms beat on the roof.
Love never fails.
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