In Love, Serve One Another

I've gotten in the habit of getting up early on Saturdays and taking a nice long walk at the park. Although the purpose is exercise, I never fail to come away with a blessing or encouragement.

This morning I spied the sweetest sight - a young dad pushing his little girl in a stroller. Letting my imagination run wild, I hoped he was giving his young wife a break this morning. He was definitely the athletic type, and could just as easily been teeing off on the golf course this morning, or at least working up a good sweat jogging on the trail. But no, he was just meandering along, pushing the stroller with one hand while he munched on an apple in the other. The little girl will most likely not remember this morning. She won't appreciate the sight of a deer, wild turkey and squirrels feasting under the same tree, nor the peaceful sounds of birds dotting the silence with their songs. But hopefully she will benefit from the security of having parents who are willing to serve one another in love, putting the needs of the other above their own.

Sometimes where life is concerned, I tend to look for the flashing neon signs - the clear call, big step, God's direction written in the sky. It's easy to ignore the gentle nudgings of God, but this morning I felt the nudge: how can I serve the ones I love today? Once again, I was reminded - it's not all about me.