Let's talk about love

So I was the speaker this morning for my church's CRN group. I was called on Sunday afternoon and asked if I could do their program on Tuesday. I said I would be able to and then I was informed that I was to bring a message on love.

I get asked to speak before groups on a some what of a regular basis. I talk about radio, sales, advertising, disc golf and a few other topics. Things that I'm knowledgeable about. I'm the last person that you would want to speak about love. In fact the idea of me speaking on love is so ridiculous that when it was mentioned during our administrative council meeting on Monday night that I was doing the program the next morning and I was bringing a message on love, most everyone laughed. So I'm not the only one who thought I was an odd choice for that particular message.

I spent Monday night and Tuesday morning doing research. I looked up love in the dictionary and learned there are 22 different definitions for love. I also learned that when looking up Terms of Endearment, you need to wade through tons of references to the movie before you actual get to Terms of Endearment.

So I started my program with thanking them for inviting me and explaining that most times when I speak before groups I talk about radio or advertising. I very rarely talk about anything else. So I explained that everyone has some experience with love and being that I was the youngest person in the room that each one in the group had more experience and knowledge about love and could probable do the presentation just as well if not better than I can.

I talked about the definition of love and what it means in different situations. It's a different meaning when I'm talking about my love for radio or my love of playing disc golf. Loving what I do is different than loving my kids or my wife. I then went on to give a run down of all the things I love.

Here's my list...I love pizza, summer breezes, cold crisp mornings, throwing a Frisbee, the sounds of chains ringing in the distance, I love my cat, my job, the radio station and the staff I work with. I love my church, my preacher and I love my car. I also love when a plan comes together, when a client gets results, I love making a big sale and I love a good nights sleep. I love waking up each day and I love my family...my inlaws, my nieces and my nephews. I love my sisters and their families. I love my grandpas and grandmas and I love my parents. And I love my children. Joseph, Kallsen and Parker. And most of all, the two things I love most and the two things that allow me to love everyone and everything else in my life, I love the Lord Jesus Christ and I love my wife.

I then asked how many in the room had children and grandchildren. And everyone raised their hand. I asked the group if they loved their grandchildren the same. And most of them raised their hand. I countered with while we all love our children or grand children the same, we also love them differently because each child is different and each child express their love for us differently.

I then talked about my three boys and my love for each of them and how each of them is different in the way they express their love to me. And I finished the program by thanking the group for inviting me to talk about love because in preparation for the program I learned more about myself and learned more about my family and for that I am grateful.

AJ