Been thinking a lot about love

This past Sunday the sermon topic was on love.

C.S. Lewis defined 4 types of love:

Affection (storge, στοργή) is fondness through familiarity, especially between family members or people who have otherwise found themselves together by chance.

Friendship (philia, φιλία) is a strong bond existing between people who share a common interest or activity.

Eros (ἔρως) is love in the sense of 'being in love'.

Caritas (agapē, ἀγάπη) is an unconditional love directed towards one's neighbor which is not dependent on any lovable qualities that the object of love possesses. Agape is the love that brings forth caring regardless of circumstance. Lewis recognizes this as the greatest of loves.

In preparing for the worship this coming Sunday, we discussed that the topic of mate selection would be a primary focus of the teaching, and would flow well out of last week's message. It made me reflect on what the "love litmus test" would look like in choosing a mate well. Should the person you select as a mate embody all 4 of the loves described by Lewis?

And if Agape is described as the greatest of loves, certainly that would need to be the primary love involved in choosing a mate.

"The love that brings forth caring regardless of circumstance."

I suspect if you ask those who have chosen well, they would say that it is.

Another round... this time with Mighty Mouse

Okay, so I have been diligent in my pursuit of a vermin-free zone, I have done most everything I know to do to guard against them including laying traps out consistently in places that I think they might rear their little heads. I have tried to make sure the house is clean, in fact so clean that I think I may have stirred some up…and I am finding it more and more coincidental how God is using this to further his analogy with me about sin and temptation.

I had recently caught another one and was feeling really proud of myself...and you know what the bible says “Pride comes before the fall.”

Last night I was just minding my own business, really tired and hungry, and trying to fend off a bout of grieving when I went to settle down for the evening. I had just finished a little snack and when I went to throw away the container, out of nowhere Mighty Mouse leaps out of the trash can at me!!!

He did not land on me, thank goodness, but I screamed in terror and he took off. I am still shook up over it this morning, knowing he is still lurking around somewhere, and was so much less discreet than his other furry buddies.

It does seem that sometimes when we are trying our hardest to lead a “clean” and righteous life, or think that we’ve got this “righteous living thing” down-in a moment of exhaustion, when our guard may be down, Satan will unexpectedly pounce. I don’t believe in living in fear, however, I have laid down several more traps, quit patting myself on the back for the ones I have caught, and I’m trying to get some rest, so that I will not be caught off guard again.

1 Peter 5:8
Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.