Love You...LOTS - Kristin Sterk

I feel you can never tell a child enough, how much they are loved.

Lately when I have been telling Mazy “I love you” she replies with “lots.” The first time she said that, I chuckled. I wondered where in the world the “lots” came from, but then I realized that when I often say “I love you,” I don’t stop there. I usually say “SOOO much” or “lots.”

She has been listening to every word I say. And when that “LOTS” comes out, she says it with the biggest cheeky and teethy grin on her face.

Yes sweetie, MOMMY LOVES YOU LOTS.

That whole concept of loving lots, really hit me. The past 2 weeks have been pretty crazy and emotional, but never did I (and our little family) imagine feeling so much love from so many. From here in Minnesota, but also those in Michigan. Those who have even yet to meet us. The love that we have so graciously been given by those here in Minnesota for the past 4 years, but also those who are already giving of their love and we are not even in Michigan yet. Isn’t the power of love, God’s love, so much greater than we can even imagine?

Lately Mazy has been struggling with stranger danger. Of course to some extent that’s not a bad thing, but it has escalated once again. When I was talking with her doctor at Mazy’s 2 year appointment, she warned me that when we move, it’s going to escalate even more (and maybe it won’t). The more I thought about that on the way home, the more I was thankful that she warned me. Changes for a toddler are hard. Mazy has never done well with change (let’s be honest, kids in general often do not anyways), but Mazy sure has taught me that routines and schedules are a beautiful thing (as if I was lacking before). But so many people love her SO DEARLY that it’s hard to see her be so scared of them. All they want is to give her a hug, a high-five, or just a smile and she wants is to crawl into my skin. (Okay, mamas, not going to lie, kinda makes ya feel good too, doesn’t it?)

But then I realize I can act the same way. I am no different than a toddler. How often do the people around us extend a hand of grace, a heart of love, or a helping hand, and we say no? How often do we just poo poo what they are saying and let the enemy remind us that we are not loved and that we can live life on our own? Saying no to someone who extends a hand of help can hurt them in the end too; not just us. I am not saying you have to say yes to every single thing because there is power in the word no, but I think we are so quick to say no, even when in reality, we are screaming yes from our hearts. But instead we respond the same way as a toddler would in stranger danger. We crawl away and say “no.”

One thing I know I personally need to get better at is accepting help. I am a do-it-myself person. Don’t get that confused with DIY (I have some improvement to do on DIY projects). But I am a DIM person. With a transition coming up and lots of changes, I know that it will put my DIM personality to the test and I want to combat it in every way. Sometimes the best way to meet people is to accept their hand of grace and love. The I Love You LOTS kind of love.

Don’t let stranger danger get the best of you. Accept your neighbor’s hand of grace and the I Love You LOTS with open arms. Imagine if we lived in a world where we were all just there for each other and did not feel like we had to do this thing called life, alone? Imagine the community it would create? And THAT is what makes a church and the body of Christ, so beautiful.

When we love…LOTS.