Wrapped in Love

My sweet Eleanor tripped and fell yesterday, hurting her knee and ankle. She had run past the open baby gate at full speed and collided with the metal sides. I quickly scooped her up and carried her to the couch where I checked to make sure there was nothing broken. Then I gathered her into my arms and held her close. What follows is the conversation we had as she lay cuddled in my arms with tears flowing:

Me: I wish I could wrap you up in one big marshmallow so you wouldn’t get hurt.

Her: But then you’d eat me.

Me: Well, perhaps a big ballon then.

Her: But then people will use me to play keepie-uppie.

Me: How about a bunch of foam?

Her (laughing now): Then people would jump on me!

After a pause…

Me: I guess I just have to wrap you up in a lot of love.

Her: Yes.

Me: You might still get hurt.

Her: I know. That’s okay.

🥹🥹

It’s worth it, though. Love. It’s worth the risk. Worth the vulnerability. Even if it means opening yourself up to hurt and pain. I think of the quote from Tennyson: “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”

Love is why Jesus willingly went to the cross. He opened himself up to the greatest pain. He lost it all. That’s how great his love was. In his eyes, it was worth it. It is his love that we are eternally wrapped in.

Just a few hours before her little accident, Eleanor held up this rock just as I was about to take her photo.

Love, just as a rock, makes a good foundation.

There is a parable about the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. Sand is everything culture says to put our hope in. Sand is relying on self. Sand is saying “I’ve got this figured out. I’ve got what it takes. It’s about me and what makes me feel good.” Yet when the storm came, it washed the sand away and everything fell apart. The wise man built his house upon the rock. Rock is the truth found in the word of God. Rock is surrendering our lives to God. Rock is saying “Jesus, I don’t know what I’m doing, but you do. Your love has made a way. Let me build my life upon you.” And when the storm came, the house built on the rock held firm.

Jesus’s love makes the best foundation.

So how can I build upon love today? Who can I reflect Jesus’s love to today? Who can I wrap in love today? For it is always better to love.