By Bill King
What are some things you love? We often say, “I love this” or “I love that.” When I talk about the things I love, I’m usually not speaking about material objects. I’m often speaking about things like traveling, going, or doing.
I do love to travel. I didn’t grow up traveling much, so I’ve tried to make up for lost time. Some years ago, Jean and I set out to visit all fifty states. I’m a little ahead of her because I’ve gone on several mission trips without her. I think she still has ten states to go, and I have three.
I love doing mission trips. Those trips have taken me across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. I have worked in many places in Central and South America, as well as Haiti. We were scheduled for a pleasure trip to Costa Rica recently, but I opted to have heart surgery instead. I think I would have enjoyed Costa Rica more, but after I had the surgery, my heart just wasn’t in it!
In recent years, we have loved traveling in Western Europe. We have visited Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy, Germany, and Austria. This fall, we plan to cruise the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. We will visit Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
There are many things in general that I love. I love writing and reading. I love to listen to music, play musical instruments, and sing. My favorite instruments to play are the guitar and harmonica. I love to tell stories and do humor as Brother Billy Bob. I love beautiful pieces of wood. I love to build and rebuild furniture and cutting boards. I love sports. I enjoy playing pickleball and racquetball. I love to watch football, especially college football, particularly SEC college football. Although I don’t go much anymore, I love to fish. I love to sit on my back porch and watch the world, especially through the rain. I love to sit back there and listen to the birds and watch the squirrels.
I especially love doing most of those things with the person I love most. In a little over a year from now, Jean and I will celebrate 50 years of marriage. During those years, we have spent a lot of time together and done more things than I can even remember. I enjoyed those places I’ve visited with Jean much more than the ones without her, simply because she was by my side. Sometimes, we’ve had the added bonus of our daughter and her family being with us, including Grandson Drew. I have come to realize that the real question in life is not what do you love, but who do you love?
The Beatles sang, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love.” That is so true, and the things money can buy can’t love us back or bring us happiness. All those things are simply stuff, and stuff is never enough! How much stuff does it take to make some people happy? It seems to be just a little bit more!
This week, for Valentine’s, we may have bought things for the one we love. I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy presents, but what our loved ones want most is us…our love, our time, and our attention. The Apostle Paul said, “If we speak in tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, we are as a clanging cymbal.” (I Cor. 13:1)
Last, but actually, first and certainly not least, I love God. I love his church. I love life, which He gave me.
