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Extravagant, I love that word. Sadly, it has come to mean, lacking restraint in spending money and using resources. No! Absolutely not, that is the modern edited dictionary definition. Stuff and nonsense.

Extravagant actually means, “more than is usual, necessary, or proper.” I rather like that definition in terms of love and marriage. Love extravagantly, improperly, more than is usual, give more than is necessary. Love recklessly, wildly, with complete abandon and lack of restraint. Amen!

That is actually biblical if you consider 1 John 3 which says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..” Some versions speak of the “extravagant love the Father has bestowed upon us.” We are so loved, treasured, valued, delighted in, that He  gave His very life for us.

Life can be very brief, so it grieves me when people waste so much time clinging to past wounding, failing to be grateful for what we have right here and right now, and being too walled off by pride to really get their love on. Some poor souls have actually broken my heart by trying to claim that love doesn’t even exist. The fact that you have broken my heart… proves it does. Just saying.

That is the saddest, most tragic thing I have ever heard in my life, so I pray everyday that their hearts soften and that they can come to know love.

Back to marriage however, it is good to love lavishly, to truly delight in your spouse, to just take a moment to look at them and think, what a miracle this is, how blessed I am. Out of all the billions of people in the world, I found one willing to put up with me, desiring to build a relationship with me. Me, with all my glorious imperfections.

Spouses do break your heart sometimes, but it just means we have one and that is a good thing indeed, because some people lack even that. Love them lavishly, extravagantly, with wild abandon, giving more than is usual and proper…of yourself, of your heart and soul and whatever else you may have to offer. Be foolishly, passionately, deeply in love…in all that you do.

It doesn’t always look so glamorous or fancy, in fact it is sure to make you look ridiculous at some point, but that is what it means to truly live and love. There are people in the world that do not really fear death, they fear life and love and that is so sad to me.

1 Corinthians 6:2-3 says, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?”

Love, improper, unnecessary, and unusual, poured upon our marriages with reckless abandon and great extravagance. I like it. Shoot for the moon and at the very least, you’ll manage to catch a few stars.

fairytale