The Center

Today is my wonderful boyfriend's birthday! Happy birthday Jon!!!

I had a hard time finding just the right birthday card for him, partly because I'm rather indecisive in matters like that, but mostly because finding a card for your sweetie that isn't filled with sexual innuendo or that doesn't make it sound like your boyfriend or girlfriend is the center of the universe is quite a challenge. It was even harder to find an appropriate card at Valentine's Day--it seems like every card had some message about how the intended receiver was the most important thing in the world.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Jon very much and he is a very important part of my life. But he's not the center of it. And I'm not the center of his life. No matter how good the relationship is, NO ONE should occupy the center of our lives except for God. That is His rightful place.

Certainly it's tempting to put someone else, especially someone you're in love with, in that spot. But I find that when I start to veer in that direction, when I become more concerned with what Jon (or anyone else, for that matter) thinks of me than what God thinks of me, then I'm asking for trouble.

No matter how much we love them or they love us, ultimately even the best people in our lives will let us down. That is not to say that we shouldn't love or trust them. In fact, loving others is an extension of our love for God.

But looking for other people to fulfill us never works. Only God can do that.

So today I celebrate the awesome gift that Jon is, but more importantly, I also celebrate the awesome Gift Giver.