Food is a funny topic.  I love food!  I love finding new recipes and trying them - although I havn't done so as of late.  I mean, I grew up in a German home and have intently watched my mother spend hours in the kitchen preparing authentic dishes.  I traveled to Italy and took a cooking class while in Florence.  What a wonderful experience, learning the art of Italian cuisine.  I was in my own personal heaven.

So, here is what I was thinking today...There is such a huge difference between fast/snack food and that wonderfully delicious, filling, and nourishing Italian feast.  And yet we all seem to gravitate towards the snack food when our bodies are really craving a meal. 

And it is such with love as well.  Think about it.  I have , as many of you, tried to make a meal (long-lasting relationship) out of popcorn, chips, chocolate and ice cream.  And what do we have to show for it? Heartburn, gas, indigestion and a fat belly!  Yes, those quickie relationships are "fun for a season" aren't they?  They give us a laugh or two, or maybe even three.  They fill that craving we have...for immediate love (or is it just lust). They tell us just what we want to hear - that we are everything they want/need.  They hold our hand and show affection, to show us they are sincere.  And just when they decide to leave we realize that the heartburn starts to set in.  And those "butterflies" we felt were just the beginning of the gas and indigestion setting in.

And how is it that we can be so blinded by the same "junk" over and over again?  When are we going to realize that it will never be what we REALLY want or NEED?

So, what I have discovered about food is that a really good meal will be wonderful to taste, it will be nourishing and it may take a long time to prepare.  And isn't it so with a relationship.  So here is my recipe for love a true love:

Fantastical/Fairy-Tale Relationship

4 cups of Godliness
2 cups of Acceptance
2 cups of Security
1.5 cups of Trust
1.5 cups of Loyalty
1 cup of Royal treatment
1 cup of Care and Concern
Prayer
Humor

Take the first five ingredients and blend.  Heat until there is opportunity to test the security, trust, and loyalty.  Remove from heat and tend with care and concern.  Cover with Prayer. Check occasionally to make sure acceptance is still present.  Add acts of Royal treatment with a smile.  Roll the whole thing in Humor, making sure that no impurities get picked up along the way.  Serve each other in the love of the Lord for the rest of your lives.

So, what is keeping me from that "Fantastical/Fairy-Tale Relationship?"

Absolutely nothing!  It's mine for the taking!