IS HE YOUR TRUE LOVE IF HIS LOVE ISN’T TRUE?

The title sounds a bit like a tongue twister, doesn’t it? But the meaning is profound.

What about Wesley’s love in The Princess Bride as a perfect example?

It’s one of my all-time favorite movies because it has everything—excitement, adventure, fencing, conundrums, traps, miracles, and true love—all topped off with laugh-out-loud humor. One of my favorite scenes is when Miracle Max (Billy Crystal) resuscitates Wesley. He tells Inigo, “This man is only mostly dead.” To which he adds, “Mostly dead is slightly alive.”

After he says this, Miracle Max grabs the nearby bellows and administers air into the dying man’s lungs. When they inflate, Max leans close to Wesley’s ear and asks, “What do you have here that’s worth living for?” He promptly pushes on the limp man’s sternum.

As air escapes through Wesley’s mouth, he responds with a long-winded “True love.”

After this enlightening moment, there’s a little comedic banter between Miracle Max and his feisty wife, but the gist of the scene is that true love is worth living for. But was Wesley’s love purely to satisfy his own desires?

No. Wesley loved Buttercup so much, he wanted to save her from the louse, Prince Humperdinck. Now, that is the most perfect definition of true love—the desire to put one’s own needs aside for the one who is loved.

So how will this help us?

Before committing to someone, consider whether fulfilling that person’s needs for a lifetime is worth it, and conversely, ask him if he would do the same for you. Sometimes that answer is yes, and sometimes it’s no. But it separates the wheat from the tares—sorry, that’s a parable, which this isn’t, but golden wheat and weedy tares are a great picture of those who are marrying material and those who are undesirable parasites.

Here’s a simple exercise—write down a list of your desires for a relationship and ask your mate to do the same. Items on the list might include promptness, date nights on Friday evenings, first dibs on ice cream choices, keeping the toilet paper roll facing out–or better yet—replacing the roll when it’s empty (of course, there’s room to discuss and eliminate requests).

Making a list of must-haves

Are you willing to take his/her list and say, “I’m going to make these things happen for you forever because I love you with all of my heart?”

My husband and I made lists like these before we married. We followed them for so many years, they became second nature. Our lists included: no going to bars, equal helping with household chores, never going to bed angry, etc. I must admit that Hubby modified the helping with household chores a bit.

If making each other happy isn’t the goal for both people, then move on. A soul mate will be eager to honor your requests, and if he’s your true love, you’ll want to keep his.

But how will this translate to those already married?

If you’re married, ask your spouse to make a list, then consider saying, “I’m going to make these things happen because I love you”—it might spark the romance back into your lives. The willingness to show love and shower love often causes a rebound effect. Lasting marriages are ones where love deeds occur every day. Yes. Every. Single. Day. Without fail.

I asked my husband if he ever noticed that I always give him bigger portions and the best servings of every dish I make. And he replied, “I’ve noticed, and it makes me feel like you love me.”

But he reminded me of something too—whenever I need anything, he’ll leave the house, even at ten p.m., and drive to the store for it. And he never complains. What a sweet act of love. These deeds have continued during our entire marriage.

In summary: Do you love someone enough to make their needs a priority?

Amazing fact: I personally know the person who first showed us this pure concept of true love. He taught it by laying down His life for us to forgive us for our many sins (mistakes), and to make it possible for us to one day enter heaven. He did it for everyone. Imagine someone loving you that much? I am forever indebted to Him. I love Jesus because He first loved us. John 15:12 ESV

Guest Romance Author This Week:

Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

This week, I’ve asked Catherine Ulrich Brakefield to share how she met her husband, Ed.

Catherine: Romantic walks along a moon-kissed ocean with tropical drums of the Hawaiian wedding song in the distance wash through my mind. I had been living seven days of a romantic love story in Oahu, Hawaii after meeting Edward Brakefield, who worked in Naval Intelligence there while I vacationed on the island.

Edward proposed to me before I left the island, but how could a marriage to him work? Was he God’s choice for me?

Besides our romance taking place during the turbulent Vietnam War era of the ’70s, Edward was from Alabama, while I was from Michigan. We needed to learn more about each other, so we did this through correspondence. A year and a half later, we married. Edward and I will celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary in June 2022.

Cathy says, “After all, if God is the author of love, He is also the creator of romance.”

Bio

Catherine says, “My readers encourage my writing!” She is an award-winning author. Her inspirational historical romances include Wilted Dandelions and her faith-based Destiny series: Swept into Destiny, Destiny’s Whirlwind, Destiny of Heart, and Waltz with Destiny.

She has written two pictorial history books. Images of America: The Lapeer Area and Images of America: Eastern Lapeer County.

Her short stories have been published in Guidepost Books, Baker Books, Revell, CrossRiver Media Publishers, and Bethany Book House Publishers.

Catherine lives with her husband of 49 years and their Arabian horses in the picturesque hills of Addison Township, Michigan. Although her children are grown, Catherine loves spoiling her two handsome grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters!

Catherine’s favorite book is from her Destiny series. Book 4, called Waltz with Destiny It is a story-book romance that swirls into a rendezvous with destiny when Esther meets Eric, and the McConnell legacy is threatened.

A reader said: “…of Waltz with Destiny… I was reading Capt. Kimble’s words about D-Day… the music I had going started playing “God Bless the USA.” Goosebumps popped all up and down my arms and legs, and I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes. The message of the Destiny series is even more applicable today than when it was first released.

Praying for America’s repentance and to embrace God like never before.” Debra B.

I’ve read Catherine’s Destiny series–it’s historical romance at its finest. I loved learning the story of the Irish immigrants in America. They had a rough time earning a place in our history. I was especially drawn to the last book–Waltz with Destiny. It takes place during the great depression of WWII. The battle scenes kept me riveted to the story. Those who enjoy historicals will LOVE Catherine’s books–Deb Allard.

Thank you dear readers for joining me on this blog. Whether you’re young and searching for love or older with your prince charming nearby, keep the flames of romance forever in your hearts. May God richly bless all of your endeavors.

Join me: www.debgardnerallard.com