"What don't you love, Kavanagh?"

In one of my favoritest (is that a word?) fiction series, Father Timothy Kavanagh asks his wife, Cynthia Coppersmith Kavanagh, “Kavanagh, what don’t you love?” Cynthia then proceeds to give him a list of her "don't loves."

I often say, “I love something”, like Moose Tracks ice cream when I don’t actually mean “I LOVE it” but actually that I like to eat it. In thinking about Father Tim’s question of Cynthia, I thought I would make a list of my “loves.” You do the same and if you want, e-mail me your list. I’d love to read it.

I guess I’ll begin with the Mitford books by Jan Karon, the inspiration for these “loves.”

I love good bye and hello kisses.

I love 2 p.m. phone calls.

I love Karen Kingsbury and all her books but especially the “Redemption” series; “Firstborn” series which continues the Baxter family stories; and “Sunrise” series which will conclude the story of the Baxter family.

I love sunrises over Paris Mountain and sunsets toward Pickens.

I love Biltmore Baptist Church and the ride there every Sunday and Wednesday.

I love my job and working with Lonita.

I love being “Mema.”

I love memories.

I love Italian food especially Portofino’s and their garlic butter rolls.

I love playing Scrabulous with my sister.

I love Maggie’s good mornings and good nights.

I love Abbie’s jumps into Tim’s lap when Maggie is trying to get her to go to bed.

I love suppers from Country Ham House and breakfasts from Cracker Barrel.

I love lazy weekends and shopping in Pigeon Forge.

I love early spring when the crocus and forsythia bloom; late spring when my gerbera daisies begin to bloom; hot summer when my yard is so beautiful; fall when the leaves turn to golden yellows, reds and browns; winter when the purity of a snowfall blankets the earth and everything is so quiet and still outside.

I love sitting with a fire in the fireplace and reading a good Karen Kingsbury book.

I love picking up the phone and somebody on the other end saying, “Mom?”

I love a pedicure!!!

I love “for nothing” gifts. All gifts are nice but when I get one “just because,” it is especially nice.

I love a car that starts when I turn the key and I would love one that has air conditioning and that the electric windows will go down (mine doesn’t and won’t right now).

I love our bed.

I love sandals.

The real love of my life is loving the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind. And I like to think I love others more than myself. This is one of God's greatest commandments to us.

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

And oh yeah, I really really do love Moose Tracks ice cream.