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| A Love Story I said that I'd never get married on a holiday and I'd never have red as one of the colors in my wedding. Well, so much for that! I did both! Never say never, right?! Our story starts over 25 years ago. I had gone to an unnamed "gathering place for singles" with one of my bestest friends and her boyfriend as he was meeting some of his co-workers there after work, one of whom my friend insisted that I just "had to meet" because he was just "so cute" and had some "really good-looking legs" (...he played baseball with her boyfriend and that's how she knew this small, but piqued-my-interest, fact). She also wanted me to go with them so that she would not be the only girl there that she knew. ...now that I think about it, that was probably the real reason she wanted me to go. But, for whatever reason, I decided to go, and off we went. Well, this guy was good-looking alright, although I never got a chance to see his legs, and that was fine with me because he was about the rudest fellow, dressed up like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, I had ever met. The male gender in general had been on my nerves lately, and that guy had just stepped on my very last nerve. ...so much so that I told my friend and her boyfriend to not - I mean DO NOT - give that boy my number, if he should ask. So, several weeks later imagine my surprise when I realized that I had made a date with this guy - not knowing he was one and the same - until he began to answer my questions not quite right further on into our conversation. All the sudden it hit me! I had made a date with the wrong "Roger"! Oh, NO!!!....oh, Yes ... with a capital Y! So, I devised a plan. We WOULD go out, but he would be sorry because I was going to show him such a bad time that he'd be sorry he had even ever met me. I even told my mama (I was living at home at the time) that it would not be necessary for her to even come and meet this young man because after that night, he was a GONER! I was ready for him. ...or so I thought. I heard him drive up.....I heard him knock on the door.....I opened the door.....I almost dropped to the floor! There, stood this absolutely handsome, best-tan-I-had-ever-seen-on-a-person, kindest, most gentle, polite-looking man standing at my door. My mind was reeling. Could this be the same rude guy I was fixing to dump before anything even got started? Hmmmmmmm!!!!! I was still a little skeptical. ...I mean he hadn't opened his mouth yet. ....maybe because mine was standing wide open. Actually, it's a wonder he ever asked me out again. But he did, and I don't know about him, but I knew for certain that I loved this man by the second date...and really maybe even on that first one. So, although it wasn't love at first sight, it definitely was by the second, and I believe we knew pretty shortly thereafter that we wanted to get married. In fact, within six months, we WERE married, and I am to this day still amazed at how God allowed this knight in shining..." ...well, white pants and deep blue velour shirt (....it was the style then...and believe me, he was styling!)....to absolutely sweep me off my feet. I love that man! Just thank You, God, once again! We are celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary this very year... in fact, this very Valentine's Day! A Day of Love and of Hearts....and my heart still cannot believe it! Many of you have heard that story before, maybe even many times before, and many of you have never heard it; but I have to tell you that I love telling it over and over again because not only does it still give me a familiar tingle but I am also reminded every single time I tell it of just how big and wonderful and awesome the plans of God are for me (Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 19:21; 1 Corinthians 2:9) and that usually those plans are not what I would have guessed or expected them to be. ...and it's all because He loves me so! "Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart." - Victor Hugo. Acrostic: H - HEAVEN ... a little piece of it, anyway. That's how we feel when we love and are loved; and we can have a piece of Heaven every single day here on Earth because of God's deep and wide love for us. Psalm 86:15 "But Thou, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth." (That word "lovingkindness" means never-failing, always-there love!) Psalm 117:2 "For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!" Ephesians 3:17-19 "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." (...that's that deep and wide thing!)
E - EAGER ... God is for us to conceive, receive and believe His love for us! Psalm 103:1-14 "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord performs righteous deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, He will not always strive with us; nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." (... DOES HE LOVE US, OR WHAT?!!!!!)
A - ALWAYS ... and forever! That's how long God's love will be for us. Psalm 33:11 "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation." Psalm 106:1 "Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting."
R - REJOICE! ... our hearts REJOICE! That's what our hearts will be doing when we realize how God has literally showered us from above with His great and abiding love. ...just like that little children's song says ... "Oh, I've got JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart* Psalm 13:5 "But I have trusted in Thy lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation." Psalm 66:1-5 "Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, 'How awesome are Thy works! Because of the greatness of Thy power Thine enemies will give feigned obedience to Thee. All the earth will worship Thee, and will sing praises to Thee; they will sing praises to Thy name.' Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men."
T - TOKEN ... of His affection! Yes, He has given us one - His "only begotten" Son! John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him." 1 John 4:10 "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 2 Corinthians 1:22 "Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (...another "token" of His affection...the Holy Spirit Who now lives in us!)
HEART! God's Heart!.... so full of love for us, His children (1 John 3:1-2). How in the world can we resist Him?!! He gave us a heart for our very lives (... and every day the beat goes on ...) and offers His to us for our very life (...ETERNAL, that is)! The Bible says that David (shepherd boy/psalmist - turned - God-appointed king) was a "man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22). Oh, that our hearts would also become hearts after His own - because .... Jesus loves me this I know "May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill all your counsel!" - Psalm 20:4 With all my heart Amen? AMEN! Kelli |
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