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A love letter....

            “I could live in a tent as long as I’m with you.”  You know what they say… famous last words.  Yes, I said those words with both absolute resolve and with intense passion.  I was, of course, talking to Frank, the love of my life.  That was 1983, and the looming obstacle standing in the way of our pending wedding date was only… a job.   He did get a job, we did marry, and moved into a nice small apartment.  Many years have passed, and I still love him as much as ever.  I guess I could still live in a tent, but it would need to be a big tent with running water and a working restroom… at least.
 
            They say love is blind; maybe so or at least a bit blurry – thank goodness for all of us!   As we walk away from another Valentine’s Day celebration, I remember how often a few unnamed young women  (that lived in our home) left the day feeling a bit discouraged not having a special “sweetheart” in a particular year.  Love brings joy and challenges, sometimes heartache and often a heart so full, it seems it may burst open with happiness. 
 
            One of my favorite “happy” love songs is a catchy little tune, “you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you’ll never know, dear, how much I love you; please don’t take my sunshine away.”  I sang it to Frank for years, I’ve sang it to all four of our children, and now I’ve added grandboys to the list of “sunshine” recipient.
 
            The simplicity of the song offers much insight and reality of love.  There are grey skies, sometimes there are even dark black skies that threaten to block out our sunshine.  I can’t help but think that the people of Jerusalem must have been counting on just that as they listened to prophet after prophet (you know those “minor” ones in the back of the Old Testament) tell them of the impending doom that awaited them.  Now don’t get me wrong, they were deserving of the “doom” – they had turned their backs on their loving, faithful God in most every possible way, but even with all their mistakes, their sunshine was definitely showing challenge.  Enter Zephaniah – his book is only 3 chapters and the first 2 ½ are the full explanation of God’s wrath at their enemies and at them, so they do understand what is coming, BUT toward the end of chapter 3, there is hope.  Of course, we know that the ultimate hope is through salvation in Jesus, but this hope is strictly stated in how God loved them.
 
            On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion!  Don’t be afraid!  For the Lord you God has arrived to live among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will REJOICE over you with GREAT GLADNESS.  With His love, He will calm all your fears.  He will exult over you by SINGING a HAPPY SONG.” (Zephaniah 3:16-17 NLT)  God wanted them and us to sing, AND He is going to sing over us – Do you hear that, You are HIS sunshine!  Wow! 
 
            I rarely write a letter that I ask you as the reader to participate, but this was so powerful for me personally that I’m offering you the opportunity.  Attached is a Love letter.  The first half is from you to someone – maybe a spouse, maybe a child, maybe a parent, maybe a friend – you don’t have to send it, just follow the prompt questions to fill it out.  The second half uses the same questions, but you’ll notice it is to you – a love letter from God.  Might seem a bit strange to take on the role of God particularly to write to yourself, but use this scripture as a place to start.  It is a potent reminder of God’s love for us… no matter what.  Give it a try and know that He is God and that He loves you enough to sing over you a happy song!
 
You are HIS sunshine!
Thanks be to God,
 
Susan
 
The snow is piling up... you have a little extra time!  :)
 



 
 


 A LOVE LETTER
 
Date:________________________________
 
 
I first loved you when…
 
 
 
I love you because…
 
 
 
I even love you when…
 
 
 
                                                What I love most about you…
 
 
 
 
                                                Sincerely,
 
                                                ---------------------------
 
 
 
 
A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD
 
Date:_______________________________________
 
 
I first loved you when…
 
 
 
I love you because…
 
 
 
I even love you when…
 
 
 
                                                What I love most about you…
 
 
                                                Sincerely,
                                                God

The woman in the mirror... no, I mean in the middle...

What are you in the middle of right now?

Today I am in the middle of recovering from some semblance of the flu.. well maybe past the middle and closer to the three quarters mark.

Today I am in the middle of this Fourth Grade school year... well, maybe a little past the middle.  We are in school approximately nine and one half months.  We have three and one half months to go.

Today I am 52 years old.... am I in the middle of my life... only the Lord knows, but statically speaking, I am (gulp) past the middle of that mark, too.

So, I really am chronologically in between my two sisters.... the proverbial middle child.  My memories don't seem to always agree with that of my sisters when I tout the fact that I was always the peacemaker.  I do seem to remember the time that my older sister made me extremely mad, and it made "peaceable" sense to me that I chase her around my grandmother's front yard with a handful of poison ivy.  What does occur to me as "fitting" is that fact that I was covered with poison ivy for weeks, and she escaped without a "scratch".  :)

So where else am I the middle?  Priscilla Shirer, in her Gideon Bible study, reminds her readers that no matter our age, we are all in the middle of other women.  In one exercise she encouraged her participants to answer this question:  "Who are some younger people that you can be intentional about teaching?"  It took me about 60 seconds to name over 20 people - including my four children, my three grandchildren, my two son-in-laws, ladies in our Sunday School class, several of my children's friends, several co-workers... all of a sudden, I had listed almost 50!  Then I turned the  other direction... to those who are older than me.  I quickly listed mother and mother-in-law, then the list begin to grow ... 40 names in a minute...

So back up a little... one person at time.  Would you think right now of one or two people that are behind you, that are walking where you have already walked?  Would you consider how your word of encouragement might spur them along?  Then would you think of one or two people that have already walked where you are passing now?  Would you consider the wealth of wisdom you have available to you through those dear friends?  The wisdom flows freely when we ask.

Just think on it...

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... Hebrews 10:24