Till There Was You

I was recently driving my 14-year-old grandson to school when he asked: "What's your favorite song, Nana?" Without much thought, I said, “‘Till There Was You” and I proceeded to explain that song was Papa’s and my wedding song. He had his phone connected by Bluetooth and searched for it and up came the Beatle’s rendition. We listened to the whole song and, to my astonishment; he said: “I like that song!” I went on to tell him that we loved going to musical theater performances and that song was from “The Music Man”. I’m sure he was in a fog about that production, but I was pleased with his acceptance of my “oldie but goodie”.

During the tenderness of the Christmas season, I was having the sweetest of times with God one morning and I started singing that song, but this time I wasn’t singing it to my sweetheart but to God. And the words are so befitting to a relationship before Christ, and after falling in love with Him.

"There were bells on a hill, but I never heard them ringing!
No, I never heard them at all, till there was YOU!
There were birds in the sky, but I never saw them winging!
No, I never saw them at all, till there was YOU!
Then there was music and wonderful roses.
They tell me, in sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew.
There was love all around, but I never heard it singing.
No, I never heard it at all, till there was you.”

That’s how I feel about my Lord – who turned my sadness, gloom, despair into joy and gladness. He gave me purpose and hope. Now I see through rose-colored glasses of positivity and great expectation every day. My family and I went to see the new “Mary Poppins Returns” movie on Christmas Eve. Yes, we are that family that embraces “good feeling, happy ending” movies. Afterward, my granddaughter said, “I guess that’s what life on drugs is like!” We laughed, but my daughter, with her Godly insight, said, “That’s what perspective looks like. Most people escape their realities by drugs or other vices to have a utopic experience. But those of us in Christ with Holy Spirit living in us have those experiences because Holy Spirit enables us to have joy in the midst of fear; gladness instead of sadness; peace instead of turmoil; hope instead of hopelessness; love instead of hate; dancing instead of mourning.

Maybe you’d like to get off the doom and gloom track and get on board this “Joyful, joyful we adore You!” train, too! It sure makes for a gumdrop and roses and whiskers on kitten kind-of-day and life. Let me introduce you to the Conductor! He’s known as the Prince of Peace, the Solid Rock, the Great I Am! Once you get to know Him, you, too will be singing “There were bells on a hill and I never heard thing ringing – no I never heard them at all TILL THERE WAS YOU!

“You turned my mourning into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.” Psalm 30:11,12