I Love a Good Love Story

One of our favorite movies was the blockbuster, "Love Story", with Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw! While I love a good on-screen love-story movie, there is nothing like real life ones.

The first chapter of my own love story began when I was a little girl seeing the adoring love that my mom and dad had for each other. I witnessed their sweet affection for each other. In fact, my dad couldn’t keep his hands off my mom. “Roscoe, QUIT!” she’d cry out when he was waaay too affectionate in public for her very prim and proper ways. They were my first example of true love. I think that’s why I’m a hugger today! Be forewarned!

The next love chapter was the love of my boyfriend who became my precious husband a few years later. What a wild and crazy adventure we took on by marrying when we hardly knew anything about life, but we kept practicing and before long, we had learned many trial-and-error lessons. Actually, we never did stop learning about life and each other.

I love to hear real-life love stories. If you and I were together for just a short while, you'd be answering my plea: "Please tell me your love story with your husband/wife!" Since I know my own love story, I get a thrill of hearing other people's romance stories. Now you know why I love me some Hallmark movies! Happy ever-after endings every time!

But, better than our personal love stories, there is one that doesn't even compare. It is the LOVE STORY about God’s Son Who left the portals of heaven to become one of us, first, as a little baby, then grow up and set the pattern for loving, living and serving others. Then to ultimately, die for us so that our Love Stories live on forever. The Bible tells us to "give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever" Psalm 136:1. "Steadfast love" describes a love that is unconditional and unchanging.

So right here in the middle of this holiest of seasons when we hear that Love Story over and over again, how should we respond? We can respond like the shepherds did on that first Christmas night, and like the Wise Men when they arrived at their home. They worshiped Him. We can rekindle this romance every day as we lean in closer to Jesus and bow our lives to Him in adoration for Who He is and all He has done for us. We can fall in love with Him again and determine to keep the “flames” of that first love we had for Him burning as brightly as the star that announced His coming 2,019 years ago. Indeed, it is the "Greatest Love Story Ever Told"!

Christmas Spirit is Alive and Well in Tulsa

Day 348 of Photo Inspirations -- Christmas Spirit is Alive and Well in Tulsa
I'll admit it -- I'm a hopeless romantic and I love the sweet and tender love stories on the Hallmark Channel -- especially at Christmas.  I am basking in the Christmas spirit and I love those sweet love stories -- "the magic of Christmas".  So, when my community's developer decided to rent the Tulsa Trolley to advertise our Hyde Park community and be in the parade, I was "all in".

I felt like a kid when the trolley picked us up, took us to the staging area where we decorated the trolley with lights and donned ourselves with Santa and reindeer hats.  I've seen many parades, but never had the privilege of being in one.  I loved walking beside the trolley and handing out candy to the kids that lined the streets. I loved shouting out "Merry Christmas" and hearing those fervent responses back from the crowd "MERRY CHRISTMAS".  We belted out those words that mean so much to us.  

In 2009,  local merchants, in order to be "politically correct" dropped "Christmas" from the Tulsa Annual Christmas Parade.  They called it the Parade of Lights.   Then, in opposition to Christ being removed from the parade, in 2011, a large group of Tulsa businesses and individuals sponsored a separate "Christmas Parade".    The estimated 80,000+ people, packed in layers on the downtown streets of Tulsa, plus our Hyde Park family and friends, were thrilled to see the official "Traditional Christmas Parade" brought back to Tulsa.  Much thanks goes to many who stood up for everything good and dear to those of us who still want Christ in Christmas.

I was pleased to have my photo taken with Senator Jim Imhofe (first photo inspiration) who took a personal stand for putting Christ back into Christmas.  I shook his hand and told him how much I appreciated his stand.  He quickly responded, "I'm so thrilled my stand influenced senators from other states to take a stand too.  In our local newspaper he said, "The “war on Christmas” has come to an end in Tulsa this year. For nearly 90 years, residents in Tulsa have commemorated the Christmas season with one large Christmas parade downtown, but in 2009, local leaders decided to jump on an unfortunate national trend of removing the word “Christmas” from the event.  

After 40 years of riding a horse in the parade, I joined many others and said that if Christ wasn’t welcome, then I also would no longer be participating in the event. This is because Christmas isn’t just a holiday that can be sugar-coated for the sake of political appeasement.  It is a day each year that serves as a symbolic and historical declaration of peace on earth and goodwill toward all. Man will never find success in diluting Christmas into a “winter” or “holiday” festival. Whether a person recognizes the life-saving significance of Jesus Christ, the message of Christmas for peace on earth lies in the heart of all mankind. It’s a message we should all embrace, especially as our world faces the greatest level of unrest that we have seen in generations. I am proud to see the Tulsa parades make their peace this Christmas and join together for one large celebration. Jesus won, and I look forward to riding in the parade once again."  And, that's what Senator Imhofe did.

Once again, Christmas is a live and well in Tulsa.  Perhaps, you're one that would rather sit back in a dark room, anxiously wait for this whole deal to be over with and be empty of this wonderful Christmas spirit.  I promise you, if you'll get out of your comfort zone and shake off that care-less spirit and go look at some Christmas lights, go see a Christmas parade, Christmas movie,  Christmas program or just start remembering the reason for this season..... perhaps, you'll experience this joy and gladness too.  After all -- Christmas is right there just waiting for us to grab hold and enjoy the ride!