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

Welcome Home, Love!

After two weeks away, I was back home to T-Town, and saw that my yellow rose bush was blooming. I know it's Spring, but, in my own little world, I like to think that it being in bloom was a special gift from my Sweetheart in heaven. Yellow roses were a big deal for us during our 44-years of marriage. Our wedding flowers were yellow roses, I was his "Yellow Rose of Texas", we planted a yellow rose bush in every home we ever lived in, and when I would return home from any trip I was away from him, he always had a yellow rose waiting for me with a sweet note "Welcome Home, Love!". Those precious traditions still keep me cherishing the memories we made.

Maybe there are new (or even seasoned) widows or widowers reading this and wondering if life will ever get easier for you. My answer is "yes, no, yes, no, YES!" In the beginning it feels like a roller coaster ride -- going up, up, up with laughter and thanksgiving for the sweet memories, and sometimes down, down, down when you hear "your" song or smell his favorite cologne on someone, or experience Valentines, birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgivings, Christmases -- without him or her. Other times, when you're embracing family, friends, sweet times and making new memories -- there's the tendency to almost feel guilty for feeling so happy.

After almost 5-1/2 years since my Sweetheart graduated to heaven, I can assure you that, if you'll embrace the journey that you are still on and know, without a shadow of a doubt that you are still on assignment, you will experience JOY again. Happiness equates to external things like your favorite TV program NOT getting interrupted when the storm comes through town or when your doctor gives you a 2-thumbs up because your medical tests were negative or when you get a bonus check in the mail. But JOY is that internal place of joy and peace that comes to stay, regardless of external circumstances, because God and His joy and peace live inside you. I promise you, joy will come to you when you accept it as a gift like nothing ever given to you before.

I know your journey and my journey may be completely different, but if you'll practice gratitude and watch for all the sweet kisses from heaven like I did yesterday when I saw those yellow roses, you, too, will see beauty in the flowers and the blooming trees, you'll laugh with children, you'll start being a light to others and you might even dance in the rain. It's been raining a lot lately, so why not put on those dancing shoes -- and DANCE?

Psalm 30:11-12 "You have turned my mourning into dancing. You took off my sackcloth and clothed me with a garment of joy, so that I may sing praise to You, and not remain silent. Lord, my God, I will give You thanks forever."

Dancing to the Music in My Head

Day 224 of Photo Inspiration -- Dancing to the Music in My Head
Yesterday I met a darling, spunky young couple, Todd and Laura Provence​.  Todd shared how Laura dances all the time, and most recently, was dancing in the grocery store.  He said "There's not even music playing.  What are you dancing to?" And she replied,  "I'm dancing to the music in my head!"

I loved that.  I had to take a photo of them because I knew that photo and that message would be my inspiration for today.  Of course Laura broke into dance when I took the photo.  That resonated with me. I started thinking about all the clutter that can be going on in our heads -- worry, stress, anxiety, concern, fear.

But, this gal is dancing to the beat of a different Drummer.  She hears music in her head, and so can we.   We can choose to dance because The Drummer,  who created music, lives inside us.  And His music is peace, joy, comfort, love, and life in abundance.

I want His music playing in my head. I want that free spirit and conscious effort to hear His music. And if it isn't playing because of all the "stuff" that's bombarding my mind......then I'll change that channel to dance music.

I think Laura takes after King David.  He couldn't contain himself.  The joy of the Lord was in him and he HAD to dance.

Psalm 30:11-12" You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.   O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!"

Sydney Bertram Carter, an English poet wrote the lyrics "Lord of the Dance".  He once said, "I did not think the churches would like it at all. I thought many people would find it pretty far flown, probably heretical.  But in fact people did sing it and, unknown to me, it touched a chord…it's the sort of Christianity I believe in."  The chorus of his song goes like this:  "Dance, dance, wherever you may be.   I am the Lord of the dance, said He.  And I lead you all, wherever you may be.  And I lead you all in the dance, said He."

I'm getting my dancing shoes on.....I think it's time to break into dance!