Love Shows Up in Whole Foods

Loving and Singing Through the Years
It seems I'm still caught up in this “Love Month”. I was at Whole Foods and over the sound system I heard Kenny Rogers singing "our" song, “Through the Years”. I was somewhat jolted and teared up a little! Of all places to be reminded of my sweetheart was Whole Foods. We had special songs that were “ours” in our earlier years, but when true love didn’t quit through all of life’s ups and downs, this song spoke volumes about two determined people willing to stick it out and realize how sweet the love grows when we don't give up. This song describes us perfectly! I can imagine, for those of you who have been together through thick and thin for many years, can relate to it, too.

I can't remember when you weren't there,
When I didn't care for anyone but you.
I swear we've been through everything there is,
Can't imagine anything we've missed.
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do.

Through the years. You've never let me down.
You turned my life around.
The sweetest days I've found, I've found with you.
Through the years. I've never been afraid.
I've loved the life we've made.
And I'm so glad I've stayed, right here with you.
Through the years.

I can't remember what I used to do, who I trusted,
Whom I listened to before.
I swear you've taught me everything I know,
Can't imagine needing someone so.
But through the years it seems to me,
I need you more and more.

Through the years, through all the good and bad,
I knew how much we had.
I've always been so glad, to be with you.
Through the years. It's better every day.
You've kissed my tears away. As long as it's okay,
I'll stay with you. Through the years.

Through the years, when everything went wrong,
Together we were strong.
I know that I belonged, right here with you.
Through the years, I never had a doubt,
We'd always work things out
I've learned what love's about, by loving you, through the years.

To love and be loved is life's sweetest treasure. But even more than the earthly love we enjoy, the most beloved relationship we could ever hope to have is our relationship with God. What a beautiful romance I have had with Him…..through the years.

This romance, beyond my Sweetheart’s “great escape to heaven” is the life of beauty, intimacy, and adventure I have with God. In Jeremiah 31:3, He says “I have loved you with an everlasting love”. Talk about a romantic lover. He’s given us the whole world for romance -- the rivers and the meadows, the mountains and the beaches. Flowers, music, a kiss, a sunrise, a sunset, a touch.

There's no "earthly" love like His love. Shhh! I hear Him singing a love song to me.....Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God among you is powerful -- He will save and He will take joyful delight in you. In His love He will renew you with His love; He will celebrate with singing because of you".

Sweet and Romantic Love Songs

When my then-boyfriend (later, my husband) and I were dating (young things that we were), we had a favorite "puppy love" song, Bobby Vee's "My Venus in Blue Jeans" -- LOL! As we continued dating, we crooned over "Hey Paula, I Wanna' Marry You" and then being avid musical theater fans, "our song" was The Music Man's "Till There Was You". My brother, with his exquisite baritone voice, sang it so beautifully at our wedding.

In later years, Kenny Rogers, with his amazing vibrato voice, became our most-loved singer who put to lyrics and music what we felt about each other. We swooned over "Lady", "She Believes in Me", and our absolute favorite was "Through the Years".

Love songs enhance romance, bring ambiance to an otherwise cold room, and add a few candles, then whoa la, you've got a set up for sweet long. Seriously, the everyday grind-of-life becomes beautiful and life changes so dramatically when romance comes into our lives. To love and be loved is life's sweetest treasure. But even more than earthly love, the most beloved relationship we could ever hope to experience is our relationship with God. That love changes dramatically when we discover the great romance we have with Him. God yearns to share a life of beauty, intimacy, and adventure with us. In Jeremiah 31:3, He says “I have loved you with an everlasting love”. This whole world was made for romance — the rivers and the meadows, the mountains and the beaches. Flowers, music, a kiss, a sunrise, a sunset, a touch. But we have a way of forgetting all that as we lose ourselves in work, stress, concern and worry.

“I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god!” Exodus 20:5. WOW! He is jealous for our romance. When we put so much of life's stuff ahead of Him, we are sharing our affection with other gods. He longs for us to be tender and inviting, intimate and alluring, fiercely devoted to Him. Oh yes, our God has a passionate, romantic heart for us.

There's no "earthly" love like His love. God is so intimately concerned about every detail of our life that He even numbered the hairs of our head. He knows our thoughts and our deepest desires. Oh, how He loves you and me. Shouldn’t we treasure our loving God in the same way?

God's love for us is immeasurable and unfathomable and it transcends our human understanding. He pleads with us "Please let me be your God, your everything, your reason for breathing." Knowing this love so deeply and profoundly, I must stop here in this post for today. Excuse me. It's time for romance. It's time for a love song to the Lover of my Soul:

Psalms 59:16: “I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For You have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”

Shhh! I hear Him singing a love song to me.....Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God among you is powerful -- He will save and He will take joyful delight in you. In His love He will renew you with His love; He will celebrate with singing because of you".