Language of Love

I have heard about the Language of Love books and have wanted to read them. My dear husband hasn’t read the books either. He is a quiet man, a man of few words.

As we ate lunch together Sunday, we talked about the message on praying boldly, my dear husband surprised me with the question, “Do you know what the Language of Love is?”

After 60 years of marriage, he asks me about the Language of Love? It surprised me because he is a man of few words. I remembered how often he fixed things, took care of our children when I was exhausted, managed and took care of so many things without complaining. That was his Language of Love. Giving me so many minutes and hours of his time, planning and preparing to make my life easier.

School was not his thing, but he helped me make teaching school my thing. That is the Language of Love. In his way and in his time, he raised his children to love God. Even now, to hear from children and grandchildren, and now great grandchildren makes the twinkle in his dark brown eyes come alive. He is so proud of each one. And loves them with deep tenderness deep in his heart.

I decided long ago that he lives by the Pessimist’s Outlook. Find something wrong with everything used to scare me. He often looked on the ‘dark side.’When we drove off the lot in our brand new car, the least little rattle and he comments, “Oh, oh, the car is falling apart!”

We have planted many a garden. Each time, there isn’t enough rain, the ‘varmints’ are getting the produce or the weeds are getting ahead of us. This year he is 86 years old. I gave up having a garden because Ed is getting weaker and I didn’t have time to work on it. He insisted on buying a roto-tiller, and getting it out in this April. He proceeded to prepare a plot of ground, much smaller than usual. He put up a fence and planted the three tomato plants we bought. And we have a garden. The Language of Love.

Ed grew up with two older sisters and two older brothers. When he was small, his mother died in child birth. His step-mother loved Ed. He learned the Language of Love. He grew up loving the outdoors, fishing and doing chores. After he graduated from high school, he joined the Air Force. He was a gunner on a B-29. When he came home, he herded cattle on his father’s ranch in central Kansas. That is where we began married life – in the country.

And what were his words of wisdom about the Language of Love? “Don’t do that, you might hurt yourself!”

Ed smiled and postscripted his words, with “I had two older sisters.”

Suddenly the words were clear to me… “Don’t do that, you might hurt yourself!”

The Old Testament contains the Commandments that God gave his people. His “Do’s and “Do Not’s” are God’s Language of Love. He doesn’t want us to hurt ourselves and come under everlasting judgment. Why do we want to rebel against God who created us and gave us life? The One who loves so deeply and speaks the Ultimate Language of Love? He loves us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son! (John 3:16) The One who created us, knows us where.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

How can we set ourselves against God when we read Psalm 139?

1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

When I watch a young mother cradle her babe in her arms, nurturing him and embracing him, the love pours out of her heart and fills that little babe. Just so God pours his love into our being until words cannot describe that bond that we feel for God and His Only Son, Jesus.

There is no peace other than the rich peace of God that so secures our hearts, our souls and our minds, as that which we receive in acknowledging His Lordship in this life and forever.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:17

Our God speaks the Language of Love to and in us each day. Is this life all there is? Or does it continue? Ed and I have enjoyed sixty years learning the God’s Language of Love. Will our lives together end on earth? Suddenly all the ‘Nows’ that we share are more precious. Yet we are both sure that God’s Language of Love reaches into eternity to a forever-live and new heights and depths of God’s Language of Love.

Heart-Beat Away!

This moment, this breath, is a gift

No one knows the hour or the day.

Eternity is so very near.

Just a heart-beat away.

This NOW is all I have

Each moment I make a choice

Not choosing, brings death

Choosing God, and angels rejoice.

I believe, and I see

God is waiting for me

To choose eternity

And with God, I’ll be.

Help me dear Lord to pray

Forgive me, dear Lord, when I stray

I give you my heart each day

He is just a heart-beat away

Now is the moment

Now is the day

Now is all I have

Jesus — Only a heart-beat away.