Remember...With Love...While We Can

My church celebrated its 100th anniversary this past weekend. I had the honor of serving on the team that coordinated these activities, but my heart was somewhat disconnected. I have been here since May 2000 and I have two friends that have moved away but are not planning to attend the reunion so really, why should I care about this event?

One friend is in California and I was able to visit her last month for the first time since she moved years ago and my best friend is in Alaska and was unable to return. So, if my best friend wasn't coming...I really didn't have any heart into this for my own sake. I had nothing to gain at this event and anticipated being saddened by watching reunions of others, while still longing for my best friend and not knowing when I'd ever get to see her again. I didn't think I had any reason to celebrate 100 years.

I was wrong.

Friday night, I had the pure pleasure to support two of my friends simply by attending an event that they were coordinating. What a joy to have people I love enough to want to do something for them. Sure, there were desserts afterward...but it was for the joy of friendship that I gave up my Friday night off.

Saturday, my soul was filled to the brim and overflowing. A glimpse of Heaven filled me. I connect with God mostly through nature and music. I connect with some music more than other music - it is not all equal for me. We sang through the century with several styles of music. I was able to enjoy the "old school" stuff I grew up with and hear the harmonies blend together.

The husband of my best friend, also someone I dearly love, led a set that restored my empty soul. The songs and style from this era, the passion, joy, and energy they were led with, along with the heart connection I have with the people leading it - these all opened my heart, dropped down all the walls, and filled me up with God. I hear great music often, but it doesn't always get from my ears to my heart. I was being given a huge gift from God and He was reminding me how much He loved me through those words and that music.

There was an opportunity to spend an additional 3 hours that evening with about 25 people singing, playing instruments, worshiping God, and loving each other and God together that showed me so clearly that it is truly people that God uses to reach and to love us. I felt more loved that night than I've felt in years and I felt like I loved more also. It was a room filled with faces that would become a part of my history due to recent events upheaving my church family. The family I knew once would never be together again until Heaven.

Even kids of friends, now in their 20's still make time to say hi and hand out hugs. People from several chapters of my life share one common denominator - they love God. Guess what?  They also love me and I love them.

I'm not always great with telling people how much they mean to me - I hope you are better at it than I am. This week, I challenge you to make it a goal to tell somebody that you love them. Consider telling someone that isn't as close to you as family, but maybe somebody that might not really know how you feel about them.

People are special. We can remember the special people in our lives, with love.

A few weeks ago, I helped my family pack up the home of my grandparents, who have both passed on. All of these things combined to remind me that people are of the utmost importance and most anything else can wait. 

A singing group from my college days did a marvelous version of the song, "Love Them While You Can". This is primarily directed at the love our parents or guardians gave us, but there is a real-life application for telling everybody how special they are to us. 

Take a listen to Golden Deed's version here

One More Thing...

Remember someone special this week, with love...while we can. Then go tell them what they mean to you, or drop them a card.

Take care, and I'm always here to listen, pray for you, or to encourage you.

Lois Lynn