FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN

I said my next post would be about my re-reading of Pollyanna, and I plan to do that tomorrow (Monday), but I just had to post about something that happened today (Sunday).

It's a Christian love story.

Between my husband and me.

This morning, we had a guest speaker fill our pulpit (we pastor a church). I actually got to be in the sancutary! I've been in the nursery quite a few times lately because there's been a need, and I never mind that, because Jesus said that if we even offer a cup of cold water in His name, then we've done it unto Him. Well, I not only offered a cup of cold water to the kids (in sippee cups) and doled out animal crackers during snack time, I also changed lots of diapers and then cleaned the nursery when everyone left. Good thing I adore kids!

Oh. Back to my Christian love story.

The evangelist preached a stemwinder of a sermon. That means it was fabulous. He spoke from 1 Kings 18 where Elijah said to the people, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him: but if Baal, follow him." His topic was surrender to the Lord in all areas of our lives.

The people sat there like sponges, soaking it in. Now, normally, our congregation is demonstrative, meaning they say "Amen," and they let the preacher know they're with him through other things such as applause, laughter, etc. And if you've ever been a speaker, you know this helps during your message.

But today, the congregation was unusually quiet, and in my spirit, the Lord spoke and said they were receiving it deeply into their spirits. The evangelist led us in the song I Surrender All, and we belted it out with arms upraised. (He said if a robber goes into a store and points a gun at you, you immediately raise your arms. This, he said, means surrender.)

At the close of the service, Milton took the microphone and asked me to join him. He said he would be preaching the next two Sundays on "Getting Ready for A Double Portion Blessing" based on Elisha's messages.

He said our family was experiencing some double portion blessings right now (I could write a book!), and that he was believing for our church members to start receiving some, and then our church as a whole.

With his grip on my hand firm, he looked down at me, and then said, "Kristy and I have always loved each other, but lately, well, we're falling in love all over again."

I burst into tears.


We unlocked hands, and our arms slid around each other's backs.

I kept crying, so thick I couldn't see, so I looked at the floor.

I backhanded my tears away. What were people thinking? Did they think we'd been in some big argument? Did they wonder what in the world was going on?

What was I thinking?

I was thinking how happy I am, and how sweet our marriage has been lately, things I can't even tell you about, but just believe me, sweetness and tenderness coming forth...almost out of Marah. It's like a blossoming of our love.

Then, with our arms still firmly around each other, Milton closed the service as he always does. He says after every service and right before he dismisses, "Now raise your hands in a manner of receiving." He's taught us to hold our arms straight out from our waist, palms up. So we all did that. (We released our hold on each other then.) Then he says a blessing over us, beginning every time with, "I bless you, that....." It's always upbeat and encouraging and challenging. It's great.

As soon as he finished speaking blessing over the people, you could hear women gathering their purses and men clanking their keys in their pockets. I felt led to take the microphone. The gathering and clanking stopped. All attention was focused on me. They waited with baited breath, as the cliche goes.

I said, (let's see if I can capture it exactly as I said it; oh, I'm a novelist; if I can't, I can recreate it), "I'm crying because of the beauty of the moment. I cry sometimes out of sadness, but I also cry when I see beauty. And I see beauty in our marriage, and beauty in this church."

I saw several people wiping their eyes.

Then the crowd began to disperse. As I walked down the aisle, people hugged me with warmer-than-usual hugs, and they commented on how wonderful God was and other positive statements, and it reminded me when I've taught parenting classes and told parents to let their children see romantic sparks between them because it's so emotionally healthy for the children, and I felt like Milton and I were parents to this congregation and had just shown love and even romance, and the "kids" felt good enough to turn somersaults, and everybody was so happy and cheerful.

It was a wonderful feeling.

The evangelist came up to me with wet eyes and said, "I can't thank you enough for being such a wonderful role model to your people." He said some other kind things, and then he said, "It's been so long since I've heard a pastor say he's in love with his wife, and this was truly refreshing."

It's a Christian love story.

For better, for worse...

I made a vow...

Before God and man...

That I would be true to this man...

We're in the better mode...

And after better comes...

Best

!