Friday, April 16, 2010

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved.....




Today as my husband and I sat in Ryan's Steakhouse eating a wonderful lunch a song came to my mind that I had not thought about in perhaps years. It was a big hit when I was barely a teenager. The title was, "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You".

A couple of things made me think of this particular song. Thinking about how sweet it was for my hubby to take the biggest part of a day to take me out to eat and shopping. But also as we sat enjoying our meal a family came in and caught my attention. There was an elderly gentleman whose back had succumbed to either illness or age or both and was all stooped over. He had to very, very slowly walk using a walker. Maybe a daughter or possibly a granddaughter walked behind him making sure he didn't fall. His beautiful white-haired wife..frail in her own way as well...trying to reach around the younger women to help make sure her soul mate didn't fall. She did this as one who most likely is used to taking care of him as much as possible.

The two younger women were so kind and gentle to the older couple. They smiled at them and patted their shoulders as they got them comfortably seated at a table near us. I watched as one lady took her mother and helped her get her food from the buffet while the other lady fixed a plate for her dad. When the older couple had their plates and were sitting at the table they all bowed their heads and "Daddy" asked the blessing. Afterward smiles and happiness radiated from everyone's faces. Now the younger women went and got their food and returned to eat and visit with the older couple.

It just made my day! The couple reminded me so much of my Daddy and step-mom. At times I had to stop eating and swallow back the tears . I wanted to tell this little family how they had touched my heart but knew if I tried I would probably cry and make no sense at all. So I got out my little notepad (thanks again Evelyn!) and wrote them a little note saying what a blessing they had been to me. As I walked past their table on the way out I gave it to one of the daughters. And I thought...."How Sweet It Is To Be Loved...." by your family.
All families don't have this close sweetness. Especially with their elderly relatives.

And ultimately I thought...."How Sweet It Is To Be Loved..." by my heavenly Father! I'm so unlovable some of the time and yet He loves me anyway! Thank you Father for the sweetness of your love!

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4: 10

I hope you feel the sweetness of His love today in your life!

Marilyn

10 comments:

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Another tender, sweet post. You are so kind to let them know what their love meant to you. May we all model the same, both in love and in kindness.

Thank you, Marilyn, for all your many prayers for me this week. I'm not fully on the other side of my "angst" but I'm closer now than I've been in a long time.

Love you friend.

peace~elaine

Beverly Wooley said...

I read Angie Smith's new book today (I Will Carry You - the sacred dance of grief and joy). It really IS a sacred dance, isn't it my friend? Praying for you to have the joyous assurance of being loved by the Father(like you so beautifully wrote about in this post) as grief continues to weave itself in and out of your life.

Karin said...

Awwww, I loved the story you shared! Working in a long-term care centre I see so much inter-generational love and it warms my heart. To remind folks of the love of our heavenly Father is part of my job where I work! That's a joy! Blessings!

Leah Adams said...

Marilyn, how you likely blessed them just as they blessed you. thanks for such a beautiful post. I could see it all just as you described it.

Leah

Dianna said...

Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing this sweet story. Very inspiring.

Anonymous said...

This is my most favorite note you have ever written... You and I are kindred spirits for certain! I love to watch people together and you have captured the reason I watch into words. I love to imagine their relationships and see their love in their gestures....

And, Ken and I danced our first dance to 'How Sweet it is...' and no truer song has been written for what he is to my life.

I hope you have a LOVEly weekend!

Adriene

Mari said...

That is so sweet! I have seen similar situations but didn't say anything to them. I am so impressed that you took the time to let them know. How precious your heart is.
Thanks for sharing, Marilyn. Great post.

Yolanda said...

It is always a blessing to see others loving their families. I pray that one day that will happen in my own family, but no matter what I know that I have the love of my husband and the love of my Heavenly Father.

You are such a BLESSING!!!!!

Love,
Yolanda

Beth Herring said...

Marilyn, this is such a sweet post! Thanks for sharing this with us.

Beth

Cindy said...

This is such a sweet post. I love that you gave that family a note telling them how they blessed you. I'm sure that your note was a blessing to them as well.

How sweet it is to be loved by Jesus.

Cindy