Love Ya!

My mother-in-law started a tradition in The Burton family about 20 years ago.   Each time we would pray or bless the meal we always (and I mean ALWAYS) had to hold hands and at the end, after we said “Amen” we would all swing our joined hands upward and loudly proclaim, "LOVE YA!!!”.   

The tradition continued even recently while MeMaw was in the hospital on her death bed.   To keep true to MeMaw’s tradition, the last thing everyone at her funeral did was hold hands, swing them upward and proclaim, “LOVE YA!” in unison.

The funeral is over.  Out of town family have gone back home and we are returning to life as usual---which has left me with a ginormous  'to-do' list (which includes taking down my Christmas Tree. *sigh*).  As I set out last week to run errands, I admit, I was rather overwhelmed and feeling a bit blah. 

Wandering aimlessly down the grocery store isle, I glanced at the Valentine’s Day section and saw this:

At that moment, I was totally overwhelmed in a new way.  No longer overwhelmed with my 'to do' list but with the Lord’s love.  Who would have thought I’d find a God-wink in the middle of Kroger?  A small, cheap, plastic heart-shaped plate was loudly declaring to me that the Lord loved me.  That He cares about me.  That He is in control, He alone is my help (Ps. 121:1) and everything would be okay!  He loves me and nothing can separate me from Him!  

Romans 8 says: No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How about you?  Are you feeling a bit tired?  Overwhelmed? Discouraged? Do you need a reminder that He LOVES you very much?   Do you desire to see the Lord show-up in your everyday (and often  mundane) tasks?  Of course we see His fingerprints all over creation if we will stop long enough to notice.  Yet, sometimes we just need a little “love ya” from Him.  


I want to encourage you to seek Him.  Yep, go ahead and ask Him to give you a “God wink” (an ounce of encouragement).  It may happen when and where you least expect it but I believe He will show-up for you!  (When He does--give some testimony and praise in the comment section.  I’d love to hear about it! )

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD -Jeremiah 29:13b-14a

The best way I can think to end this blog post is to include a video of one of my all time favorite praise songs by David Crowder Band. 

LOVE YA!