CALVARYcfn

The Preacher said long ago that there is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven, but I think it is important to remember, that the greatest of these is the time we are given to experience love. There are times for hardship and pain, for heartache and loss, but thank the Lord above there a time to love. There is a time to build up and give, a time to laugh and live. Oh, how I thank God for the times that love has healed what hate had scarred, for the time that love embraced after the fight had ended. The times of breaking down and tearing down have most often come at the hands of people I thought I could trust; and every time the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me seasons of love and restoration, it was always through the hands of people who were so trustworthy and faithful that I never stopped to consider whether I could trust them. What a blessing it is when you never have to ask. Love just is!

Old Jerry Osborne used to go outside while everyone was talking and carrying on inside the house, and he would grill out there by himself. Before you knew it, there it was, the best burger in town ready to eat and made with love. Boy did they taste incredible! And that’s what Luke did today. He stood out there and grilled for everyone while we carried on in oblivious conversation. He grilled with love, and the burger tasted all the better for it! The Lord gives us people who love us and barbeque burgers for us, and sometimes when they are gone, we can miss the next generation of blessing right in front of us, barbequing just like old Grandpa used to. A time to love, indeed.

Second, my daughter reminded me of My Aunt Janet, but in a different way. She moved far away last year, and today she faced heartbreak and stone throwing from those she thought she could trust and from those whom she thought loved her. Those that had taken her in were casting her aside. The turmoil my daughter was experiencing far from home made me think of my dear Aunt Janet who made me feel right at home with her when I was away from home for the first time. I wish my daughter had someone like Aunt Janet. My dear Aunt Janet did not have a lot of money, and she did not buy me a lot of things. In fact, the only thing I ever remember receiving from her, is a small digital alarm clock that I still have and display with great affection as if it was the crown jewels of France!

What Aunt Janet gave me was love. When I moved away from home for the first time, she gave me love. She never treated me like a guest; she treated me like her own. Oh, how we need more Aunt Janets in this selfish world! How we need more people who show love out of love rather than favors that assume they have purchased your loyalty and have obligated you to bow to their whims! Oh, how I miss my Aunt Janet who made every day sweeter, every day lovelier, and every day just a little brighter, because you knew she loved you—no matter what! Yes, in the face of awkward looks, uncomfortable silences, and harsh judgements, I wish my daughter had Aunt Janet to lean on, and then I realized, in GOD'S AMAZING GRACE, she does! Over the past year, the Lord has brought some incredible people into her life, including a sweet lady who reminds me so much of my Aunt Janet!

Truly we must endure the times of sadness and sorrow, but thankfully, we have a loving heavenly Father who ensures that to everything there is a season, and He is faithful to add a time to love, which is always delivered through the heart of someone who loves us.