After a fall that broke her hip and shoulder my ninety four year old mother-in-law had to go to a nursing home for rehabilitation., in order to get strong enough to go back to her little apartment in an assisted living facility. It was a move none of us wanted but it became necessary for her to get well. As the nurses worked to get her settled in, we headed down to the waiting room with heavy hearts. We passed many, who were ravaged with the curses of old age, while the cries of others could be heard as they screamed out in pain or fear. Some gave a ready smile, while others seemed to be in their own little world. The halls were bright, with words on them like love, laughter and peace but the eyes of many were blank and reflected anything but love or peace let alone laughter. However our mood was lifted by two elderly couples we met as we journeyed down the halls.
His eyes glistened as he watched her from behind the viewing window. "She had a stroke", he said. But she still has a beautiful spirit about her, no matter how hard it gets. I'm going to take her home soon" he said with a voice filled with pride as he talked about his wife and sweetheart of many decades. He smiled and waved as the physical therapist wheeled her out to him. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of her favorite person in the whole wide world. "My heart still lights up when I see you", she announced. "That's never changed in all these years." He giggled shyly and said "She always says that"!
He talked lovingly of the woman who sat beside him, seemingly oblivious to the conversation. "We have been married seventy-one years, he boasted, and I love her like the first. She has Alzheimer's now, that's why we are here at the nursing home. He went on to say, "sometimes she is aware of things and sometimes she isn't, good days and bad days, I guess you might say." The elderly woman of which he spoke fidgeted in her chair and looked into those now tear-filled eyes, patted him on the leg and said in hushed tones, "I love you"! At those words he broke into song with made up words of love to his bride. "Love, love, I love you," he crooned.
I haven't been able to get these two couples out of my mind. In the midst of everything we humans fear, old age, we find LOVE! Enduring and delightful love! Many decades of "good days and bad days" but still LOVE! The kind of LOVE that lights up a heart!
There has been a scripture that I can't get out of my mind either! I spoke of it just a few days ago but it came to my mind again as I studied my bible this morning. As I read it, I also thought of these two, still in LOVE, sweethearts. It tells me that God is with me, He is mighty to save, He takes delight in me, He will quiet me with His LOVE and He will rejoice and sing over me. I see Him singing over me as the old man sang to his wife. I can almost hear the made-up, just for me, words that say I LOVE YOU!
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with is LOVE, he will rejoice over you with singing
"LOVE,LOVE, I LOVE YOU," He croons!
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