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The Precious Gift of Love

Love is a gift from God and men are that they might know love. We cannot truly love others, though, until we first love God and then feel His love in us. With that, may I share some of my first memories of love? I hope they help.

I was just a little boy growing up in Idaho’s Lemhi valley. Dad was a ranch hand, and Mom stayed at home. I remember Dad going down into the fields to change water and coming back with a bouquet of spring wildflowers for Mom. She would light up like sunshine every time he did that, and he knew it. The flowers are gone now, but the memories are still there. Dad never knew, but I was watching.

We were poor growing up, but that didn’t matter to Dad at Christmas time. Every year, the single most expensive, most thoughtful gift under the tree was the one he got for Mom. And her reaction was always the same. She was thrilled. Somehow, it was always the perfect gift and what she most wanted. She would brag about her gift and Dad would beam like a lighthouse. They know how to give and how to receive of each other. They know how to do Christmas.

I remember a time when Dad made me so angry. I stormed into the house and vented my frustration to my Mother. To my surprise, her indignation was instant and fierce. I’ll never forget how quickly she put me in my place. Never again did I speak against my dad to her. No one could come between them. They were one and determined to stay that way. I didn’t understand then, but I do now.

Meat and Taters. Meat and Taters. To this day I can’t eat fried spuds. I swear it was the only thing my Mom ever fixed. I came to loathe that stuff. Did my mom not know how to cook, you ask? Oh no—my mother is an excellent cook. It’s just that meat and taters was my dad’s favorite meal. She could cook many things, but her favorite thing to fix was what Dad liked.

I still laugh when I think of those times when Dad would sneak up behind Mom, usually while she was cooking, and just give her a swat. Mom would get all indignant and pretend to be angry. She’d grab a skillet or anything handy and take off after him. Dad would holler like he was being killed and run for his life. She’d always catch him, he’d make sure of it, and they’d laugh and tussle. The outcome was always the same. It always ended in a tender embrace and a kiss. The best of friends they were and remained.

My dad is gone now and my mother still grieves. She misses him and tells me often how she can’t imagine going on without him. They had the best marriage this man has ever seen. I have come to know of a surety that those of you loved and in love, be grateful to the God of Heaven for this Godly gift. And to those of you whose arms are empty and whose hearts yearn and ache, please know that God knows. He is love and the closer you come to Him the more you will love and be loved. Those who live with Him and in Him, never live alone, not now, not ever.

Is there anything more precious in time and eternity than love? The Holy Scriptures assure us—no!