Deep inside her little being, lay a box. It was a plain little box. It laid there just waiting...just waiting for the day she would reach down and open it.
She was not willing to reach for it and open the lid that was sealed so tight. She wasn't willing because across the front was the words. "Do not open until you are completely willing." So that little box laid there deep inside her very being unopened for many years.
It wasn't that she forgot about it. No, not at all. She was reminded of it about every day. But she remained unwilling because she was afraid of the cost. She didn't see beyond the cost. She didn't know the treasure in that little box. She didn't know because she was unwilling. So for many years she missed the true beauty of living. She missed the results of that little four letter word we call LOVE.
When I think of that word, love, I think of the color red. I see, in my minds eye, valentine shaped boxes, full of chocolates. or a beautiful bouquet of rose buds, or the letters LOVE written in red. I picture a couple walking along the seaside, hand in hand, or parents bent over their new born baby. I picture dark blue skies and happy sun filled days. I picture all of these thing which I know brings that emotion of love.
But three years ago she reached for that box that laid still unopened, and she slowly lifted the lid. That little girl was now 63 years old. She read once again those words written across the front. "Do not open until you are completely willing." Then she reached for that little box and slowly opened the lid.
Sometimes for some of us there is another side of love. We all enjoy the side where there are valentine cards, chocolates, or bouquets of rose buds, but there is another side of love. Not everyone may experience this side. It may not be for everyone. Some may think that this little girl is to emotional. I don't know. But inside the box, she found another side to love. There was a side that made the little word very meaningful. There was a side to that word that brought tears, brought heart ache, that made her feel that pain of another. This was the reason she was so long in opening that little box.
Have you ever stood alone out under the dark velvet sky and looked up and saw there millions of little stars shining down at you. Or have you ever sat out on the hillside, your legs bend at the knees, as you watch the day say good bye and listen as the birds sing their last song to you. In the western skies are the colors of a rainbow as the sun sets and darkness falls softly around you. Or have you walked beside a little stream and listened to the sounds of water falling softly over the rocks below. Or have you walked down the country road, the full moon casting its light all around you making the shadow of the trees lay soft on the ground. Or held a rose bud in your hand and wondered at the marvel of how it opens into a beautiful rose?
Or have you ever saw the American flag flying free in the breeze, or listened to the national anthem as it plays in the distance. Or have you ever stood beside the grave of a man or woman who had served their country, and listened as in the distance the guns fire, and then a lone bugle plays Taps.
Does your heart just fill up so full with love for the Creator of all things and the One who has chosen to keep our country free? Do you ever look up and ask "Why me God? Why are You so good to me? I'm just a little speck here on your great earth." Do you ever feel that emotion we call love fill you clear up.
Sometimes love causes tears. Sometimes it hurts deep inside. Sometimes you don't understand why, but you just trust. Sometimes you hold someone close and your tears blend with theirs because of the deep love you feel for them. Sometimes you wrap your arms around a stranger, because he has given his health for you. Sometimes you set in your car as a funeral procession, slowly passes by. You may not know the person who is in that first car, but you stop because of the love in your heart, the respect. You set there watching while other cars come to a stop around you, and your heart fills way up with love for those who stopped out of respect.
Have you ever hurt so deeply that your pen will not write. You just are silent. You just hold on and trust. You don't understand, but you remember those times out under that huge sky when God showed you His great care, His love, and you know that behind every cloud the sun is shining. You know that your heart will again mend and you can smile again. You know that God has picked you up and He is carrying you until you have strength to walk again. So you just wait. You just know that someday your pen will write again.
That little girl does not know who placed that little box in her soul. She does not know why she was willing to open it. She just knows that inside was a treasurer. She just knows that she will be forever grateful that she reached down and opened the lid. She has been blessed beyond measure.....and she is thankful.
She was not willing to reach for it and open the lid that was sealed so tight. She wasn't willing because across the front was the words. "Do not open until you are completely willing." So that little box laid there deep inside her very being unopened for many years.
It wasn't that she forgot about it. No, not at all. She was reminded of it about every day. But she remained unwilling because she was afraid of the cost. She didn't see beyond the cost. She didn't know the treasure in that little box. She didn't know because she was unwilling. So for many years she missed the true beauty of living. She missed the results of that little four letter word we call LOVE.
When I think of that word, love, I think of the color red. I see, in my minds eye, valentine shaped boxes, full of chocolates. or a beautiful bouquet of rose buds, or the letters LOVE written in red. I picture a couple walking along the seaside, hand in hand, or parents bent over their new born baby. I picture dark blue skies and happy sun filled days. I picture all of these thing which I know brings that emotion of love.
But three years ago she reached for that box that laid still unopened, and she slowly lifted the lid. That little girl was now 63 years old. She read once again those words written across the front. "Do not open until you are completely willing." Then she reached for that little box and slowly opened the lid.
Sometimes for some of us there is another side of love. We all enjoy the side where there are valentine cards, chocolates, or bouquets of rose buds, but there is another side of love. Not everyone may experience this side. It may not be for everyone. Some may think that this little girl is to emotional. I don't know. But inside the box, she found another side to love. There was a side that made the little word very meaningful. There was a side to that word that brought tears, brought heart ache, that made her feel that pain of another. This was the reason she was so long in opening that little box.
Have you ever stood alone out under the dark velvet sky and looked up and saw there millions of little stars shining down at you. Or have you ever sat out on the hillside, your legs bend at the knees, as you watch the day say good bye and listen as the birds sing their last song to you. In the western skies are the colors of a rainbow as the sun sets and darkness falls softly around you. Or have you walked beside a little stream and listened to the sounds of water falling softly over the rocks below. Or have you walked down the country road, the full moon casting its light all around you making the shadow of the trees lay soft on the ground. Or held a rose bud in your hand and wondered at the marvel of how it opens into a beautiful rose?
Or have you ever saw the American flag flying free in the breeze, or listened to the national anthem as it plays in the distance. Or have you ever stood beside the grave of a man or woman who had served their country, and listened as in the distance the guns fire, and then a lone bugle plays Taps.
Does your heart just fill up so full with love for the Creator of all things and the One who has chosen to keep our country free? Do you ever look up and ask "Why me God? Why are You so good to me? I'm just a little speck here on your great earth." Do you ever feel that emotion we call love fill you clear up.
Sometimes love causes tears. Sometimes it hurts deep inside. Sometimes you don't understand why, but you just trust. Sometimes you hold someone close and your tears blend with theirs because of the deep love you feel for them. Sometimes you wrap your arms around a stranger, because he has given his health for you. Sometimes you set in your car as a funeral procession, slowly passes by. You may not know the person who is in that first car, but you stop because of the love in your heart, the respect. You set there watching while other cars come to a stop around you, and your heart fills way up with love for those who stopped out of respect.
Have you ever hurt so deeply that your pen will not write. You just are silent. You just hold on and trust. You don't understand, but you remember those times out under that huge sky when God showed you His great care, His love, and you know that behind every cloud the sun is shining. You know that your heart will again mend and you can smile again. You know that God has picked you up and He is carrying you until you have strength to walk again. So you just wait. You just know that someday your pen will write again.
That little girl does not know who placed that little box in her soul. She does not know why she was willing to open it. She just knows that inside was a treasurer. She just knows that she will be forever grateful that she reached down and opened the lid. She has been blessed beyond measure.....and she is thankful.
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