I'll expound.
There was this little ditty that my Mom used to sing to us as kids, "Bye-O, Bye-O, Baby Bunting, Bye-O, Bye-O, Baby Girl...". Once I had Nathan, I found myself naturally customizing the song for him: "Bye-O, Bye-O, Baby Nathan, Bye-O, Bye-O, Baby Peej...". (It has been such a long time since I even recalled the nickname "Peej"!)
Then came Nia. "Bye-O, Bye-O, Baby Nia...".
But my habit started to spread. It no longer solely influenced my singing of that traditional family ditty (I hear it was passed down from my Great Grandma Lottie and goodness knows where she learned it!). It sneaked into songs that call for no customization or personalization at all. How about this lullaby:
"...and down will come Nia, cradle and all."
And it didn't stop with lullabies. I found myself teaching the kids to insert the names of dear friends and family members in the "Peanut Butter" song. Do you know the one? The one where it should be a peanut sitting on a railroad track. More commonly, at my house, it could be heard:
"Lottie sat on a railroad track,
heart was all a-flutter.
Round the bend came the 5:15,
Toot! Toot!
Lottie Butter!"
It's gruesome, really, I know. But it's a habit, and I'm having a hard time kicking it.
Today I got thinking about the old song, "Oh, how I love Jesus." Most of you will know it. But in case you don't:
"Oh, how I love Jesus.
Oh, how I love Jesus.
Oh, how I love Jesus,
Because He first loved me."
Two or three repeats and I find myself sticking in other people's names.
"Oh, how I love Liam.
Oh, how I love Liam...."
But then I hit that last line and I think to myself, "Liam didn't love me first." So why do I love Liam? Well, of course, with Liam the answers are simple, and straightforward. He's my son. He has those cheeks that just BEG to be loved. He is part of our family. He is mine! I love him naturally and innately.
But...
But what about the people that we don't want to love? What about the people that don't seem lovable? Maybe you're a natural people-lover, and maybe everyone who comes to your mind brings thoughts of love and smiles, but I can think of a few people that I umm, struggle to love. What about them? Why do I love them?
Because I'm commanded to, perhaps? Because I feel like it's polite? Because I think the expectation is that I show love to each individual I meet? (And, by the way, I'm regularly a major flunk in the subject of love, so don't read this as a proclamation of successfully loving the truly irritating!)
And then it hit me: I should be able to stick anyone's name in those first three lines because the last line never changes.
He. First. Loved. Me.
Oh, how I love Nicolas.
Oh, how I love my children.
Oh, how I love my neighbors.
Oh, how I love the policeman who has just pulled me over.
Oh, how I love this pauper.
Oh, how I love this prince.
Oh, how I love the pretty.
Oh, how I love the plain.
Oh, how I love the just-plain-ugly!
Oh, how I love you, and you, and you...
"Because He first loved me."
And, at the end of the day, I really just want to see people the way Jesus sees them.
3 comments:
I loved this... and you :)
Such an adorable post! I do the same, as my Mimi would do. I need to try and record some of the lyrics as we're humming and singing on the spot. Great post
Your writings do help other....such as yours truly...Thank You
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