An Elul Story about Love. And goldfish.

Aren't all Elul stories,
about Love?!

Thank you everyone, the Shalom Fans show went really well! I will share about it and some pictures in the next post.  But first, another story is coming, so I want to share it today as an Elul Love Story.

As you know, this is my favorite month. As are many of the months, but particularly I have an affection for Elul.  I love the custom of blowing the shofar every day in preparation for the big Trumpet blast at Rosh Hashanah.  I love reading the Psalm 27 every day.  I love that it is said that "the King is in the Fields".  God knows I love that  so He often meets me here in this month just as I am.  Nothing fancy, just the everyday things He uses to show me a parable or something I need to learn in this month of repentence and reflection before the New Year and blowing of the BIG Trumpet coming next month.

A long time ago my husband told me his idea of what love is. It was when our daughter was in elementary school and at the time we had goldfish.  My husband is very good and raising fish and knows a lot about fish as he's from a fishing island.  Well, maybe that is not why he knows goldfish, but anyway, we kept those goldfish for all the years of my daughters elem school years, and from what I understand they usually don't live that long, so it was a tribute to his being able to raise them.  The goldfish family had babies and the parents always stayed near each other in the tank.  The generations of goldfish were there through her elementary years, and maybe even through around jr. high, I can't remember exactly how long we had them.

So here is what my husband said about love.  He said, see the two goldfish , (the parents), they always stay near each other.  That is love.
He didn't even say that many words, but basically showed me that that is his idea of love, the pure simple act of staying by each other.

At the time, that wasn't my idea of love. It was too simple and not passionate and exciting for my likes.  I had not yet been saved, which,  by the way, which is a super important point, because what I know about love and faithfulness now is sooooooo different than any idea I had before receiving Jesus as my Savior.

Just look at God and Israel!! How much they sinned and how much transpired in all the years, and yet He is faithful and He is with His beloved all along, and has never left Israel.

I  hadn't realized then how deep what my husband said about love was.
And in the interim years we have had  difficulties and even separation, and yet today we are still side by side each other.  As Jesus is healing our relationship.  And still in a time of healing for sure, but today,  I think that is a miracle and that God wanted to remind me of that what my husband said those years ago, and  show me that parable of the goldfish.

Hope it might bless someone out there, and that if there is someone you love that you might be growing far from, or giving up hope in, believe in the love of God that is Faithful, and not dependent on circumstances. His love is a covenant love, which is what our love is in marriage.  This story can also be for love of parents and other family or any relationship really, it is about staying with the ones we are given by God and not giving up on the family or covenant relationship given by God.  And how deep is His love for us that we cannot fathom.  And that love is there so we can pour it into the love for others and to saying no  to the darkness out there that is seeking to break up relationships.  As nothing can separate us from His love, may we also believe more in the love relationships in our lives that are modelled on the Father and His love for His Son!!

Blessings and Love and Shabbat Shalom!!