Well here it is the end of August....monsoon season in Arizona.  Lower temperatures (still over 100) and frequent rain showers and humidity.....reminds me of August in Florida. Only a month or so until I'll enjoy being outside again.
     One of the things I will enjoy doing  is "dancing" in the pool to my worship music.  It's glorious to leap, spin and glide with my arms upraised to My Beloved, all the while letting the water shield my joints and muscles.  I found a way to safely pocket my IPOD in my hat, and the rest was history.
     "I remember the first glance...
         I remember the first romance..
            I remember the first dance....   when I fell in love with You"
                                                                                                Misty Edwards, Eternity-Glance
This is what I wrote yesterday in my journal on that subject:

In defense of God's romantic love for me and of my romantic, passionate love for Him....

Why else would the Lord nestle in His word many descriptions of His love for me using the terms a husband would use for his bride/wife/betrothed?  These passages are there because they best describe the passionate love He has for me. Here are a few:

• The care and precision that Abraham took to choose a bride for Isaac...a very romantic story
• The keening of Hosea over his wayward bride, and his powerful love to restore her....an alagory of God's grief and restoring power over His chosen people
• Ruth's powerfully brave and romantic response to Boaz...courage to trust in the Redeemer
• The whole of Song of Songs.... right in the middle of the Bible....God's love song to us
• Jesus' own words refering to Himself as The Bridegroom
• John's revelations ....the bride belongs to the Bridegroom, the wedding supper
• The glimpses in Paul's writings of his understanding of the Bridegroom's love...as Christ loves the Church

     Jesus is always "romancing" us. But in this sexually distorted culture, these are uncomfortable revelations, sometimes causing distortions and misunderstandings among Christians who want to avoid anything that smacks of emotionalism or eroticism. I choose not to allow these fears to rob me of His romantic gifts to me:

     ~pouring out  His gifts to me both material (provision and more) and spiritual (gifts, revelations)
     ~delighting me with new insights about Him, me and heaven and earth
     ~calling me to His side, to feel His touch, to rest with Him
     ~jealously hovering over me to guard and protect me, not willing to let me go
     ~willing to reveal more and more of Himself to me as we share our innermost secrets
     ~reveling in my times of worship for Him, ravishing His heart with one glimpse of my eyes

Jesus says to me:
     " you are totally special to Me
        you are invaluable to Me above all else
        you are Mine...I bought you with My blood
        you are still free to choose
        you are empowered with My Spirit
        you are My partner in establishing the Kingdom of God on this earth....My helpmate"
    
     My faith, my choice to believe these things is not only indescribably beautiful to Him but also powerful.  It truly ravishes His heart. What I accomplish and live by now in faith will be joyously perceived and seen in eternity. My joy at what I did by faith  will be indescribable ...the glory that I give to my Lord, adding to His Glory which is reflected back to me.

Jesus say to me:
     "As you ponder My romance with you, My beloved, your wedding gown is being woven and           sewn, adorned all in preparation for Our Wedding when I return for you.
  
      Ponder more, My beautiful bride,
      Believe more, My beloved,
      Act on what you've been given, My helpmate.

      I long for you, too."