He smiled. "I know, my son, of these things and
many many more. But there are times that
I simply like to hear the words."

Pausing, I thought about what He
had just shared with me. To know one's heart,
this is the easy part. We all know someone
who's heart we share but how often do
we say the words ~ Do you Love me?

Or perhaps we are as I was; on the receiving end,
when someone asks of us ~ Do you love me?
How difficult is it to answer
"Yes, Lord I love thee."

Poets write of such things and can
fill page upon page but the words
seem to lose flavor over time.
But to open one's heart to even a stranger
can be so difficult.
How easy it is with my Father,
for He already knows my heart.

As He rose to continue our walk, my Father
looked at me and said one of the most
beautiful things that I will forever remember.

For inasmuch as you have loved Me,
do unto others. For therein, lay thy true calling.
Thy name is John ~ Beloved of God ~ Love of God ~
Go thou into the world then and do likewise."

And as we continued to walk that day and
for many days after, we shared hearts.
How so very very precious it is for one
to share hearts with my Father;
thy true and everlasting Love.

For me, that walk will never cease.
It is a walk I have chosen to live a lifetime.

Upon the final steps, my Father turned
to me and said, "It is good that we have shared today,
for I am sending a gift to you.
One who is very very very precious.
Treat this gift as you have treated Me,
with all the love that I have given to you.

For inasmuch as ye have done it with Me,
do unto others."

As He left for others walks, I wept.
For the gift that my Father spoke of,
the most precious gift He could give me
~ was you ~

As my Father asked me to do so long ago.

I Love You!