Te Quiero Mucho!

One of my aspirtations in life is to speak a language other than English. That said, my attempts to begin bringing this desire to fruition was met with the reality of my youthful struggle to learn English grammar. I recall taking a year of German in high school. To say the least trying to figure out how to pronounce these new sounding words was the first obstacle. Then our teacher informed us that the sentence structure was nothing like the way we communicate in English. His example to us: "I looked the window out and saw the street run the horse down!" "You have got to be kidding!" Well it wasn't long before my desire began to cool down and my satisfaction to just speak my native tongue seemed to suffice.

As my children grew up my oldest married his college sweetheart. She was born and raised in Argentina. Of course she spoke Spanish. It wasn't long before my son became fluent in her native language. I was impressed to say the least. As the grandchildren began to enter our lives they began to learn their mother's culture and language. One of the phrases they were taught was "te quiero mucho." This phrase means, I love you very much. Usually upon the conclusion of my visit with my son's family I would speak this phrase to my grandchildren and they would say it back to me.

One day while ministering to various patients and their family members in the hospital there was one particular patient of Latin descent present in our intensive care unit. It had been communicated to me that the patient had family making their way to the hospital to see him from his hometown outside the United States. The patient was on life support and unable to communicate. Once the family members arrived the patient's sister, evidently not aware of the seriousness of her brother's condition, began to express herself. I shall never forget the tearful reunion I witnessed as she came alongside her brother's hospital bed. As she wrapped her arms around his shoulders she began to weep and her weeping turned into cries and sobs. All the while she kept repeating the phrase, "te quiero mucho, te quiero mucho, te quiero mucho!" If I had not previously learned what this phrase meant it would have escaped me along with the impact of the moment as she expressed love for her brother.

As families share and celebrate Christmas joys this year I am reminded that Love is the basis of that joy. I John 4:8 indicates that the one that does not love is not aquainted with God for God IS Love. Our origin, our genesis originates IN that Love no matter in what language it is expressed whether verbal or non-verbal. May your Joy be full!