Waltzing Around the Kitchen – by David Brauner

When my wife and I were courting, I waltzed her around the kitchen crooning “Have I told you lately that I love you,” from the Van Morrison song by the same name. The next bit I remember singing to her is, “Have I told you lately that I care.” Friends, that is not the next line!  The words are: “Have I told you lately that I love you? Have I told you, there’s no one else above you.” That’s a baffling gaff for a songwriter with a lifelong passion for lyrics! The point is that what seemed at the time to be no more than a simple love song, is actually a profound expression of faith. Here is more from the song, which you will find below: “There’s a love that’s divine and it’s yours and it’s mine, and it shines like the sun. At the end of the day, we will give thanks and pray to the one.” Now that’s pretty obvious right? But I overlooked the faith component entirely, even though I was in church every Sunday at the time. For me, the story illustrates how we can miss God in our lives if we aren’t paying attention. Or more to the point, if our other priorities are getting all of our attention. God promises his presence in our lives if we want it. These are Jesus’s words in Mathew 7:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

Cognitive psychology observes that we can change our behavior by changing our thinking. We can coach ourselves to be more patient, more tolerant, more generous, more kind, better listeners- more compassionate. We can change. We can improve. In the same way, we can experience God by being intentional and by asking. We can be still, and drink in God’s presence and feel the love. And so we should. The song pairing is, of course, Van Morrison’s “Have I told you Lately.” Until next time, stay safe, be brave and keep walking in the light.

Have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there’s no one above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away my sadness
And ease my troubles, that’s what you do

For the mornin’ sun in all its glory
Meets the day with hope and comfort too
And you fill my life with laughter, you can make it better
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do

There’s a love that’s divine
And it’s yours and it’s mine like the sun
And at the end of the day
We should give thanks and pray to the one

Say, have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there’s no one above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away my sadness
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do

There’s a love that’s divine
And it’s yours and it’s mine, and it shines like the sun
At the end of the day
We will give thanks and pray to the one

Have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there’s no one above you?
Fill my heart with gladness, take away my sadness
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do

Take away my sadness, fill my life with gladness
And ease my troubles, that’s what you do
Fill my life with gladness, take away my sadness
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do