What is it with God and Gardens?

My Grandma never fails to say, "I love you," after almost every interaction. I help my Grandma weed her garden throughout the week and one day I called to ask if she needed help:

"Hi Grandma, do you need any help weeding today?"
"Sure, you can come on down."
"Alright, I'll be just  minute or two."
"I love you."
"I love you too, Grandma."

I changed into my work clothes and walked down the hill to her house.

"Hello Grandma!" She's seated among the pink phlox and working steadily away at the weeds.
"Hi!"
"Where do you want me to weed today?" I bend over and hug her.
"You can weed the rhubarb, if you don't mind being in the sun."
"Not at all." I turn to start my work.
"I love you."
I turn around and face her,
"I love you too."

Then later on as she hopped onto her little motorized scooter to go help Grandpa with the beans in the pavilion, she asked,
"Maryah, have I told you that I love you today?"
"Yes, but it never hurts to say it again!"
"I love you, precious."
"I love you too, Grandma."

As I continued to pull at some resistant grass and cut away the dead rhubarb leaves I thought, "Grandma says, "I love you," so often, and she's just another person like me. How much more so does God say, "I love you, Maryah," throughout the day?"

"I love you's" from God are everywhere, if only we're open to them. The God that died for you because He loves you so much says, "I love you" in the cooling breeze, the unexpected laughter, the verse that speaks to your heart, the people that He places in our lives, that special song, a thousand buzzing bees busily pollinating on a white field of buckwheat, and the sun that comes out of the clouds when you feel down. He says "I love you" more than we could ever count. More than we'll ever know.

In the joy, "I love you, and the joy you have right now will be increased beyond measure when you're with Me."

In the tragedy, "I love you, my dear, and I'll always be here."

In the anger, "I love you, but you must understand, come to Me and find rest."

In the suffering, when we question, "I love you, this is part of My special plan for you, lean on Me and let Me be your all and your suffering will turn to joy."

In the moments we run away and hide, "I love you, you can never hide from Me, I know you, I created you, simply return to Me and I will help you."

In the moment we stand before an all-powerful God, dirty, broken, and worthless compared to His glory, so undeserving of His love and aware of our sin that we know that we deserve nothing less than an eternal separation from the God we betrayed. He'll come beside us, lift us up and look into our eyes, "You have chosen Me, my darling, precious child whom I loved enough to die for, I took all that sin, all that brokenness and threw it away. You believe, and I love you. Set aside your spoiled garments and place these white robes upon you, for the old is gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now let Me carry you into an eternal joy."

If we follow Him and love Him as much as our weak human hearts can, He will lift us up and say "I love you," even when we so deserve death.

He's saying it to you, right now:

"I love you."