Favorite: Five Minute Friday

Another week, another chance to write on a one-word prompt for only five minutes. We set timers, type quickly, and let it flow without criticism. Then, we link-up our posts so we can read others' posts and they read ours and we have a community that grows from one word each week.
Five Minute Friday.

Go!

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things"

The very first thought I had when reading "favorite".
Oh how I loved listening to Julie Andrews sing when I was a child.
My parents have told me that our copy of Mary Poppins was so frequently watched, I actually wore out the videocassette tape.

With The Sound of Music, I could imagine I was Maria, twirling on the hill and singing.
Most of the story was far above my head, but the music always touched me.

"The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds
That rise from the lake to the trees
My heart wants to sigh like a chime
That flies from a church on a breeze

To laugh like a brook when it trips
And falls over stones on its way
To sing through the night
Like a lark who is learning to pray

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more"

My favorite thing in the entire world is music. I cannot imagine life without it. Whether it's instrumental or vocal, soft or crazy wild, this world is full of song. Birds, waterfalls, oceans, thunderstorms, each have their own song.

And I think of God when I am in a quiet place and can hear the song of the wind rushing through evergreens. And the song is always the same. It's a love song.
Today, can I remind us all of something? "You are God's favorite."

I heard that a long time ago. It was puzzling, as favorite had always meant "favored above all the rest" to me. And how could God choose?

But, I am thinking that the world tries to tell us there's always somebody better, and the messages are half-true. (Satan specializes in half-truths)

Jesus Christ is always better, but He died for every single one of God's favorites. You and me and everyone you see.

Here is a declaration of God's favor over you. (Zephaniah 3:14-17)
"Sing, Daughter Zion;
    shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
¹⁵ The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
    never again will you fear any harm.
¹⁶ On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.
¹⁷ The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Listen for God's song to you this weekend. You are His favorite. 

~Tammy

P.S. Since I don't have the lovely comment love widget...can you tell me the number of your post in the linkup in your comment so I can find you? Thanks! (example: #7) or you can give me a direct link to your post.