Let's Talk About Love

What does Valentine's Day mean for you? Remember those younger days when your Mom took you to the store to pick out the Box of Valentine's for every kid in your class whether you liked them or not?!? There was no avoiding not sharing kindness to the kids who were mean to you even in the slightest way. There is such a lesson to be learned right there and I could run down a rabbit hole with that one, but I will leave it there for right now. 

Statistics say Christmas and Valentines are the highest recordings of suicide and depression. People feel unloved or lonely. People feel left out in the absence of being romantically noticed. Oddly enough, relationship status has little to do with feeling loved, treasured, adored and precious. Couples - married, engaged or courting, may not have a partner who is good at showing love. Love is simply cultivated between any two people who genuinely care for one another.

Somewhere along the timeline of adolescence into adulthood, This Love Day evolved from a community love to a more sensual-focused couple-relationship in the receiving of affections physically through tangible gifts or human touch. 

Our human hearts are wired to desire Love, being the Love of Christ and Love with others. It becomes very easy as our hormones grow in adolescence to measure one's value on the quantity of received attention from other human hearts. The commercial retail industry's banks on the addiction to love as they flood the market with all things in the name of Love. So much so, the Love of Christ may not come to mind for most, yet here in His Sweet Love, we find the measure of our worth and value. In this season, may I remind you of the greatest commandment, Love God and Love others! Should we celebrate loving others? YES! Should we also celebrate the Love of God? YES! 

As an adult, married 29 years to my guy, Valentine's is not a sexual thing. I admit being a Super Romantic thanks to growing up with Cinderella and all the Disney Princesses. So for me, Valentine's is a day celebrating Love of all those who love you and all the ones you love. It is about all the Love in your life, not all the making love in your life. Does that mean a sensual Love in marriages across the world will not be made on this day? No, but it is not the primary call of the day.

Love is not selfish or self-seeking and God was the perfect example, giving us His Only Son because He loved us so much. So what ought we show in loving-kindness towards others? What may our focus be on this Day about Love? Sex or Serving? Lust or Love? Married people or all people? 
The saying is true, It better to give than receive and the Giver is more blessed than the Gifted. Our spirit stirs and our souls ignite with passion when we serve as a blessing and give from our heart, so we ought to do it, often...more than one day out of the year, right?! 

So, whether you are young person, married, divorced, separated, in a happy place or rocky place in your relationship, these are some ideas how you might celebrate Love as a family OR an individual and a few ideas at the end for the Ms and Mrs of the crowd.

Showing Love to another doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't have to be roses, flowers and diamonds. It doesn't have to be from anyone....Love is something you GIVE, not get. So, let's share some Love....

Let's think of all the Whos. WHO can we show love to?

ANYONE and EVERYONE needs to be LOVED!!! Besides the once we easily think of like family members, children, teachers and dating partners, here are some others to consider: postman, FEDEX/UPS delivery drivers, local hospital staff, nurses, Pastors and their families, your local fire and police departments, cashiers, doctor's offices, law offices, DMV, garbage truck men, local businesses you frequent, women's or children's shelters, nursing home residents and staff, bankers, children's homes, tax office, military recruit centers, homeless, non-profits in your area, cleaning staff in the stores/malls/restaurants, drive thru windows at the pharmacy/fast food/bank/toll booth, wait staff and busboys...

WHAT can we do?
ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! Let's say money was no object, okay, well have fun and spoil and bless away with all your gifts and treats, but let's say you only have some money. Here are some ideas to do as a family or individual. 

• Make meals, crafts or cookies with a sweet note or bought card (Dollar Tree Valentine's are vintage treats!)
• Buy flowers, $10 gift cards, donate to a local charity
• Host a lunch or coffee date
• Pay for the groceries, coffee, happy meal, family meal without recognition
• Send Valentine's Cards to...who does God put on your heart? Look up their address online if it's been too many years to remember.
• Buy clothes or school supplies or event tickets for a family or friend you know would appreciate it. 
• Take a roadtrip to see friends/family/new city, buy an experience, take a (free) community sponsored class 

And if you don't have any money to spend, which was where I was a few years ago, here are some ideas, much of what I have done too.

• Clean someone's room/house/church/nearby park
• Pick up trash at your favorite park
• Put gas in the other person's car and say nothing, or take over a chore
• Attend a local (free) concert or event in your city or nearby with friends/family/group
• Invite a widow, single Mom, military Wife, College Kid another family over for dinner and games 
• Make spaghetti and make garlic bread sticks from hot dog buns and buy one bag of chocolates the day of for 50-75% off at most every store
• Pick flowers from your yard or from the side of the road and place in a tin can/mason jar/spaghetti jar/coffee cup and gift (check for bugs first! I learn that the hard way!)

For the rest of the List, CLICK HERE! 

And now what about YOU? You want to celebrate being Loved by such a wonderful Heavenly Father and delight yourself in it. The chocolate choices are abundant, and often 50-75% off the day of!! We give so much and we'd love a little something tangible to celebrate Love and express being loved too. So what can we do for ourselves, regardless of marital status?

• If you have money to spend, enjoy a night out with a friend or order take out and take it home alone (as a married woman, I treasure my nights in my pj's, with my favorite food and movie!)
• Buy yourself something within your own budget...it may be a $500 pair of earrings or a spa day or many it's a $5.00 Hershey's chocolate kiss or Recesses Peanut Butter Heart with your salad. 
• Wash the sheets and blankets. Add a drop of essential oil to the dryer ball.
• Take an extra long bath with your favorite book and a candle in the corner.
• Consider replacing an undergarment with something cute vs practical. 

For the rest of the list, click here!! 

No one is perfect. No marriage is perfect. No family is perfect. Only GOD is perfect and in His sweet, gracious, fun Love, we get to Live in it! His Love is unconditional. You cannot earn it or afford it. It is a Gift that cost Him greatly but He counted that cost and said You were worth it. YOU ARE LOVED!

This Valentine's Day, may you realize how greatly YOU are LOVED and know you are not alone. He is near, He sees and He knows what you need. Open your eyes and your heart to see this amazing grace and receive His Love, that you may also GIVE it!! 

"and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 

so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints." 1 Thess 3:12-13

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul," Deut 10:12

For those who enjoy researching, check out what is said to be the origin of Valentines. Very interesting! Click Here.