Skip to main content

Valentine's Day Nine Days Away


Valentine's Day is nine days away and thoughts of cards to write, hearts to glitter and candy to create surround.  In a way it reminds me of Christmas.  Lots of preparation to do and little time for reflection on the spiritual side of the holiday.   How can I put more meaning into the one day a year set aside for love?

Many of us heard the same scripture read aloud at our weddings.

Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand it's own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful,
and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT


As I re-read those words this morning, pausing after each phrase, I asked myself if I could say that about myself.  Not just in my marriage but in all my relationships.  I tried reading it again - this time replacing every "love" and "it" with my own name.  Needless to say  ~ only love, only God-infused love, belongs in that verse because the same cannot be said of me.

In the next nine days I plan to revisit these verses and to find opportunities to live out the character traits of God's own relationship advice.   To share it with each card I sign, each cookie I bake, each hand I hold.





Comments

  1. Misty, is Valentines Day a big celebration in USA? Do you send many cards and have other traditions?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Misty,
    I agree with you. Love is so much more than is often portrayed on Valentines day. That is part of the reason we dedicate a couple of weeks to celebrating Love in our family. This is a post I did just today http://cherishedheartsathome.blogspot.com/2011/02/couple-of-our-st-valentine-day-ideas.html
    Blessings
    Gae

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sue,
    Yes, it is actually a big deal for children. There is a tradition of having school parties that involve all children passing out cards and treats to one another into a homemade mailbox. For adults it is often a date night out and a time to exchange small gifts - usually flowers and chocolate.
    What is it like in Australia?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

~Grace and peace to you~

Popular posts from this blog

Locally Grown {stuffed green peppers recipe}

  Last weekend we took the whole family to a nearby produce stand.  We were craving something that tasted fresh from the garden and since I don't have my own garden, we found this place.     The fields were full of fall-colored flowered.  Can't wait for those cooler days to come.         But for now, we are reveling in the height of summer sunshine and produce.       It's easy to go overboard here and buy much more than you can use in the next few days.  I don't even like okra but they look so inviting in those cute blue crates.     These tomatoes inspired a caprese salad for lunch: tomato slices cut into quarters, hunks of fresh mozzarella, snipped basil leaves, salt, pepper and drizzles of olive oil and red wine vinegar.       These strawberries wound up being dunked in Silky Chocolate Fondue .       Every girl dreams of doing her shopping with one of these adorable woven baskets, doesn't she?       Even the boys had fun playing in the sand while I took m

Savoring Summer {Staying in the Season}

The desk full of binders, calendars, sports schedules and dreamy ideas is where I currently find myself, while my mind continues to stray back to the mountains and clouds of our trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota. We have been home for a week and I decided in future, I must come home better mentally prepared for the onslaught of emails and to-do items that pile up when we go away for two whole weeks. The fact that school resumes one week from today only intensifies the pressure to get it all done right away. Usually at this point in August I am eager for cooler, less humid days hinting at the beauty of spicy Autumn flavors. Not this year. I am so invigorated by my return to normal movement following the long recovery from knee surgery that I don't want these summery days to end. At least not until they officially end on September 23, 2014. This year feels like a do-over, the last one so consumed by injury, pain and slow, slow, slow recovery. My mind is bursti

Petals :: 52 Photos Project

Where I live the Bradford Pears have bloomed and blown and the Cherry Blossoms are in full blossom.  Even though that means our allergy season is now officially underway, I cannot help opening our windows every morning in hopes of hearing the birds singing to greet the day.  Springtime has conveniently coincided with my personal recovery process from knee surgery.  As I am slowly re-gaining mobility on crutches it seems an added encouragement that the weather is also improving and the trees are welcoming my return with their flowers. What a treat it would be to be able to put down my crutches in time for Easter Sunday and walk again on my own! (I am doubtful but one can hope.) Sharing with 52 Photos Project :: Petals