Happy February 14th!!

So basically I have the best family EVER! I love my box of Valentine's treats and had to show you all what my talented sisters and Mom created for me!

Reflecting upon Valentine's Day I have discerned that there are really three main responses to this day celebrating love and relationships. One: joy, anticipation and excitement to share love, flowers, and chocolate. Two: Despair or pessimism or anxiety over the lack of love in your life or about love in general. And three: ignoring or mocking the holiday. I'm sure there are other responses but I have noticed these three most often in people through the years.

Though I have never really loved Valentine's Day, I appreciate the occasion which so many people use to actually tell people that they love them. But Jesus commands us to love one another - not just on Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries but always. Most people would recognize the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 as one of the most beautiful definitions of what love truly is. As many people have said before, love is not a feeling but an action! As Paul writes in Colossians, love binds all the rest of the characteristics of godly living together,


"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." - Colossians 3:12-14

We are called to more than just the feeling of affection towards other but to actions - service, selflessness, forgiveness, humility. This is what it means to love; this is how to show love, this is how to understand love. Jesus commands us to love each other as He loved us - which was to the death. His love was an action of sacrifice for all mankind. He gave His life away! How can we not show love for those around us as well!

For those of you who love Valentine's Day and all the lovey stuff and chocolate, thank you for sharing love with others, at least on this day - please don't put a time limit on it. For those of you who get anxious or pessimistic, see this as an opportunity to serve - everyday. For those of you who mock or ignore it, shame on you - love is a command, try it - a whole day devoted to it is an great opportunity.

And moreover, I encourage you all to do something special for someone tomorrow, and the next...and the next - out of love - when it's NOT Valentine's Day.