Monday, February 14, 2011

Considering true love

Valentine's Day. It has never been our favorite holiday. Jon and I have always disliked the cheesiness and commercialization. We don't like being told when to be romantic, what type of gifts we should exchange, or that we need to join the masses for a date. For us, this drains away the sincerity. Maybe its our independent spirit coming through, our resistance to being told what to do and how.

Nonetheless, I am happy for the chocolate that coms our way. And I do know that I am married to a sweet husband, who is romantic and generously shows his love for me in all sorts of unexpected ways. I am so grateful for him.

My kids, on the other hand, knew exactly what day it was the minute they woke up and they were eager to celebrate. I wanted them to feel special and to instruct them on what love is. It was good for me to reflect on the love of God today.


In the afternoon, I took out all the construction paper and some other craft supplied and let them be creative. Even though I put out stacks of pinks and reds, it was funny to me that the boys ended up using mostly orange paper. I guess the traditional colors are too girly, or maybe their color blindness was throwing them for a loop.


I baked while they created, and my kitchen is now decorated with paper hearts and a pipe cleaner heart link.


My favorite time today was when we talked about God's love during lunch. Wow! If we could only really understand how much He loves us!

"We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us..." 1 John 3:16

"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

The words that follow these verses are so instructive on how we ought to love one another. I think we will stay on this topic a while longer, for my sake and theirs.


And we can never be reminded enough of 1 Cor. 13:4-7. It's so familiar, yet how easily we fail to really love. It's a matter of being empty of ourselves, laying down our lives. There is no place for the beast of self.

Lord, by your strength alone we can grow in our love for You and for each other!


"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise you."

Ps. 63:3

Katherine

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