Valentine’s Day

 

Do you celebrate the love or the loves of your life on Valentine’s Day?

Many people think Valentine’s Day is for lovers. Single’s refer to it as singles awareness day. However, the truth is, Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love with the loves of our life! (Although we celebrate agape love year round!)

Valentine’s Revelation

Early on in our marriage, I got a revelation of God’s love and our responsibility to express love to others. There was a burning desire in my heart to show love to my family on Valentine’s Day. I mean, the whole family, not just my husband.

I had an idea to make dinner, bake a heart shape cake, and wrote the hearts of mom on it. It came out kind of cute, but truth be told it didn’t taste so good.

Baking cakes is not my thing, and I am not afraid to admit it. Since then I’ve learned to stick with what I know they love i.e. snicker apple salad, or peach crumble, etc. (Before going plant- based!)

Anyway, I would set up the table with valentine decor, and bought small gifts. I made or ordered a nice dinner and prepared a special desert. While everyone was at school and work, I would typically do this. So that when they came home, everything was set up.

Implementing Valentine’s Day Revelation

I have to admit, this started out simple. But every year my ideas grew, as I got more familiar with Pinterest. Now every year the family looks forward to it with great anticipation.

When I first started this, I would purchase valentine gift bags for each person and each year I would come up with something different. One year I decided to purchase red bags from the dollar store, and made name tags. That way I could keep them for every year to reduce my preparation costs.

Yes, I like to do things orderly and my family loves it.

Valentine’s Day Positive Duplication

In fact, one year I was surprised when our son started working and driving, before we ate dinner, he said hold on, I need to put my gifts in the bags. He bought gifts and cards for each of us and put them in each person’s bags.

Talk about a proud mother moment. The fact that he bought cards, wrote in them and bought gifts was a son in training to be a husband and a father one day! Isn’t that our goal?

You see, it’s not about teaching our kids to buy gifts on a holiday. It’s about using this holiday as an opportunity to teach them how to show appreciation and honor for their family.

Let’s face it, how many of our young boys have grown up to be husbands and fathers, and forget to purchase a card for a birthday, mothers day, anniversary, etc?

By showing my love to the entire family over the years, it has become embedded in our children hearts and minds. And now, they take the time to pick out cards and write in them to express their love and gratitude for others for every occasion.

Cultivating Love Year Round

Of course, having our children take the 30- day love challenge often also helps keeps them aware of their love walk year round! Having a celebration with your spouse or significant other is good, but celebrating God’s love with those you love, will affect them more than you know.

One year I wrote a special Valentine’s Day card to a friend who was going through a divorce. For her, she felt that Valentine’s Day reminded her that she was alone. However, as her friend, I wanted to remind her that she was not alone; that God loves her and so do I.

So I bought her a card with a love note written inside with some candy. Something so simple blessed her and she was overwhelmed with love.

In The End

Taking the time to show my family; they are my priority, they are my heart, they are the loves of my life, after God, strengthens their love for me, and it helps them feel God’s love in a tangible way.

 

“Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.”
~ Ephesians 4:2 (AMPC)

 

So I ask you, do you celebrate the love or the loves of your life? Share your thoughts below with us so that we can encourage each other to grow in this area.

~ Timberley Gray