Oh Valentine’s Day…

Love to the world looks like flowers, balloons, little message heart candies and chocolate truffles.  We gush over sweet cards, kind words and presents given to those we love.  There is nothing wrong with expressing this kind of love to those in our lives but if we aren’t on the receiving end of it, it can make us feel like we are unworthy, less than or forgotten. 

On Feb 14, a couple years ago, I woke up with pink eye.  My eye was crusted shut, puffy and red..super sexy!  My kids were home from school so after giving them some valentine candy, we played games and watched a movie while my husband worked all day.  That night we ate a normal dinner as a family…still in our pjs.  We put the kids to bed and sat on the couch to chat about the day, watch a show and then go to bed.  It was a day like a lot of others, nothing out of the ordinary.  

If I’m being completely honest I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t more “special”. Before I fell asleep, I scrolled through facebook to see all the adorable posts everyone had made of sweet gifts they received and the cute perfectly planned valentine outfits they had dressed their kids up in. And I laid in bed thinking that I had gotten the short end of the Valentine Stick. Crazy how comparison can mess with our head! 

But then I caught myself.  I was reminded about the kind of love that God teaches about in the Bible.  He says HIS LOVE, which is perfect, never-ending and freely given, is MINE.  It does not have to be earned or sought after. It lasts far longer than cute outfits, stuffed animals or flowers that will be long-forgotten in a few weeks.

As cliche as it sounds, on Valentine’s Day, I decided to read 1 Corinthians 13–the Love Chapter of the Bible.  It talks about the qualities of love as God designed it to be. Nowhere in the chapter does it talk about giving little valentine hearts or cute valentine outfits.  I was reminded of God’s love that we all have access to, regardless of our past or present circumstance. God’s love is perfect. 

I never told my husband (at the time) I was a little disappointed about the day but he surprised me with a sweet date a few days after Valentine’s Day (that he had already planned in advance) and again I was reminded that God’s love is always there, even when we may not feel it. God has plans for us that we can not see and His love never goes away!

I hope you know that an ordinary Valentine’s Day is okay! You do not need to compare yourself to the “worldly” view of what love is and know that regardless of any disappointment you may feel, God loves you.  You are worthy of love. YOU ARE LOVED!