Valentines Day, Love & All That Hooplah!

Well, for all you romantics out there, I guess I don’t need to remind you that it’s Valentines Day this week.

It’s a big thing in America, but here in little ole New Zealand, not so much. I must admit in my younger sillier days I bought into the whole thing. I would send Phil cards, buy him ridiculous amounts of chocolate and candy, and one year, even bought him a huge (and I mean HUGE) stuffed animal. Yip, the good ole days when we were more mushy, sentimental, had money to waste, and were not so practical!

If you ask anyone what true love is, they will all have a different answer for you. I love it when they ask kids what love is, some of the answers are just too cute:

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,” Bobby – age 7 (my absolute favorite!)

As great as those answers are, I have found a new definition that speaks volumes to me:

“True Love is considering the ultimate good of others over your own”

We had a situation recently in which that sentence took on a whole new meaning for me. You’d think once you have been married for 17 years, not a lot could shock you! That you would know your spouse well, that there would be no surprises….. especially when it comes to love! Surely after 17 years, life gets boring, mundane, and predictable? Nope!

Phil made a decision recently that was extremely hard for him. But when it came down to it, he put family before anything else, and I was completely blown away! Now, don’t get me wrong, Phil often puts us first and is one of the most selfless people I know, but this was a biggie and something I know was tugging hard at his heartstrings.

To feel so loved, that someone would put their needs second to yours, is something I don’t take for granted and something I am extremely thankful for. It made me sit back and think, “Wow, I am loved, I am actually worth it!”

So as great as Valentine’s day may be, (and it’s a great excuse to eat chocolate) it’s not just about one day in the year when I let Phil know how much I love him. I hope I do it more often than that, in fact, I hope its a daily thing. I hope I can show him in my actions as well as my words, what he means to me, and how thankful I am for all he has done for me and the kids.

It is also a great reminder of the love of Christ and the ultimate sacrifice He made for us…. for me! That He would give His life so that we could live. So that we can live a life of abundance, a life of adventure and freedom, and a life that honors Him in everything we do.

So however you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day, whether you celebrate it or not, my prayer is that you would remember the ultimate sacrifice that was paid for your freedom by a man that loves you beyond measure… now that’s true love!