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1 Corinthians 13:8a – “Love never fails”

Valentines Day – to some, it is an opportunity to celebrate with their special someone. To others, it is a painful reminder that they are alone. It can bring joy, romance, ambiguity, or a deep sense of loneliness and regret. However, instead of a harangue of hearts day, why don’t we celebrate loving – generally and specifically?!?

Think of people in your life that matter to you. For a moment, put aside the memories of relationships that have hurt you or disappointed you. Turn your focus on those in your life who have brought you joy, inspired you, touched you in a positive way. Have you ever met someone with whom you almost instantaneously “clicked”? You know, you found yourself talking, then laughing, and then sharing bits and piece of you and your life with them? You felt more like yourself with them, and sought them out, made time for them in the busyness of the days. Maybe there was a family member or someone in your life who loved you deeply and brought you great satisfaction and contentment. Hopefully they are still in your life today, and if not, certainly they are in your heart forever, and you can still love them deeply when visiting them in your memory. Through these dear friendships/ relationships, you have been touched by Love.

Love can be felt in so many ways – a piece of beautiful music can wash over your soul and give you chills; the swirling of colors as night kisses the sun when twilight breaks through to morning can bring you to tears; the laughter of a child rising above the daily grind can stop you short and cause you smile involuntarily – a “joy break”; the absolutely beauty of a face filled with laugh lines and character (yes, wrinkles) crowned with a halo of grey hair. These are gifts of love sent down to shatter your spirit in the most wonderful of ways and make you feel alive. Love surrounds you every day.

Now I don’t believe in coincidences or happenstance. I believe God, in His wisdom, orchestrates every moment, every “chance meeting”, in our lives. I believe with all my heart that God puts moments, situations and people in our lives at just the right time. It isn’t just a fluke that you were both born here and now, in this place and time – it is all part of the beautiful tapestry God is weaving that is His unique masterpiece: your life. And while I’m not naïve enough to ignore all the bad and ugly and wicked things that happen, I choose to believe that God can weave even these dark threads to create something beautiful if we but surrender them to Him to use. God has used everything in my life to make me the woman I am right this very minute, including the mistakes I’ve made and the pain I’ve gone through.

The one constant in my life has been Love. The Love that He gave me sacrificially when He died on the cross for me, and again when He rose so I might have life forever with Him. It is the Love that He gives me unconditionally each day, wrapped up in Grace and Mercy.

So how do I celebrate that Love? How do I give back? There is a poet that I’ve enjoyed for years, her pen name is SARK. And one of my favorite quotes by her is “Live Juicy!” I give back by seeking ways to love people each day – with a smile, a random act of kindness, giving forgiveness and mercy even when it might not be warranted/deserved. Perhaps it’s a card sent, or an email, or just a hug – but it’s “putting it out there” every day, planting a seed. And I love by living JUICY – laughing loud, living authentically, by loving myself as God created me unique and special. I choose to push past the fear/regrets/disappointments and love anyway. Martina McBride has a wonderful song, “Do It Anyway” that encompasses the whole of living JUICY. Go to www.youtube.com, find it, and watch the video. So at the risk of sounding preachy, find ways to love actively this year. Go outside yourself, beyond logic and reason and pain and disappointment, and just find ways to show love.

And for what it’s worth on Valentine’s Day, being the hopeless romantic that I am, I admit that I choose to believe that there is someone out there for me. I believe that God made someone just for me, and me for him, and that He will bring us together when it’s time, and when we’re ready for one another. I’m still 15-ish enough to believe that my heart will beat faster when I look in his eyes, and that when our hands touch, we will know. Maybe that’s silly, and maybe I’ve watched “Sleepless in Seattle” once too often, but I will still go to bed at night wrapped in the warmth of that dream.

My God can do anything…

Happy Valentine’s Day.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

The Saints Who Slept