VALENTINE'S DAY? BAH, HUMBUG!

Call me the Scrooge of Valentine's Day.  Declare that I'm lacking something.   Wait!  I'm not against love and giving gifts; I'm just against all the over-the-top hoopla for Valentine's Day.

I plan on giving my hubby a gift for Valentine's Day, and he'll give me one, too.  TV commercials suggest giving pajamas, teddy bears, and the usual chocolates and/or flowers.  All of those are just fine, but why limit "it" to one day a year?  I mean, shouldn't we demonstrate our love in ways other than just candy, flowers, or the like?  True love is with you at your worst moment, worst illness, worst event, and even your worst behavior.  There isn't anything superficial about true love. 

Do  you know the best Valentine's Day gift I ever received?  Decades ago when my hubby was in college, we didn't have money to buy each other anything for Valentine's Day.  For my present, he washed, waxed, and detailed our one car for me.  He spent hours doing that, and it was done out of love.

The Bible puts it this way:  "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking:  it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails."  (I Corinthians 13:4-8a NIV)

I always want to display that kind of love to my family and friends.  I fail sometimes, as we all do, but what a wonderful example the Bible gives us to follow!  I wish each of you a Valentine's day filled with blessings, joy, and fulfillment.