Monday, February 14, 2011

♥ Love is in the Air ♥

Today is Valentine's Day.  It's a silly holiday, though I guess at its root, when you get beyond the suffocating commercialism of it all, it can be a very nice holiday.  Usually it makes me quite lonely and a little discontented.  In fact, with the rash of engagements, marriages, and other huge life changes that seem to be happening to everyone but me this past year, I thought it might be worse than normal. But instead, things are quite different.

This year, much to my surprise and joy, I am feeling quite loved.  In fact, despite having spent 22 or 23 of my 24 Valentine's Days single (is it awful that I can't remember that one...eesh!), I feel very loved today.  My mother, an unfailing source of encouragement and love, left me a card, even though she is out of town celebrating 30 years since the day my dad proposed.  (Congrats, Mom and Dad!)  I spent the weekend with a dear friend who is sharing the single life with me, and together, we baked cupcakes that I took into work today, which people seemed to really enjoy.  I stayed late at work and came home only to work on some homework while periodically peeking into the lives of my friends on facebook and reading about their romantic plans for the evening.

I think there are two differences this year from all the other Valentine's Days that I've spent rather miserable.  First, I purposed today to do something for other people.  As silly as making cupcakes might be, I think it really puts things into perspective when you stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the people around you and how you can be a blessing to them.  And second, I've been thinking constantly today about this verse.

Jeremiah 31:3 - "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you."

And you know what?  I like that.  I am loved with a love even more eternal than my mom's, deeper than I could ever know, and more powerful than any I've ever seen.  And more, God's faithfulness continues to sustain me.  It's not a new gift; it's not some grand surprise.  It's a constant, beautiful, completely necessary thing in my life, and God continues to extend that faithfulness and grace to me, despite my sin and sorrow. 

So, on this Valentine's Day, my wish for you, single or taken, is that you feel as loved as I do.  No, scratch that...as loved as you are. 

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