I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
My husband and I express our love for each other in the little things that we do daily for each other. On Valentine’s Day, we share candy that we have bought for each other and spend time watching a movie together. I hope that you know how loved you are today by a Father in Heaven who sent His Son as His valentine to you!
Today is a day when candy and flowers are given and many restaurants expect a lot of business. But it is also a day when many are lonely or depressed and one that is dreaded by those who feel unloved. In a world that is so big and busy, take time today to practice the commandment to love one another. Know someone who is shut in and lonely? Call or visit.
Maybe you are lonely yourself today. You can have all kinds of people around you and still be lonely because of the hole in your heart that was left because of a death or abandonment. The good news is that God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you and to fill all of the empty spaces in your life and your heart. That’s not just a platitude. It’s truth! For many years, I was alone on Valentine’s Day as my husband traveled with the military. Yes, he would call and frequently send a card. But I used to have “pity me” parties, thinking of my friends getting ready for dinner and movie dates while I sat alone at home with three children. But the Lord did not want me wallowing in my self-pity. He wanted me to think about others. So, the children and I made Valentines for those who had no one, the widows and the single moms. They may have been cheesy-looking, but they were from the heart and when a small child delivers one with a smile, then they were accepted gratefully. So, my advice is to find someone who is as lonely or lonelier than you are and show them God’s love by giving them yours.
How do you have a successful marriage in a world that does not value a union between man and woman? My suggestion there is to pray together daily and to read I Corinthians 13 as though your relationship depends on the truths found there. God’s secret to a successful marriage is to put the other person’s needs ahead of your own, to love unselfishly and to give of your time always. Not easy things to do, and ones that I have failed at often. But, there is also forgiveness and knowing that you are forgiven so you should forgive others, especially your spouse.
In almost forty-nine years of marriage, there have been some real disappointments and some times when I wanted to pack up and move out, regain my independence and march to the beat of my own drummer. So, what stopped me? God. That simple. God, speaking to my heart and reminding me of my commitment to my husband, before Him and before a group of friends and family. After years of being alone while my husband was deployed, I had more than a few well-meaning friends and family members tell me to just leave him and start over. But God did not want that for me. He wanted His best, a marriage that has its problems but one in which He is the center of the relationship, reminding me consistently of His commitment to me and our commitment to each other. Marriage doesn’t get easier as you age because, if you’re like me, you get crankier and more demanding. I get upset more easily, knowing that dreams that haven’t been fulfilled yet will likely never be on this earth. But, God…He keeps His promises, so I have chosen to keep mine. Wherever you are, whatever situation in which you find yourself, remember that God loves you with an everlasting and totally unselfish love. More importantly, He wants you to reach out to others with His love and show them that they matter to Him.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 