Feel The Love! Share The Love!

Valentine’s Day, 2018

Valentine’s Day is Aunt Dot’s birthday. So the first thought upon awakening on this day would be…oh, it’s Aunt Dot’s birthday today. My first thoughts weren’t thinking about if I would get a box of candy or a card or flowers…not that I wouldn’t think of that back in the day, when I was married, but I would always think of her and her twin brother Donald Gray until he passed away too young at age 55. My cousin Deborah and her husband Tommy came today and brought Aunt Dot to my house and we celebrated her 94^th birthday! When I was blessing our food and thanking God for her 94 years of life, she interrupted saying she wanted 6 more years, so I let Him know that as well!!! As shared in my last blog, Aunt Kathryn who was almost 101, passed away in January so today was probably hard for Aunt Dot even though she didn’t say so, because just imagine having someone in your life for 94 years and then they are gone. Even if you are expecting someone to pass, it doesn’t make it easier…it may make it easier to accept, but not any easier to lose them. We talked about how it’s surreal that she is no longer with us. Of course, we would not bring her back if we could, but our hearts miss her today. Heaven probably doesn’t have a Valentine’s Day because it is filled with LOVE there since God is LOVE. Can you imagine how it would be to always feel loved? Not ever doubting it or wondering if someone loves or cares for you. God loved us so much that He sent his son, his ONLY Son, to die for us. That's the real thing!!!💞

Valentine’s Day is hard for so many. Those who are single, widowed, divorced, and the worst is those who are married and miserable. Social media is gurgling today with posts full of love words and flowers and boxes of candy! That is a wonderful thing to have someone shower you with love and attention, not out of duty or feeling pressured to do so. Sometimes we have too many unrealistic expectations on this holiday. If those expectations aren’t met, then there’s not a lot of joy being spread around for a few days.😠 I’ve always thought this day was hard for men to live up to the woman’s standard of what he should do for her. Things seem to have improved in that area…men are now at least getting a card it seems. I was thinking how much easier this day is for me being single…with no expectations. Being a survivor of several sad Valentine's Days, I always think of those who are hurting tonight. Facebook and Instagram are full of happy posts today and not all of them are real…some are “fake” because we seem to post happy, happy things…everyone full of smiles as if their world is perfect. You don’t have to be in a relationship to be happy but so many are waiting for that perfect relationship or marriage partner. If you are lonely today, or feeling blue because you don’t feel loved like so many of those people on FB or IG seem to be, I have good news for you. This day is only 24 hours long and in a few hours life will go back to normal…whatever that is! Think about those who love and care about you the other 364 days a year. We all have someone who cares about us…and I can tell you someone who loves you without measure. That's Jesus!

Who knows, you may even meet that special “someone” tomorrow in the grocery store or Starbucks!  Love can’t be measured by… cards or candy or flowers or gifts. but it can be measured by time spent together, meals shared at a table face to face (with no phone) and of course many other ways, but it’s always intentional. I've been thinking about 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, which is referred to the LOVE chapter in the Bible and how we forget so many times what love really is so I made a list to ponder.

Love is:

-      -  patient

-      - kind

-      .  does not envy

-      .  doest not boast

-      .  is not proud

-      .  does not dishonor others

-      .  is not self seeking

-      .  not easily angered

-      .  keeps no record of wrongs

-      .  always protects

-      .  always trusts

-      .  always hopes

-      .  always perseveres

S
      So, if you read this on Valentine’s Day or later and your day today wasn’t one of your best days remember tomorrow the candy will be 50% off!!! Go get a box and enjoy it! 

      

      If your Valentine’s Day has been a wonderful day and you have been blessed by these wonderful tokens of love, don’t ever take for granted that you ARE a blessed person because so many people are not having such a good day. If you have spent a hard day today, wishin’ and hopin’ for something that never came, then start now and make a plan for next year…plan ahead to bless someone else who you know is alone or maybe going through a rough place on their journey of life. Be intentional! Show you care! Reach out to others and I’ll guarantee you that your next Valentine’s Day will be so happy you will wonder why you were ever sad or lonely. Love isn’t just one relationship. An even better suggestion is to start tomorrow showing others how much you appreciate them and how thankful you are that they are in your life. We are not guaranteed to wake up tomorrow. A SMZL (Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma) diagnosis got my attention to not take one day for granted and I try each day to be “intentional” in showing others they are cared for and appreciated.

S

     So be sure to Feel the Love but also Share the Love!! 

She was singing to herself here!!!😍😍😍

With Love and Blessings to YOU!

Kaye