Love Them Well

Valentine’s Day.   It’s one of my favorite days and not one to be taken lightly in our house. What a perfect excuse for happiness, mush and chocolate!

I have a simple challenge today:  Love well.

If you’re married, love that man.  

• be the first to say what you adore about him
• text him a really great (passionate?) message during his day
• get him a travel/camping/biking magazine and dream about this summer
• make him a delicious dinner.  with meat.
• forgive him.
• speak positively about him to a friend or family member.  even when he’s not around.
• ask him about his day, even if yours was horrible.
• hug him.

If you’re single, love those around you.

• compliment your friend.
• open a door for a stranger.
• write a note to a co-worker that’s struggling.
• text an encouraging message to someone.
• pay for the car behind you at Starbucks.
• forgive that one who has hurt you.
• ask a new friend to coffee.
• call someone in your family, just to catch up.

If you have kids, love them well.

• tell them again about the day they were born.
• make up stories at bedtime.
• write them a note, on fun stationary, telling them why they’re amazing.
• leave a note in their lunch box.
• don’t make a big deal of it.  let it go.
• forgive them.
• text them mid-day to tell them you’re praying for them.
• hug them.

What are some of your ideas?   Whatever they are, be the first to reach out.  The first to forgive.  The first to be kind.  Don’t let Satan blow it out.  Be light and life to those around you.  Today.

¹If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. ³If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

⁴Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. ⁶It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

⁸Love will last forever.           1 Corinthians 13