Love

Well, it's been a over a week since Valentine's Day, and so I thought it was about time for a Valentine's Day post. Let's be honest, (although you probably know this already) Valentine's Day is not one of my favorite days of the year. Like most single people I groan at the mere mention of the name. Most of you know that one of my greatest struggles is with my singleness and with my desire to be married. And Valentine's Day tends to make all of those struggles worse.

But over the past couple of years I have realized the value of going into the big day with a positive attitude. Some people call that day "Singleness Awareness Day," and I admit that I have done so in the past. But I think this kind of attitude just makes everything worse. So I have tried to go into the day with a smile and thinking about all of the possibilities I might have to eat chocolate. And for the most part, this positive attitude commitment has made the day tolerable.

Even though there still was some lingering sadness surrounding the day, this past Valentine's Day was perhaps the best one that I have ever had. My parents waited in the longest line ever to bring me my favorite Muddy's cupcake, and my brother's fiance, Jessica, bought me a rose and had it waiting for me in my apartment when I got home from work. I'm not going to lie, when I got home that day I cried. The tears were not because I was single and I felt sorry for myself, but rather the tears came because I felt so loved. My parents and Jessica went out of their way to make me feel special and loved on a day when I normally feel like crap. Isn't that a huge part of what love is. . . seeing a need and then choosing to meet that need at your own expense? That's exactly how Jesus loves us.

I have been blessed beyond measure with a loving family and friends, and a Savior who loves me so much that He died for me. And from now on, that's what I want to celebrate on Valentine's Day. . . whether I'm single or not. I'm sure that if I ever am blessed with having a Valentine we will celebrate our love on that day, but I hope that day will always include a spirit of thankfulness for how I have been so radically loved by my Savior, family, and friends.

1 John 4: 11-12- "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."