Monday night chaos

Hurried greetings as I walk in the door. Mom’s home. Footsteps coming from all different directions. Collective greeting. Happy Valentine’s Day hands thrusting homemade cards, cookies and various treats.

We take our neighbor her Valentine’s goodies. It’s a blustery evening as we traipse across the yard; be careful it is dark out. We arrive with peels of laughter as the wind blows us all over. Knocking on the door and calling out we see her just as she reaches for the knob. The fun begins and then it’s time for them to go home and have baths. I visit for awhile enjoying the peace and quiet and catching up on her daily life. All too soon I must return home and get things moving according to schedule.

Eek! Its 8:00 and no one is ready for bed, not one of them. Energy is in the air. The candy high has survived the bath routine and all I want to do is crash. Tired, so very tired and sore! What is this? My work out is paying off but I have a webcast I want/need to listen to. Can I get the peace and quiet I need?

In and out, up and down, water please, this hurts, that feels funny, I forgot to tell you something. Irritating little interruptions that some would find endearing but right now I’m finding annoying. Time for prayer, yeah maybe this will calm things down. Short and sweet, what’s up with that? We’re tired. Ah ha the sugar crash has begun. Tired little girls, all dressed up to enjoy their dreams, Tinkerbell, Disney Princesses and Ariel all tucked in.

Me, still in my work out clothes, past the sweating stage now I’m dry and smelly but I’m watching my webcast and relaxing for a few until the clothes that need to be folded and put away start to call me. A nice hot shower, a welcome relief from a long day and into bed I go. Nodding ever so slightly trying hard to stay awake until my Valentine comes home. Sleep wins out and I’m out like a light. What a day it was and I get to start all over again right now.

Happy Valentine's Day

God is love and love is God, from my perspective, the two are synonymous. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten son down to Earth and sacrificed him so that we could come back to live with Him again. (John 3:16)

What love, what adoration, what longing to have an intimate relationship with us; and all he asks in return is that we love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbor as our self. (Matthew 22:37-39)

Is that so hard to do? For some of us the answer is a resounding yes! Until we do a little self examination and hold ourselves up to the same light we hold everyone else to and realize just how guilty we are of the same things we accuse others of and withhold our love from them because of it.

How many times have we had to ask God to forgive us for the same thing over and over again? How often do we fallen short of the Ten Commandments? Do we have love for our neighbor as we do our selves or do we hold everyone to a double standard while we justify our reasons for our shortcomings?

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, the day of love, take a moment and reflect on the relationships around you. Do you have that agape love for your fellow man or do you selfishly hold back for fear of rejection, hurt or pain? Do you love unconditionally in your marriage, friendships or relationships with your kids or do you dole out the love according to some gauge you have in your mind as to whether or not they have earned it?

After all, what have you done to earn the love of God? Nothing, every day we fall short and it is through Jesus that we have the opportunity to repent and start again. Mercy and grace anew each day because of the love He has for us.

So while you are in the mode of celebrating Valentine’s Day, purpose it in your heart to be move loving, more forgiving and less judgmental and withholding of what is so freely given to you whether you accept it or not. LOVE.

Let love motivate you today and everyday to be kinder, nicer, more caring and compassionate one to another and save a little chocolate for a rainy day.