I've always heard mixed opinions from single gals on this day called Valentine's Day. This day of the year where the prices of roses and chocolates are doubled simply because they can be, and all of the stores are selling out of the red and pink cards lining their aisles. If you're single on Valentine's Day I'm sure you've got your share of mixed opinions as well. Maybe you love it and go all out celebrating the day and then enjoying the excuse to eat all the discount chocolates. Or maybe you dread the day and can't wait for it to just be over so you don't have to see anymore red and pink cupid arrows decorating the store windows and reminding you of your own relationship status. Or maybe throughout the day of Valentine's Day your opinions fell back and forth between both of these things, depending on where you found yourself at the moment. Here's why I think this is: We have a wrong idea about Valentine's Day. As a culture we have developed opinions about Valentine's Day that aren't all that accurate. And more than that, we have defined love on that day as being centered around a romantic interest. Just look at the aisles in Walmart next Valentine's Day and you'll catch the hint that most of the cards and cute (yet sometimes ridiculous) sayings on the candy or decorations are geared towards that "significant other." So why do I think this is the wrong idea about Valentine's Day? Because if we're celebrating a day focused on love--this idea that we humans honestly fall so short of understanding sometimes--then... isn't that a day every single one of us can celebrate with great joy? Because I don't know about you, but I have the greatest love of all to celebrate. And actually, I do know about you... because you've been given the same great, overwhelming love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10) "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39) This love... this overwhelming, unending, out-of-this-world love is the greatest thing we could possibly celebrate on a day focused on this four-letter word. So why then did I celebrate Valentine's Day as a single lady? Because I believe that I had the best reason of all to celebrate. And you've got it too. Because, you friend, have been given a love like no other. Only Jesus can love you completely. Any boyfriend and significant other could easily forget Valentine's Day. He could easily forget to deliver roses to your doorstep or surprise you with all the chocolate a girl's heart could possibly desire. He could mess up all the words you hoped he would say and leave you feeling just a twinge (or okay a full force blow) of disappointment. But the love of Jesus? It's so great and complete and perfect... you can celebrate it every day, not just on the 14th of February. He will never forget you. He will never walk away from you. He will never stop loving you. He is the One. The One your soul needs and your heart longs for. He is the One who loves you completely. And that... that is a reason to celebrate on Valentine's Day, even as a single woman. And now, friend, go buy yourself some discount chocolate. You deserve it. 2/17/2019 10:18:43 am
Most of my evenings are spent at the local teen maternity home, so I figured this Valentine's Day (as a single) would be just another night of work. But we ended up making it real fun. I did a craft/science activity with the toddlers where I cut coffee filters into heart shapes, sprinkled it with baking soda, sprinkles, and food coloring, then let the kids squirt vinegar on it for a fizzy masterpiece! Then I helped one girl make a fun dinner for everyone: homemade heart-shaped pizza, red fruit salad, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. I accidentally broke a toilet lid, but that turned out to be a holiday-themed activity too as we made it into a giant, hilarious valentine card! After all the kids were in bed, us girls had an impromptu beauty night!
Ellie
2/20/2019 08:59:15 pm
This is beautiful! Comments are closed.
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