Reflect Love

It's a "love" holiday today. What's not to love about a "love" holiday?

You would have to live in a cave to not know that today is Valentine's Day. For weeks, every commerical, every store, every tv program has been promoting the "love" holiday. 

How can someone not like the "love" holiday? 

I don't. 

I don't like the message it sends to my girls. 

That love comes in the form of flowers and candy and cards.

That I need something extra to show I am "special" to my valentine.

That love needs a special day with money spent and that things show love. 

Because they doesn't.

Ever. 

This is not love.

neither is this

Too many girls today look to the world to fill their need for love - in the form of gifts and candy and flowers. I want better than that for my girls. 

I want them to know that love is a man who works hard every single day to provide for his family.

I want them to know that love is a man whose hobbies are his children.

I want them to know that real love shows up when things are hard and not fun and it would be easier to walk away.

I want them to know that real love is a man who allows the love of God to flow through him to those around him.

I want them to know that real love looks like their dad - not a Hallmark commercial. Or what their girlfriends or the tv tells them love is. 

There are no big flowers in our house from dad. There are no cards or special romantic dinners. I won't set that as their expectation of what a man needs to do to show his wife that he loves her. Because there's a good - even great - chance that they might overlook a great & Godly man because he forgets to buy them the "right" Valentine. 

They will know that real love of a man for His wife is a reflection of the love God has for us. They know what because their dad teaches them that every single day. 

So they can enjoy the parties at school today. They will each get a little valentine from mom and dad....and grandma might have sent something too! They can have a little fun with the holiday. 

But they will always know what real love looks like 

Real love is a reflection of the Love God has for us. Always. 

"We love because He first loved us"

1 john 4:19