Valentine’s Day

It has come to my attention that today is the 13th of February. For some reason Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on me this year. I have a feeling there are many reasons that this year, this holiday is kind of going to get lost in the shuffle.

Years ago, when my husband and I were dating (waaaay back) we used to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I am never sure if we celebrated it just because it was the thing to do? Perhaps we didn’t want to be left out?  (As I type those words, it brings to mind my folk’s age-old question, “If everyone else jumped off the cliff would you jump too?”)

If I think back; I don’t remember my husband, even when he was my boyfriend, ever purchasing cut flowers. His mind set was that purchasing “dead” flowers (his opinion of cut flowers)  made no sense….you only enjoyed them for a short time and then tossed them out. (Perhaps this is the farmer in him?  Things should be growing?)

Once we were married he began to purchase live plants and bushes that I could plant in my flower garden. He, rightly, assumed I would have a lot longer to enjoy his gift than I would have with “dead” flowers.  .

It used to bother me that I did not get the cards and flowers that other women received on this holiday. I used to joke that once we were married I thought perhaps all the card and flower shops had burned to the ground.  It took a long time for me to become aware that those cards and flowers were not really my husband’s particular love language.

In all seriousness, his love language is evident in what he does for me rather than what he purchases for me. The way he helps with my projects and encourages me speaks love to me way more than cut flowers ever would. The fact that he “gets” my sense of humor and can laugh with me is something I cherish.

I love it when he invites me to share in his world. Sometimes the invitation involves looking at IH tractors and sometimes it is enjoying a beautiful sunset with him. I am grateful beyond words that God placed this man in my life.

He (and I) are not perfect. There are times we look at each other and kind of wonder what we were thinking those many years ago when we said “I do”.  I suspect all married people wonder that occasionally…..at least if they are honest they would admit to that. Maybe, just maybe, that is what keeps a marriage interesting.  There is still that element of surprise.

I am not sure what we will do tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day. I think it won’t be too much different than what we do most days. I always wonder what others do to celebrate special days. I wonder if there are more people like us who choose to see the everyday as special because of who you spend it with.

May this Valentine’s Day find you sharing the day with someone you love and who loves you back. May you be blessed with the person and/or people that God has placed in your life. May every day be a special day.

Dear children,
let us not love with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18
(NIV)