Saying I Love You

Happy Valentine's Day, friends! As I write this, it is 2 days before Valentine's Day and it seems like the whole world is focused on love, flowers, and chocolate. Of course I like being on the receiving end of Valentine's Day, but I mostly enjoy being able to have a special day when I can show the people in my life how much I love them. First and foremost is my husband. This year is kind of special because it is our 40th Valentine's Day together. Unbelievable. We have been through a lot together and have seen each other at our best and at our worst, and I am so blessed to have him. I'm looking forward to our Valentine celebration. I think this year we are going to make a special meal at home and enjoy a private Valentine dinner in front of our fireplace instead of a restaurant. We used to celebrate with special, just-for-two dinners at home when we had young children at home and we couldn't afford to go out or we didn't have a babysitter, and those were some of the best times! I made him a gift, which I can't show you until after I give it to him, but I am excited about it! Next week maybe I will share a picture of it, along with recipes from our Valentine dinner.

I also am blessed to have 3 wonderful children and their spouses, and 7 beautiful grandchildren. This week I mailed the grandchildren some little surprises for Valentine's Day because little ones love to get mail of their own, and I am looking forward to hearing about their reactions!

I thought I would show you some pictures of the Valentine treats I am making for the teenage girls in my Sunday School class and some other special people in my life. I got this idea from Pinterest last year and it was very simple, yet so pretty and very well received. All you need to do is bake your favorite cupcakes, and then top them with pink icing and pretty Valentine decorations. Put each cupcake in a short clear plastic cup, the kind you use for punch or fruit. Slip the whole thing into a clear, Valentine-decorated or plain cellophane treat bag which you can buy at the dollar store, and tie it up with a pretty ribbon. These are perfect for gifting because it keeps the cupcake from getting messed up while being very portable, and they stay pretty and fresh. I also made and decorated some giant heart-shaped sugar cookies and slipped those into the treat bags, closing them with ribbon.

With a little imagination and effort, and not that much money, you can make Valentine's Day special for the loved ones in your life. It's all about the thought. However, Valentine's Day is NOT "Make-Up Day" for the rest of the year. It does not mean we can neglect our relationship with family and friends and then try to make up for it on Valentine's Day. We should be making an effort each and every day to let the people in our lives know how much they mean to us. Many times in the day-to-day craziness of life, we forget to show love. Or perhaps you have been married a long time like I have, and we just get lazy. So what are some simple ways we can say "I love you" to our husbands?

Smile at him. Listen to him. Pray for him and let him know you are praying. Try to do little acts of kindness, like buying his favorite ice cream or picking up something you know he likes or needs when you are at the store. Write him a note. Send him off or greet him with a hug and a kiss. Call him or text him just to ask how his day is going.

Philippians 2:3 and 4 are good verses to memorize. "Let nothing be done through strife, or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." These verses are a lot harder to put into practice than it would seem. It our sinful human nature that makes us self-focused. I'm hoping this post will inspire you to show your love this Valentine's Day, and every day!

With my love to YOU,
Kathi