When I was younger and people asked me what
my favorite holiday was, I always responded “Valentine’s Day!” with a
dreamy look in my eyes. I was the ultimate romantic. I loved anything to do with
hearts and flowers, sappy movies, mushy poems—the works! To me, that was the
definition of real love.
As time has gone by, my perspective of love
has changed a little bit. Okay, a lot! I remember a few years ago sitting at my
computer and staring at my screen with a scowl on my face. I was supposed to be
writing Valentine’s Day cards, and I couldn’t think of anything nice to say
about my former favourite holiday. I had discovered that sugary, pink, perfect
dreams of romantic love were just that—a dream! I had a wonderful husband who
loved me deeply, but our relationship had gotten past the “honeymoon stage”
and settled into real life. I wanted life to be all about hearts and flowers,
but sometimes it was more about dishes and laundry!
As I sat brooding, the Lord began to
challenge my concept of love. “Do you think love is just what you see in the
movies?” He seemed to quietly ask. He began to bring to mind images of when
love had touched my life—a sweet smile from my husband at the end of the day,
a note from a friend at just the right moment, my Mom’s gentle hug, an act of
kindness from someone I hardly knew, and most of all, Jesus dying on the cross
for me. Suddenly, I could see that my view of love had been too narrow. Love
wasn’t just in sappy movies and mushy poems. It was all around me. It was part
of my life every day, but so many times I just didn’t see it. I thought love
came in one shape and size, but God showed me that love is limitless in Him.
Sometimes I still sigh longingly when I see
row after row of heart-shaped balloons or red teddy bears in February. But now
when I do, I can also say a silent prayer of thanks for all the real love that
is in my life—love that is so much more than I had imagined. Valentine’s Day
used to be about what I thought love was, but it has turned into a time of
celebrating the very best love there is—God’s kind of love!
Blessings,
Holley Gerth, Writer and Creative Manager
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