Today is Valentines Day which has had a varied response in our house as some of our kids now have partners and are celebrating their first Valentine's Day, some are single, and others are not interested at all. And then there is my husband and me, who usually don't celebrate Valentine's Day because I might have made an error of judgement asking my young husband many years ago for a load of manure for my Valentine's Day gift.
In my defence, my request was quite valid and purely because we didn't have much money at the time, and I was creating our first garden together as young married's. We lived in the desert at the time, and I needed better soil for our new garden. I thought it was a very reasonable request, but it seems my romantic husband did not, and that was the end of celebrating Valentine's Day for quite some time.
Unfortunately for me, my Valentine's Day manure request usually comes up this time of year and is a yearly reminder of how impacting our communication can be, combined with a person's personality and love language differences. There is real wisdom in expressing the reasoning behind your thinking and how you are feeling.
Plus, if you are not naturally a romantic or overly demonstrative person like me but more practical in your display of feelings, it is still important to make an effort to communicate your heart and emotions, and if need be, I recommend researching and getting some helpful ideas on how to do that. Relationships and communicating effectively in those relationships, whether romantic, platonic, with family or even your work colleagues, takes time, effort and consistency. But any effort we make will be worth it, both for our development and capacity as a person and because it shows we care and value the people in our life.
"Be the one who nurtures, builds, and seeks to show you care. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart. One who looks for the best in people and leaves people better than you found them."
Today, whether you are celebrating Valentine's with your special person, chilling alone or with friends or bypassing this date altogether, choose to make an effort with the people in your world and let them know how you feel in both words and actions. Even one small act of caring and kindness can turn someone's day around.
And if you ever ask for a practical gift, I recommend telling your people why and explaining your reasoning in great detail, i.e. "I want to grow flowers, and since we live in the desert, could you please buy me some soil that they'll grow in"...It'll be much simpler for you, that way.😊
"Let all you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 15:14 NASB)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the people in my world and that I get to do life with them. Please help me to show them how much I value them and that I'll be able to learn how to continually communicate that effectively to all the different people in my world. Most of all, though, thank you that you love me and that I am never alone. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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