Valentine's Day. :)

Hey, everyone! I hope you're having an amazing day so far. :)
So. . .today is Valentines day. I made a trip to the library this past week, and they always have free bookmarks that you can pick up. I grabbed a couple on my way out because the ones that they had for this month made me smile.

Okay, so technically my hear doesn't belong to books. . .although I have some friends who may disagree. ;)

 Valentines day is about love. Or rather, about celebrating love. I think that the word 'love' is way overused.

The greatest love that has ever been shown at any time in history was the day when Jesus hung on a cross. He loved us so much that He died for us. In a way, I think the true meaning of love is sacrifice.
Now I know, not many people would see how those two could go together. Love is so often described as a fluffy, feel-good feeling. It's easy to say you love someone when everything is going great.
But the greatest love shown to us was sacrifice. Someone who died in our place.
True love, a love given by God, will sacrifice. And I'm not talking about just the love between a man and woman.

John 15:13 Greater love has no man then this. That a man lay down his life for his friend.

1 John 3:16 Hereby  percive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

Ephesians 5:28 So men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart to the Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to the end. 

The first verse is the love between friends. There is no greater love then when a person lays down their life for their friends. Sacrifice. 

The second is love between our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus loved us so much he died for us. We should be willing to do the same for others. Sacrifice. 

The third verse. I bet you were just waiting for me to get to that one. ;) The love between a man and a wife. The husband should be willing to lay down his life for his wife, just as Christ did for the church. Sacrifice.

And finally, the fourth verse. Jesus' love for us. His time had come to depart, and he had loved his own until the end. The end where he would give himself as a payment for our sins. Sacrifice.


Okay, so you're all probably wondering just where exactly I am going with this. I am making a point, promise! :) Well, It least I'm attempting to.
While there is the literal interpretation of the verses that we should physically die for each other if it ever comes down to that, I think there is a different meaning as well. One that can be applied a lot more often.
 In different ways, we are called to sacrifice every day. Sometimes it's in little ways. Things such as letting a sibling have the first turn at the piano, letting someone else go ahead of us in line, maybe helping a neighbor who isn't feeling well. All those require a sacrifice.
Every day we should be willing to sacrifice our plans to God's will. Am I saying don't make plans? No! I'm just saying that if something comes up, we should be willing to change those plans. And that requires a sacrifice.  I'm talking to myself here, because there is nothing I hate more then a change in plans. But what if those plans allow Jesus' love to be shown through me?

So when it gets down to it, I think being willing to give of yourselves for the good of others if the meaning of love. Yes, there are happy times. Treasure them! But when you truly have the love of God in you, it won't be shown in the good times. It will be shown when you are called to sacrifice.

Alright, I'm done talking now. I hope you guys were able to make sense out of the post. ;) It's been something that has been on my heart a lot lately as we approached this time of year. :)

Do you guys have any plans or traditions you do for Valentines day? We don't usually do a lot. Dad always gets us all a card, and of course he gets mom roses! Then Dad takes mom out for supper, and all of us kids stay home and watch a movie. ;)

Happy Valentines day!! :D

This was my card and the carnation from dad this year. :)