Valentine's Day 2010

DISCLAIMER: This is not merely an attempt to console those who may have spent today without a "significant other." Please, take it for what it's worth. ~Jonathan

Dear Reader,

Reflecting on the day, I was struck by a thought: Why should Valentine's Day be given over entirely to the romantic side of love?

As I drove home today after two weeks of the worst weather (well, most wintery, anyway; I am partial to snow) of the last century in this area, I couldn't help but marvel that, on this of all days, being both the Lord's Day and the day we traditionally celebrate love, God gave us a gorgeous, sunny day. Tomorrow, the weatherman is calling for another day of snowfall, but for one fleeting afternoon, the sun shone, the air was almost warm, and the sky was a bright, cloudless blue. It really made me to stop and think about the love that we, as Christians, have all been shown by our Father.

I heard a speaker on the radio recently talking about the pleasure that God takes in doing little things for us. If you've ever experienced the joy of finding that one perfect gift for someone you cherish, that one thing that you know will make their eyes light up, just imagine how much more joy God takes in blessing His people with good things. As I drove home today, I could almost imagine Him saying "Happy Valentine's Day, look: I made you this beautiful day." I could imagine Him, like the loving Father He is, saying to His children, "Come, look what I've got for you, you're going to love it!"

The flip side of that is a conviction: How many things do I take for granted? How many beautiful days have I let pass without even bothering to look up at the sky God made? I pray I might not miss all the little treasures that God has graciously woven into the fabric of my life.