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X's and O's- Giving Love

  Well, most of school is done (Sass is done- Maiden is almost done). The steaks are tenderized and marinating, the salad is prepped, special Jell-O for lunch dessert is setting up on my frigid front porch. The potatoes are chopped and diced and soaking in salt water. I’ve pulled out my great grandmother’s silver and a stack of miss-matched pretty dishes sits nearby with napkins and a tablecloth waiting for me to spritz with my lavender ironing spray and iron.
Mr. Conductor is off watching a train video and Sass is writing love letters.
Mr. Steady and I heard on the news last night that the average person spends $125 on Valentine’s Day. Yikes! We don’t even spend $25. We gave the children small gifts and love notes this morning. They each received a Valentine pencil. Mr. C also got a train DVD and the girls were given small flowering potted plants (the DVD was a special half off deal- still in the wrapper at Goodwill 2 months ago- $1.50, and the plants were $3 each at the grocery store). Mr. Steady and I exchanged love letters- no need for expensive flowers and cardboard hearts filled with chocolates.
We plan our day around special food and crafts and family time. Each meal is made special with special food and a fancy set table. Our fancy dinner (steak and lobster for Mr. Steady and me) this evening didn’t cost a cent as we used a gift card for a local grocery store [Total amount of gift card used: $23.33].
Our evening entertainment will be a special family devotion, a couple of fun Valentine books to read aloud and family game time.
To me it all seems so much more wonderful than getting dressed up and fighting the crowds to spend a fortune on a fancy dinner . . . . .
Dear Lord, thank you for loving me so much that you sent your son to die for me. Thank you for showing me daily how to choose to love my husband and children and how to show that love. I desire to have a deeper relationship with you, Lord and to daily take the time to show you how much I love you. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Please continue to show me how to choose love and to learn to love those people in my life that just aren’t easy to love. Help me to choose love when it’s not easy and to do so with a happy and soft heart. May You be glorified in my life today.
Amen.

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Untitled Comment

12:57 PM, 2008-Feb-14 .. Posted by CitySteader

What a great idea! Hubby and I don't celebrate V-tine's day at all because it has turned into such an excuse to spend money, but I think I would like to try your idea. It's a little too late for today, but I would like to give it a go next year. Thanks for sharing!