luuuuvv day.

so today is valentines day.

do you celebrate it?

if you do, how do you remember your loved ones this day?

for me, i guess, i thank God for my family~ actually, i thank Him everyday for giving them to me.

i don't go out & buy him something special, but i try to do the extra special at home for him.
i make him & the kids~b/c this day is for them too ;) a yummy dinner with all the fix'ns.
this year they asked for manicotti with caesar salad, garlic bread & sparkling grape juice.
i haven't made this in a while so this was a huge hit in my house!!

wayne did bring me home a great bottle of wine which is always appreciated by me...i love a good dry, full bodied red like a shiraz or merlot.

i don't need the candy{nor do my hips or waist!!} or the flowers on a day like today.
i appreciate flowers when he gives them to me randomly...no commercial holiday needed for me!
i'd much rather have the hubby & kiddos all around the table enjoying a great meal together, laughing & sharing about our day.

this day is about... loving~
putting others first.
being selfless.
thoughtful.
kind.

this is how we are called to live everyday!

we are born with a lifelong thirst for love.  our hearts desperately need it like our lungs need oxygen. love changes our motivation for living. relationships become meaningful with it and no relationship is successful without it!

love in its truest sense is not based on feelings.
rather, love determines to show thoughtful actions even when there seems to be no reward.
you will never learn to love until you learn to demonstrate kindness.

'do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves'~philippians 2:3

i have by my kitchen window a 'year of daily reminders to lead one's heart' from 'the love dare'{from the movie 'fireproof'}
this was given to me by my bff~luv her b/c she always knows what i need..whether it's an encouraging word or setting me straight or having my back!


so, my friends, when was the last time you spent a few minutes thinking about how you could better understand & demonstrate love to your spouse(or family member/neighbor)? what immediate need can you meet? what's the next event(birthday, anniversary) you could be preparing for? great relationships come from great thinking.

love is thoughtful.


tell the ones near & dear to your heart that you love them. today. tomorrow. everyday.
you don't know what tomorrow holds, so tell them you love them today.