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Showing (God’s) Love All Year

February 14, 2012 By 2 Comments

This morning Joseph and I made a special dessert for after supper. We made The Pioneer Woman’s Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever.

Joseph couldn’t resist taking a taste of the icing.

This picture is a great indication of just how much everyone loved the cake. :) It was really good!

We made the cake partly because today is Valentine’s Day, but mostly because we love our family…and chocolate.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, when I was in high school I wanted to boycott Valentine’s Day. Balloons seemed to be coming out of every locker and many girls received flowers. I even went so far as to say I was going to wear black in protest.

You see, I never had a boyfriend in high school so I wasn’t one of the people who got flowers or balloons. Valentine’s Day seemed like such a big deal back then and I admit I must have been slightly bitter about not having someone care enough to send me a balloon or flowers. Mostly though, I thought it was a big disruption and a waste of money.

As I got older and started dating JT, I didn’t mind Valentine’s Day quite so much. However, I have always wondered why our society places such a big emphasis on showing love just one day each year.

Why aren’t we showing love to each other all year? I don’t mean the chocolates and flowers kind of “love” either. No, I mean showing others compassion, kindness, and Godly love. It shouldn’t cost anything to show someone you love them. A kind word can go a long way.

There are a couple of phrases that have come to mind today with regards to words. ”Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” and “Actions speak louder than words.”

While I agree with both of those statements, I also have to disagree with them as well. (I’m sure you are thinking I have lost it. Bear with me, though. I have a lot of thoughts floating around.) Words can be very powerful, and very hard to forget.

I can name the big injuries I have had over the years, but I couldn’t tell you how I got every bump, bruise, or scratch. However, I could probably recount most of the hurtful words that have been said to me over the years.

After an issue I observed on Sunday and from reading my friend the Queen of Free’s post from yesterday, I know that I am not the only one who is affected by words. I also know by a comment that was made to me today that my “smart mouth” may even be the bearer of hurtful words sometimes.

While I bite my tongue a good portion of every day, I know that sometimes I say things that either come out in a hurtful way or are misinterpreted as hurtful when that was not my intent.

I say this because I want to make sure I am showing love, God’s love, all year long. I also need to make sure that the words I say are building people up. I want God’s light to shine in me not just for others to see, but for them to hear as well.

So, in spite of the fact that only about 10% of what I am thinking actually comes out of my mouth, I need to be mindful of what I say to others. In fact, I need to keep my thoughts in check as well.

While I know this post isn’t something you would traditionally read on Valentine’s Day, I guess my point is to remember this verse.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Even though I have mostly written this to encourage myself, I am pretty sure all of us have said something that has hurt someone else. Let’s all try to show love, God’s love, to others every day.

Filed Under: Bible/Christianity, family
  • Rachel Espino

    Amen! It is unfortunate that we tend to hurt people with the words we say.

    I too hated to see Valentine’s Day when I was a teen. I didn’t like the fact I was the only one without candies and balloons. I grew out of it. But not in the way you would think. I got to the point I skipped the day all together. This was not fair to my kids. I gave my kids their first Valentine party yesterday. They were thrilled. I am going to make it a habit from now on.

    I also like what you said about words and actions. I, too, can remember all the hurtful things people have said to me in the past. They do stick with me. The physical pain, that doesn’t stay and the memory of it doesn’t either. I have problems with my older two kids making fun of my middle daughter and it hurts me. I constantly warn them of the impact of words. (Not to mention the absolute absurdity of their cruel words.) To tell my daughter she has a fat, funny nose or that she is fat. Even though she isn’t, it sticks and it hurts. When I was in school, they called me “thunder thighs” and “big bootie becky”. No, I didn’t have thunder thighs, nor did I ever have a big bootie, but those words still hurt and they stuck…to this day, I have a terrible self image. I don’t want that for my kids.

    • http://www.blessingsoverflowing.com/ Jackie

      Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Rachel! I know exactly what you mean about hurtful words affecting your self image. I don’t want that for my kids either. Take care.