Hearts and Flowers

I was seriously debating in my mind whether to do a post on Valentine's Day or not.  But since roses are a symbol of the day and also of this blog I think I must.  Plus I have some strong opinions on the day and I thought that maybe you would like to hear them, if not, too bad, you can always click the big red "X" on the top right on the screen (or the red bubble on the top left for my Mac readers).  

Let's start off with a little bit of humor shall we?  

For many years I've been impervious to Single's Awareness Day.  Dad would give me a pink rose and some chocolate and that would be it.  Never really liked it when I was young because it involved the color pink, and I hated pink.  My mom is similar to me in that respect.  But my dad and Emily on the other hand are more sentimental people and actually celebrate the dang thing.  

 This year felt a little different, maybe because I'm older and I'm getting soft in my old age.  I might have felt lonely, but I kept perspective.  The perspective that love is not about getting my needs met.  That's why I refuse to lament about my singleness today.  Romance as a cure for loneliness, sadness, and emptiness is waaaaay of mark.  It's setting myself up for disappointment because one day I'll be married and I'll feel lonely and incomplete because husbands are sinners and wives are sinners so there can be no perfect happiness.  Only God can fill me up that way.  

I listened to my pastor marry a couple in Honduras and certain words clicked in my mind.  He said that we make our marriage vows to God and not each other because one day the guy isn't going to be the best husband he can be and the girl won't be the best wife she can be.  They are still bound to love and honor one another because their promise is not based on the others behavior but on Jesus Christ.  

What I love about truth is that it has nothing to do with feelings.  It's there whether the emotions are there or not.  

     But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior  Titus 3:4-6