Valentine’s Day – Pens and Journals

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

When I’m tempted to start my day with worry, sadness, frustration or disappointment, I turn my eyes upward and focus on God who is the source of my joy. Then I muster up the will to find the good and perfect gifts throughout the day. They are here but the negative emotions can cloud my ability to see them.

In my grief, I know how important it is to feel my emotions and not bottle them up. I shared a part of my grief journey in A Way Through.

I have a myriad of emotions that rise up in me daily. I don’t stuff them but try hard not to wallow in them either. That has been a choice. It’s a choice that recycles my emotional pain and takes me to positive places in my heart and mind.

The photo above is from Valentine’s Day 2020 … right before the pandemic. It popped up as a feature photo on my phone and my heart dropped. Oh how I miss him, I thought. My emotions began to take me down the rabbit hole of sadness and for longings to have Bob with me again.

But as I looked at it for awhile I put myself back in the picture, sitting across from Bob in the little restaurant called Dr. Rolfs Barbecue.

I remembered the white chicken chili we had for lunch, what we were talking and laughing about and how Bob picked up his straw like he was smoking. I shook my head but he kept making me laugh so I finally snapped the photo with my phone. I’m glad I have it now.

We talked about how we enjoyed the waffles that they made fresh daily. A small slice was included with each bowl of chili but before that day we had never ordered the dessert waffles. The plate of waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream that was pictured on the menu caught my attention. Bob said, “It’s Valentine’s Day, let’s order it.” And we did.

After lunch we took a walk through the streets of downtown before going home.

I give thanks for this Valentine’s Day memory.

The memories are a gift. In a world that can often be dark and troublesome, there are still good and perfect gifts everywhere. Sometimes the hard places are gifts too, because they bring us to the Creator of everything perfect and good who helps us through all things.

Go hug a loved one. Count your gifts. Someday they will be wonderful memories to relive and you’ll carry them in your heart forever.

Blessings,

Nancy

“Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” Sarah Kay

I’m not sure why I was having a bad day. It was several years ago. All I remember was there were tears and I wanted a little slice of time to myself.

Bob left the house and returned later with a box of Good and Plenty, handed it to me and said, “I thought this might make you feel a little better.”

I smiled, opened the box and we went for a walk while I ate my candy.

And you know what? That simple gesture of love lifted my spirits.

He could have brought home a dozen roses, a box of chocolates and a diamond ring and it wouldn’t have had the same effect.

I’m not saying those gifts would be meaningless but there’s a time and place for everything.

The little box of Good and Plenty was perfect.

Why? Because it came from someone who has studied me, therefore knows me and my husband picked a simple, thoughtful gift for that day. Knowing that Good and Plenty was one of my favorite childhood candies, he went out and bought a box.

It was just an ordinary day, with me needing a little encouragement and my husband decided that Good and Plenty may do the trick. I couldn’t remember how long it had been since I ate that candy–it was many years ago so it was a special surprise.

Silly, huh? But you know what? It’s often the simplest gestures of love that mean the most.

As hard as I try to remember, I can’t recall why I was so sad that day and either does Bob but we both remember the gift of Good and Plenty and how it made me feel.

That’s important information for many of us to remember, especially during the month of February when images of love abound as we approach Valentine’s Day.

We can start by studying our loved ones, making mental notes of their likes and favorite things, listening for clues of what may lift their spirits, bring them joy, put a smile on their face and then follow through with a simple gift.

It doesn’t have to happen on Valentine’s Day. Actually, an unexpected gift expressing love on any day has even more meaning and impact. However, Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to express our love to a spouse, child, friend and even a stranger with a random act of kindness.

Sometimes bigger isn’t better and less really is more. One simple rose (in a favorite color) placed in beautiful vase instead of a dozen roses — a box or boxes of favorite childhood candy instead of a box of expensive chocolates — think, study, explore, put thought into purchasing a simple gift and then share your love.

I took the photo of the sunset, at the top of this post, on February 13, 2014 in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. My husband and I were walking the shoreline when we noticed that the sparkling reflection of the sun on the sand looked like a heart.

I refer to that photo as the night that God kissed the shore with a heart for us just in time for Valentine’s Day–a reminder of his love for us.

His love cost everything he had — his only son and his very life. That’s truly the only BIG GIFT worth receiving, because that’s how we learn how to love even in the smallest of ways.

Tag: Valentine’s Day

Good and Perfect Gifts

Expressions of Love

I’m not sure why I was having a bad day. It was several years ago. All I remember was there were tears and I wanted a little slice of time to myself.

Bob left the house and returned later with a box of Good and Plenty, handed it to me and said, “I thought this might make you feel a little better.”

I smiled, opened the box and we went for a walk while I ate my candy.

And you know what? That simple gesture of love lifted my spirits.

He could have brought home a dozen roses, a box of chocolates and a diamond ring and it wouldn’t have had the same effect.

I’m not saying those gifts would be meaningless but there’s a time and place for everything.

The little box of Good and Plenty was perfect.

Why? Because it came from someone who has studied me, therefore knows me and my husband picked a simple, thoughtful gift for that day. Knowing that Good and Plenty was one of my favorite childhood candies, he went out and bought a box.

It was just an ordinary day, with me needing a little encouragement and my husband decided that Good and Plenty may do the trick. I couldn’t remember how long it had been since I ate that candy–it was many years ago so it was a special surprise.

Silly, huh? But you know what? It’s often the simplest gestures of love that mean the most.

As hard as I try to remember, I can’t recall why I was so sad that day and either does Bob but we both remember the gift of Good and Plenty and how it made me feel.

That’s important information for many of us to remember, especially during the month of February when images of love abound as we approach Valentine’s Day.

We can start by studying our loved ones, making mental notes of their likes and favorite things, listening for clues of what may lift their spirits, bring them joy, put a smile on their face and then follow through with a simple gift.

It doesn’t have to happen on Valentine’s Day. Actually, an unexpected gift expressing love on any day has even more meaning and impact. However, Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to express our love to a spouse, child, friend and even a stranger with a random act of kindness.

I took the photo of the sunset, at the top of this post, on February 13, 2014 in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. My husband and I were walking the shoreline when we noticed that the sparkling reflection of the sun on the sand looked like a heart.

I refer to that photo as the night that God kissed the shore with a heart for us just in time for Valentine’s Day–a reminder of his love for us.

His love cost everything he had — his only son and his very life. That’s truly the only BIG GIFT worth receiving, because that’s how we learn how to love even in the smallest of ways.

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

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The greatest gift is LOVE–go out and express it in creative ways and give someone a Happy Valentine’s Day.

click on a button below to share this post:

Like this:

I’m not sure why I was having a bad day. It was several years ago. All I remember was there were tears and I wanted a little slice of time to myself.

Bob left the house and returned later with a box of Good and Plenty, handed it to me and said, “I thought this might make you feel a little better.”

I smiled, opened the box and we went for a walk while I ate my candy.

And you know what? That simple gesture of love lifted my spirits.

He could have brought home a dozen roses, a box of chocolates and a diamond ring and it wouldn’t have had the same effect.

I’m not saying those gifts would be meaningless but there’s a time and place for everything.

The little box of Good and Plenty was perfect.

Why? Because it came from someone who has studied me, therefore knows me and my husband picked a simple, thoughtful gift for that day. Knowing that Good and Plenty was one of my favorite childhood candies, he went out and bought a box.

It was just an ordinary day, with me needing a little encouragement and my husband decided that Good and Plenty may do the trick. I couldn’t remember how long it had been since I ate that candy–it was many years ago so it was a special surprise.

Silly, huh? But you know what? It’s often the simplest gestures of love that mean the most.

As hard as I try to remember, I can’t recall why I was so sad that day and either does Bob but we both remember the gift of Good and Plenty and how it made me feel.

That’s important information for many of us to remember, especially during the month of February when images of love abound as we approach Valentine’s Day.

We can start by studying our loved ones, making mental notes of their likes and favorite things, listening for clues of what may lift their spirits, bring them joy, put a smile on their face and then follow through with a simple gift.

It doesn’t have to happen on Valentine’s Day. Actually, an unexpected gift expressing love on any day has even more meaning and impact. However, Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to express our love to a spouse, child, friend and even a stranger with a random act of kindness.

I took the photo of the sunset, at the top of this post, on February 13, 2014 in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. My husband and I were walking the shoreline when we noticed that the sparkling reflection of the sun on the sand looked like a heart.

I refer to that photo as the night that God kissed the shore with a heart for us just in time for Valentine’s Day–a reminder of his love for us.

His love cost everything he had — his only son and his very life. That’s truly the only BIG GIFT worth receiving, because that’s how we learn how to love even in the smallest of ways.

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

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The greatest gift is LOVE–go out and express it in creative ways and give someone a Happy Valentine’s Day.

click on a button below to share this post:

Like this: