Thoughts About Valentine's Day

Today is the 13th day of February and a lot of us are really concerned about being sure we make expressions of love tomorrow to those that matter the most. I guess I'm something of a Grinch in that regard, because I believe Valentine's Day has come to be almost as commercially driven as Christmas over the past few years. On the one hand I hate to give in to the commercial pressure, but on the other hand, I hate for those I love to feel cheated or embarrassed if I don't provide them with some Valentine's Day proof of my love. What if someone were to ask my wife what I got her for Valentine's Day and she said, "Nothing.?" Wouldn't that be humiliating?

Actually, I kinda believe that we ought to be demonstrating our love to those dearest to us on a regular basis, and without the prompting of some created holiday. I think it's okay to give my wife flowers or to surprise her with candy, or to take her to dinner any day of the year. I wonder if that teddy bear company would deliver something squeezable to her in the middle of the summer?

While love is in the air, (and while I'm on my soapbox), wouldn't this be a good week to express the love of Jesus to a neighbor or friend or coworker? Why not make them a Valentine that contains a passage of Scripture or an invitation to join you at a devotional or at worship? Be creative. There are lots of ways to plant a seed of love that might grow in their hearts.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Force 410 Update

As I write this update, we have just passed the quarter pole on the Force 410 racetrack. And I just asked myself the question, "Do the kids give more encouragement, or need more encouragement?" The answer to the question may vary depending upon in who's shoes you stand.

If you are a member of the congregation that is not actually in the Force 410 classes right now, you are probably receiving far more encouragement from the kids than they can possibly imagine. The parents are very proud of their young ones and excited to see them developing and growing and becoming. And us old folks are delighted to see the spark of faith that indicates that the things we treasure the deepest will be passed along to a new generation. As their teacher, it gives me great satisfaction to see their efforts, and to watch them succeeding in so many very important ways.

If, however, you happen to be one of those in the class, you may be really needing a pat on the back and a word of encouragement because some of the things you're doing the harder and more challenging than you've ever been asked to do at the church. The transition from little children to the boys and girls is not particularly easy for most. The tests can be overwhelming, though I wish you could see that they are only a measure of how well I'm doing in transferring information to you. And doing some of the service projects, whether publicly or privately, can be demanding.

So if you are one of those receiving encouragement by seeing the young people deal with this basic training, I hope you continue to take satisfaction, but that you will also take the time to offer encouragement to the trainees. They are building relationships that can sustain them through the teen years. And they are learning truths that can sustain them throughout their lives and into eternity.




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