What Do You Love?

By Hally Franz –

It’s February – a time to recognize and appreciate the people, places and things that we love. In thinking about this month’s devotions, I was reminded of the old Tom T. Hall song in which he lists some of the things that he loves most. In Mr. Hall’s song “I Love” he names the following among the things that he loves: little baby ducks and little fuzzy pups, snow and rain, old pick-up trucks and slow-moving trains, coffee in a cup and bourbon in a glass, grass and hay. It’s an interesting list, and we can all identify with at least a few of his choices, I’m sure.

So, I thought for a moment about the things I love. I love the healing power of music and the snuggling potential of a rainy day. I love the change of seasons, watching marching bands, horse shows, architecture and dark chocolate. I love human frailty, and I love observing genetics at work. Add to my list pasta and Diet Coke, my family, friends, church and God. And, dare I say, sweatpants? Yes, I love sweatpants.

Reading.

Here’s the thing about reading. I didn’t always like it. I probably read fewer than a dozen complete books growing up, and my academic success was strictly due to listening well and taking great notes. I was slow and often had to re-read. It’s odd for one who writes to not read. Over time, I think God helped me to enjoy reading, even though I’m still slow. That new love has been a blessing to me.

Some of the activities we enjoy, the spaces that bring us contentment, and the people we like spending time with change over time. While my brain isn’t as sharp as it once was, my desire to read and learn is greater than ever before. I suppose that’s a bit of the irony of aging we may all experience in one form or another.

As parents, we ought to help our children find things they love and are passionate about. This world is full of loveable things, places and people, both God-made and man-made. It is easy to see the bad and the negative, but in this season of love and throughout the year, let’s take time to appreciate the big and small loves in our lives. Let’s encourage our kids to do the same.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, what an amazing world we live in! While there is evil and sadness, there is also beauty and brilliance in our midst. Help us to focus on the many people, places and things there are to enjoy, appreciate… and love!

“Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1:2 NKJV).

Loved

By Heather Allen –

I attended college just hours from Washington D.C. and this, combined with my school’s overtly political university Chancellor, fanned my fervor to be a champion for Christ into full blaze. It seemed right that marriage should be in the distant future. My sights were set on law school. Which I believed presented the quickest route to transforming the world. I was confident that was my destiny.

During the winter of my freshman year, a college-sponsored ski trip landed me on a large bus headed for the mountains. A friend and I were the last to climb aboard. We scanned the bus for two open seats. The search only turned up two good-looking guys.

My friend nudged my ribcage “I call the dark-haired one.”

My eyes scanned both faces. But when I looked into the eyes of her choice, my chest grew tight.

I tried to be discreet. “No deal.” I tried not to stare.

He stood to his feet and moved to the aisle, offering me his seat.

Suddenly shy, I thanked him and sat down. I kept watch for him on the ski slopes, but he was nowhere in sight. When the ski area closed, my friend and I trudged to the bus and wound back down through the dense Blue Ridge Mountains.

No one was sad when the bus driver pulled into a restaurant. We stood in line, cold-cheeked, but cheery. When I had a steamy cup of hot chocolate in hand, I worked my way to the last seat available. I looked up. The guy from the bus sat across the restaurant and his eyes had already found mine.

He stared.

I stared.

Neither of us was able to look away. If it were not a purposeful, intent gaze it might have grown awkward. The young woman sitting at his table turned to see what held his attention. I silently prayed, hoping she was not his girlfriend because I had no intention of breaking eye contact.

My roommates were asleep when I entered my dorm room. I did not sleep much that night. I was shaken to the core. I knew who I was going to marry and I did not even know his name. Upon being introduced two months later, I told a group of friends that I finally had the name of my future husband. They laughed, thinking I was joking. I tried to laugh, but the laugh came out more like a cough. I was terrified.

The truth is, real lasting love takes more than we have. It changes everything. When a commitment is honored, it means no longer being first, but rather being first to go last. It is staying up late to doctor a sick spouse when you are exhausted. It’s picking up dirty socks that land right next to the laundry basket for eighteen years straight. It means keeping your mouth shut when you have a really witty, but unkind retort. But it also means holding hands. Laughing over jokes no one else knows. Having arms hold me tight when I am afraid and prayers prayed over me when I am discouraged.

Tonight, I watch the sunset, light grazing his nose and brow, taking in every detail. He senses my gaze, grabs my hand and smiles.

“This is going too fast. I am not sure loving you the rest of my life is long enough.” I breathe, choking back bittersweet tears.

Thank You Lord. Thank you for love. Thank you for marriage. Thank you that your plan overcame mine.

When We Don’t ‘Get’ Life

By Dawn Wilson –

“Aaaaurgh! What’s wrong now?”

Staring at my monitor, I tapped my computer mouse harder. “Oh come on!” I yelled, growing more impatient with the “stupid technology!” that wouldn’t work.

Then I looked down at my mouse. Only it wasn’t a mouse. It was my cell phone, next to my mouse.

Jokes abound concerning elderly people using computers. While I don’t consider myself “elderly,” I do sympathize. I read about a grandfather who took a course called “Computers for the Terrified.” He was a quick learner, but kept calling his mouse a “mole.”

I watched a video of a cute old couple that couldn’t figure out how their computer video camera worked. Their chat about how the video wasn’t working (“Is it on? … Is it on?”)—while the camera captured their conversation—is hilarious. Plain and simple, it’s hard for the older generation to keep up with all the changes!

All I had as a child was a boxy television and radio. My mom couldn’t call me in from play on a cell phone. I had to rely on the street lights coming on to know when it was time for dinner. The Bible tells us “knowledge will be increased” in the last days (Daniel 12:4), and we can certainly see this is true.

In 2010, nearly 220,000 patents were granted by the US Patent Office, a sign of the creativity and growing technology in the United States alone. Think of changes in the medical world: MRIs, ultrasound, CT scans, laser surgery. Think about the evolution from the vinyl record to cassettes, eight-track tapes and CDs. Consider iPods and iPads!

In every aspect of life, new technologies and fresh thinking have revolutionized our lives. In the midst of all this change, I am comforted to know that God is never surprised by our new discoveries. The One who created our minds can certainly understand our technologies. It’s sad that with new ways of thinking, many consider God’s ways old-fashioned. They cast off His Word like a 1950’s telephone. The Lord wants to help recognize today’s foolish thinking with His unchanging wisdom.

Jesus encouraged His disciples with a promise—the Spirit of Truth would guide them into all truth and show them “things to come” (John 16:13), to be their teacher as well as their Advocate (John 14:26).

This same Spirit wants to encourage us today: to give us peace when we feel busy and overwhelmed; to give us wisdom when our seventh grader asks us questions and we don’t have a clue; to comfort us when life gets too big for us to handle; to help us choose joy when circumstances get tough.

We can smile when we mistake a cell phone for a mouse, but God understands our real difficulties; and when we don’t “get” life, the Spirit of God is always ready, waiting for our questions.

Love is the Message

By Judy Davis –

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

My friend Ann asked me if I would teach a Bible study to women in a detention center. As I gave each woman a copy of my book, Women of the Bible, they seemed eager to learn. It was during Valentine’s week so I also took a bag of Valentine candy. Each piece had words written across the top such as Love, Peace, Joy, and Sweet. This act of kindness not only blessed them, but they seemed to be more attentive to the study.

I thought this was a great idea and didn’t see anything wrong with giving the women a few pieces of candy. But I learned later we were not supposed to take candy into the jail. Oh, to live and learn….

Our message is not only to tell others that love is a powerful gift from God. We also need to show people the power of love in action. Be observant; a vessel asking God to help us in all of life’s situations. One of the women in jail was crying. She missed her children. It was an opportune time to give her a hug….let her know someone cares. And pray for her to allow God’s love to change her life.

Everywhere we go there are people worse off than we can imagine. We must pray for them, help them, and most of all love them. Do you know some one in need today? During the Christmas holidays we were so quick to give not only gifts but ourselves. May we be willing to give of ourselves all year. This pleases God!

One way to reach out to those in need is to buy cards and place money or a gift certificate in them. You can buy gift certificates at many restaurants. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Loving others is the most important gift we can give.

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

PRAYER: Father, help me today to be a vessel of love. So many people are hurting and need a hug, or maybe just a kind word. Guide me to be more in tune to the needs of others.

Mi Pooky

By Elaine James –

“MI POOKY” were the words on the car license plate I was driving behind. The phrase reminded me of all the endearing salutations I look forward to from my husband each Valentine’s Day. Admittedly my favorite is Honey Bun. I have to celebrate the day, don’t I? I feel guilty even questioning it. I regretfully think of the pressure of squeezing another thing into my already full schedule. It’s bittersweet. Love is what makes the world go round, yet I just got finished paying off my Christmas debt.

It drags me down when I start thinking about Valentine’s Day and the commercialism. Emotions rise up within as another Hallmark Holiday rolls around. But then the license plate caught my eye. Exchanging words of endearment with our friends, family and significant others should cost me nothing! Years ago, I started a tradition of preparing a red meal. Everything from the plates to the drinks and food is red. It’s a challenge but my family is hooked. Especially when they receive homemade love coupons that can be redeemed for back rubs.

The Holy Spirit gently guides me back to God’s love command so eloquently stated in the King James Version. “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

My computer wants me to auto correct this verse. For me seeing it in this version causes me to read it slowly. Love! It reassures me and allows me to rest as I put my head on my pillow. In my waking moments it permeates my soul with a desire to continue living.

A Google search of the origin of Valentine’s Day reveals it started with a Roman Saint named Valentine. The world’s blitz of love symbolized in red, pink and white celebrates a tradition that dates back nearly 2,000 years. Our greeting card, the Bible, emphasizes its greatest symbol of love “The Cross” with its origin occurring over 2000 years ago.

PRAYER: Bless me with the ability to love you Lord with thine heart, soul and with all thy might. Help me to express this love to others that you put on my heart right now. May it give you glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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