First Valentine’s Day Gift

My daughter, Karissa, and I woke up to flowers and a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day, presented to us by the boys and man in our lives.  It was cute to see Karissa staring at her single red rose asking me if my red tulips were prettier than her red rose.  I could tell that she felt very loved.  I’m hoping that she will learn how a guy should treat her by the way her dad and brothers interact with her now.  And I hope my boys will know how to treat their future wives and daughters.

As for me, I was reflecting on the number of Valentine’s Days I’ve shared with my husband and the first Valentine’s Day gift he gave me.  Not chocolates…not a cute stuffed animal…not flowers…but a Bible…a New Living Translation version!  He is a preacher after all…and it did have a personal message for me in there

Although the Bible is probably not one of the most purchased gifts on Valentine’s Day, I’m thankful for the gift.  It is a reminder of the kind of love we have shared over the past 13 years of married life.  In our culture, where the message of love differs from person to person and tends to be self-focused, it’s nice to know that our love is based on the love the Heavenly Father displayed when He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins.

This type of love is a decision we make each day to strengthen our marriage even when we have conflict and don’t feel like it at times.