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From the desk of…
by Linda Griffin, Lt. Colonel –
The month is February, and while I give a passing nod to the presidents whose birthdays we celebrate this month, my focus is on Valentine’s Day—the day of love. My husband, Terry, and I like to think we have an enduring love story as we approach our 40th anniversary. How appropriate that a day is reserved for all those who want to express their love for each other.
“Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
My heart goes ker-thump
When I think of you!”
While a Valentine card is a nice gesture, when you are in love, you really want to do more, so you begin thinking about a gift that will convey the depth of your love. I wonder…what can I give him? It has to be appropriate, express deep sentiment, be something he will be pleased with, and of course, not be too expensive—we are just recovering from Christmas giving, after all. Yet—how can I put a price tag on a gift of love?
“Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
It’s because you are loved
I give this gift to you!”
Our natural response to human love is to give. We give of ourselves, we put our loved one’s needs above ours, and we want only the best for the one we love. We protect, provide, and nurture. In as many ways as we can possibly imagine, we express by words and deeds, “I love you.”
We know that because God loved, he gave. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life” (John 3:16, The Message).
Jesus taught his disciples about loving and giving. “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way” (Luke 6:38, The Message). “Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:34, The Message).
This past Christmas I went with a group to see The Glory of Christmas at the Crystal Cathedral. Having been before, I knew to expect the heralding trumpets, the pageant including live animals, the Bethlehem star making its progress through the sky, and the angels flying back and forth in proud proclamation as the story of Jesus’ birth unfolded. While impressive, none of those things constituted my “aha” moment when the Christmas story reached my heart. Rather, it was a small boy’s solo voice, having beheld the tiny baby and seen the gifts of the Magi, singing,
“What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
But what can I give him? Give him my heart.”
It’s so simple it’s profound! The gift he desires above all others is the gift of our hearts. When you are choosing those Valentines with just the right sentiment to express your love, remember to whom your heart belongs and demonstrate to him in as many ways as you can possibly imagine your love for him.
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