Well since its Valentines day today and loads of people are busy trying to make sure that they don't forget their special person, I thought I would share a little bit of how Nicola, my wife , and I do things.
I think there is only one Valentines day in the last 40 years when I gave her a card and she does not get cross thinking I have forgotten. She knows I love her and I know she loves me. A card once a year really doesn't do it for us. In fact we agreed that over priced flowers and such once a year really are not what its about. Don't misunderstand me, for many its a lovely thing to do, for me it doesn't hit the spot and the same is true for Nicola.
Love, for me, is something that grows and grows with the experiencing and the experiencing and sharing happens every day. The million things that we do for each other and the unexpected bunch of flowers, chocolates, dinner at a restaurant all add to that as well as having clean and ironed clothes every day, good food and someone who really gets me. A while ago we did a marriage course (we had been married around 30 years then) and I discovered that we were different ,I like to be told she loves me, I like to hug etc., Nicola likes things done (washing up, clearing up and unexpected things planned). So I won't be buying roses today, giving the biggest card with the most romantic message in it. Instead we will carry on as always, showing love to each other in the many ways we do every day.
Now you might ask, what's that to do with faith?
Well, our relationship with Jesus can be a bit like a Valentines experience, popping into to church very occasionally (Christmas, Easter) or an occasional moment to sit and pray, possibly when something in beyond us or a quick peek at the bible.
God in his words to us, reminds us not to miss out on getting together to worship and pray. We are told that together as his church we find the strength to handle things, and God, who fortunately won't get cross because we didn't have time, will wait patiently for us to find time.
God is all about relationship, our relationship with him through Christ. Just as are relationship with our partners, boy or girl friends do not develop if we only rely on one day a year to express them, so too our relationship with God will not develop if we leave it the odd occasion to find time.
Enjoy valentines day, with the gifts you give and receive, but make sure you go on showing that person every day that you love them, in many different ways. Love grows with the experiencing.
I think there is only one Valentines day in the last 40 years when I gave her a card and she does not get cross thinking I have forgotten. She knows I love her and I know she loves me. A card once a year really doesn't do it for us. In fact we agreed that over priced flowers and such once a year really are not what its about. Don't misunderstand me, for many its a lovely thing to do, for me it doesn't hit the spot and the same is true for Nicola.
Love, for me, is something that grows and grows with the experiencing and the experiencing and sharing happens every day. The million things that we do for each other and the unexpected bunch of flowers, chocolates, dinner at a restaurant all add to that as well as having clean and ironed clothes every day, good food and someone who really gets me. A while ago we did a marriage course (we had been married around 30 years then) and I discovered that we were different ,I like to be told she loves me, I like to hug etc., Nicola likes things done (washing up, clearing up and unexpected things planned). So I won't be buying roses today, giving the biggest card with the most romantic message in it. Instead we will carry on as always, showing love to each other in the many ways we do every day.
Now you might ask, what's that to do with faith?
Well, our relationship with Jesus can be a bit like a Valentines experience, popping into to church very occasionally (Christmas, Easter) or an occasional moment to sit and pray, possibly when something in beyond us or a quick peek at the bible.
God in his words to us, reminds us not to miss out on getting together to worship and pray. We are told that together as his church we find the strength to handle things, and God, who fortunately won't get cross because we didn't have time, will wait patiently for us to find time.
God is all about relationship, our relationship with him through Christ. Just as are relationship with our partners, boy or girl friends do not develop if we only rely on one day a year to express them, so too our relationship with God will not develop if we leave it the odd occasion to find time.
Enjoy valentines day, with the gifts you give and receive, but make sure you go on showing that person every day that you love them, in many different ways. Love grows with the experiencing.
