My Valentine's Gift

If you know me much at all, you probably know that I hate Valentine's Day. I think it's a holiday designed to set men up for failure. We shouldn't need a holiday to say I love you. And I definitely don't. Mark tells me & shows me every day that he loves me, in many more ways than chocolate or flowers could ever say. But this year he did something for me for Valentine's Day that means more to me than anything else could.

We were asked to go to Kentucky this weekend to see his brothers & sisters-in-law. The only problem was that our church's Valentine's Gala, which is our fundraiser for our mission trips, is on Saturday. This summer I get to go back to Albania for the second time, and, if I'm going to benefit from the fundraiser, it is important to me to be there to help. Mark chose to stay here before I even had to ask him. The fact that he would do that, and place so much importance on something that means so much to me, is a precious gift. Who needs flowers and chocolate?

Feels Like Family

Tonight I sat around a table with an ecclectic group of people. The Aussie & her son, the born & bred southerners, the US Marine who has become Albanian, his beautiful young daughter, and me, the Yankee. On the outside we just don't fit. On the inside, we couldn't be knit together any tighter. Because of another meeting, I had less than an hour to enjoy this gathering, but I could have sat at that table all night. These people have shared experiences with me and a love for a group of people that elevates them to a very special place in my heart.

Most of Paul's letters begin with a greeting of love and blessing to those he is addressing. Tonight, I think of his letter to Philemon. "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the heart of the saints."

Tonight I sat in a room full of people who love the Lord and have dedicated their lives to sharing Him with the world, and my heart was refreshed. My passion was renewed. I am ready to go again, not because of anything that was said, but because of a love that was felt. I praise God for these friends, for with them, as with few others, it feels like family.