Valentine's Day 2013

February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day, Readers!!  I woke up to a sweet kiss, a steaming hot cup of coffee, roses, a beautiful singing card, and my sweetheart saying, "Happy Valentine's Day, I love you."  Doesn't get much better than that!!

My gardener genes got the best of me last weekend and I dragged my sweet husband from nursery to nursery looking for interesting plants.  Because of my wimpy shoulder and neck, he helped me plant and enlarge the center garden by two feet.  I knew it truly was a labor of love BECAUSE he is not an outdoor yard person.  We are opposites ~~ I'm not an indoor person.  I probably would be content living outdoors on a wonderful tropical island where I could dig in the dirt to my heart's content.  Michael would whither up and die without his computer, IPhone, and television!  This morning he said, "I really love you -- just the way you are."  Whoa!!!  Now THAT was awesome...

As a Christian, every day is Valentine's Day for me.  The love and forgiveness I have been given has lifted me high when I was at my lowest of lows.  I used to think that because of my past that there was no way Jesus could still love me and have a plan for my life.  I felt this way because of my own low self-worth and some people who knew me that had knowledge of my past and would not let it go.  I had a hard time forgiving myself for some of the crazy choices I had made.  OMG, what a wonderful feeling to rid myself of those heavy burdens.  I had to start listening more to what God had and has to say about me.

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

 ~~ Romans 8:1

Some people have a tendency to be self-righteous like they have never done anything wrong or they have been a saint since the time they were born.  I want to tell you that is NOT TRUE.  The Bible says there is no one that is righteous except God.  Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins so that we would not be lost.  When we go to God and repent of our sins the Bible says that He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and He will not remember them anymore.  I used to say that I needed to get myself together BEFORE going to church or receiving salvation.  I needed to realize that salvation is a free gift from God because He loves us so much and secondly, if we could get ourselves together we would not need Jesus.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

~~Isaiah 1:18

As you think about Valentine's Day today, remember the greatest love gift of all ~~ the gift of eternal life!!  Now, that's L-O-V-E!!  Can you imagine hanging your son or daughter on a cross so that sinners would be saved?  I cannot even fathom depth of the love that God has for us.  If He loved me that much when I was broken, he must really be smiling when he looks at me as I have grown under the shelter of his wings and wisdom of his word.

Miss Dottie

 PS  Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you!!  Bring on the chocolates!!!  Enjoy your day knowing that you are loved and prayed for ... ya you!!!

PSS  Blogspot isn't cooperating today (background text is white???) ... Good grief!  Challenges ... challenges...  LOL