Valentines Shmalentines

Not that I am a negative person but I just don't get it. Valentines day: chocolate, cards, cheap jewelry. Maybe I am to practicle for my own good. When I was younger It was a testimony to see if the male in my life loved me. They were usually to stupid or broke to do much. I recieved some cheap jewelry, flowers, chocolate. Here's the deal: I wear very little jewelry, not a big chocolate fan and well flowers are nice. Flowers are nicest when you go out and get them in nature and arrange them. My husband Blake knows this, he's pretty smart, this is why I married him.Even the purchased ones I appreciate, they do bring nature and beauty in. Cards are nice when you make them yourself or they are halariously funny ( and on recycled paper).
Now I am not opposed to love, real love that helps you when you need it. Stands beside you when you are ugly, holds your hair when you vomit. That's love. The last one reserves a place only for my children.
It seems that our consumer society looks at Holidays from a view that it is an excuse to buy more. That is surely easier than giving your time, your ear, or your arm around the shoulder. Buying has become our addiciton, like heroine, it numbs for a moment then the pain hits and you need more. Even in this repressed economy thier are huge mega jewlery stores opening. Give me a break. Do we stop to think about how diamonds get so cheap. In this culture of America very few people are concious of thier buying. Do people elsewhere suffer becasue of our buying choices? Sometimes. Its impossible to know everything about what you purchase but try to be consious of as much as possible.
For our Valentines we will go out to dinner, my choice, so I can have a night off. My kids will get a small box of chocolate. They love chocolate and they rarely get it. So its a treat.
Not to be humbug about the whole thing.... but think about the people in your life, what do they need. Maybe a big hug and a kiss for your significant other and a hand picked bouquet. Maybe dinner and you help with some of thier chores.
For all you single people, rejoice at the day that you save your money and the worry about it all.
Joyce Meyer once said, in a sermon mind you ," Unmarried people always want sex, and married people are hardly ever having it." Just thought that was pretty acurate. We always want what we don't have and not what we do have. Maybe a good valentines day for each of us would be to take time to be grateful and let the people in your life know they are on the list.

Hints.
1. Pick flowers or twigs and leaves and arrange for your loved one.

2. Make a card and list what you love about the recipeint.

3. Take someone who cooks a lot out to dinner.

4. Help take over someones chores.

5. Give hugs and compliments all day.


Happy Valentines Day,
Courtney

It's been a long time: Lent

Lent is here.
Last night during church service I just closed my eyes and soaked it all in. Ash Wendsday is my favorite time of year. I like the contemplation. It's like God says "okay, you have tried your best and your best is fine but you are still imperfect and I accept you. Now give it all over to me and let me clean you up because you need some help." Lent reminds me that we all need help. Left to my own devices I just make a big mess of things. It looks like a tidy package all shiny and bright but on the inside its a broken mess. What a gift to be reminded that we can turn it over to God and he will be in control and we can relax. Because he was in control all the time we just kept grabbing at the wheel.
Here is a little story conveyed to me by my husband. A friend of his shared this. One lenten season this man decided that he would fill a grocerey sack every day of Lent of stuff he needed to get rid of. This is really profound and metaphorical I think. At first he had to resist the urge to not fill up to many bags, only one. One a day was easy at first. But you know there are 40 days of Lent. About half way through this process it became a challenge. He kept with it and said he felt really free. Of course he tells this story after it takes place, becasue you know the drill. Don't go about saying " oh I can't eat this, I can't do that, I gave it up for Lent". The goal is not to draw ones attention to ones self. It is a time of self examination. What do we need to clear from our lives. Real or Metaphorical clutter??? I am betting both.

1. This time of year think of others in the world who do without. Make a sacrafice in rememberance of them. Maybe you could forgo a few extra trips to the store. Do with what you have just to make yourself give thought to those fellow humans that do without an abundance of choice's.

2. Do something out of love for someone every day. Ask yourself each day: what have I got to give, a helping hand, a hug, a prayer, a smile, a compliment. God's gifts are given freely, we all have something to give.

3. Sit for five or ten minutes(or longer) in silence " We talk to God when we pray, when we meditate God talks to us", annonymous. This is so true. Many of my students have wonderful epiphanys during meditation. Others cry or become anxious. Meditation is like putting a light on whats inside. Its a process of seeing and then letting God clean you from the inside out.

Have a blessed an introspective Lenten season.

Courtney