The most sacred of places - your home

A true home is one of the most sacred of places. It is a sanctuary into which men flee from the world's perils and alarms. It is a resting-place to which, at close of day--the weary retire to gather new strength for the battle and toils of tomorrow. It is the place . . . where love learns its lessons, where life is schooled into discipline and strength, where character is molded.

Few things we can do in this world are so well worth doing--as the making of a beautiful and happy home! He who does this--builds a sanctuary for God, and opens a fountain of blessing for men.

Far more than we know--do the strength and beauty of our lives, depend upon the home in which we dwell. He who goes forth in the morning from a happy, loving, prayerful home--into the world's strife, temptation, struggle, and duty--is strongly inspired for noble and victorious living.

The children who are brought up in a true home--go out trained and equipped for life's battles and tasks--carrying a secret of strength in their hearts, which will make them brave and loyal to God, and will keep them pure in the world's severest temptations!

JR Miller

Who will be my Valentine?

So Valentine's day lurks round the corner, like an unsuspecting visitor waiting to pounce and expose our lack of preparation or readiness for this day marked in our calendars .

Love.... can it really be expressed fully in a day - a day filled with candy, balloons, cards, romantic dinners.... or could there be more?

Should I entertain the notion that my expression of love is determined by my performance on this day?

As the day approaches remember when I was in Grade 4.  Waiting for that letter from the boy that I "loved with all my heart" - hoping that he would send me something special.  The sweaty palms, the nerves and mostly the fear that I would suffer the humiliation of rejection.  That I would be the only one who was unloved or unnoticed.  But then there was a card, an immature expression of love, followed by unexplainable relief and joy that I had been "loved".

Source

But someone else, a young boy - sat empty handed. He tried to pretend like it didn't matter - but it did - to him. 

What have we done with love, true love, everlasting love when we reduce it to this?
To a day
to a moment
to a piece of candy
to a note

The love I know is patient and kind. 

 not jealous or boastful or proud or rude

  not demanding 

NOT IRRITABLE

 keeps no record of being wronged

  doesn't rejoice about injustice

  rejoices whenever the truth wins out

never gives up

never loses faith

is always hopeful

and endures through every circumstance 

This is the love I want to teach my children, not losing sight of the lover of my soul, the one who loved so much that he sacrificed everything for me.  The love that knows no limits and remains as true today as it did years ago.  This is the love that I want them to long for - for all else is temporary. 

But when Tuesday dawns - there will be gifts, gestures of romance - a loving wife and companion and yet still  I will wait for my creator to whisper in my ear, to remind me of his love - to declare my beauty. 

This is the love that I know