February -- the month we set aside to formally express our love to someone special. To some, Valentine's Day is one of the most important days of the year, but shouldn't love be communicated all year long?
Ole and Olga lived on a farm in Iowa. Olga was starved for affection. Ole never gave her any signs of love, and Olga's need to be appreciated went unfulfilled. At her wit's end, Olga blurted out, "Ole, why don't you ever tell me that you love me?" Ole stoically responded, "Olga, when we were married I told you that I loved you, and if I ever change my mind, I'll let you know"
That is not enough. Daily we need to express our love for one another.
One evening just before the great Broadway musical star, Mary Martin, was to go on stage in South Pacific, a note was handed to her. It was from Oscar Hammerstein, who at that moment was on his deathbed. The short note simply said:
"Dear Mary, A bell's not a bell till you ring it. A song's not a song till you sing it. Love in your heart is not put there to stay. Love isn't love till you give it away."
After her performance that night many people rushed backstage, crying, "Mary, what happened to you out there tonight?" We never saw anything like that performance before." Blinking back the tears, Mary then read them the note from Hammerstein. Then she said, "Tonight, I gave my love away!"
Consider this acrostic for practicing love, written by Dennis Waitley.
L-listening when another is speaking
O-overlooking petty faults and forgiving all failures
V-valuing other people for who they are
E-expressing love in a practical way
Come learn with us about God's unconditional love and His practical demonstration of it.
Oh yes, Valentine's Day. I better get something for my wife.
Sincerely,
Pastor John Giesbrect
