STOP! In the Name of Love

Last night we spent some time making Valentine hearts with cute encouraging messages to go with the stuffed animals we got for the children. They are sitting on the table waiting to be discovered this morning. After being woken early by snow plows this morning, I got up, dressed and headed downstairs to make Bob breakfast before he left for work. There is more planned for him later in the day, but as he will read this before getting home, I'm not saying what! It's Valentine's Day. The day we go above and beyond to show our love to those special people in our life.

 According to a recent CNN article Americans will spend a whopping $18.6 billion for Valentine's Day - an average of $130.97 per person.


As I flipped pancakes early this morning, I began to wonder...why? Not why am I doing this, but why does it take a special holiday for me to go above and beyond to demonstrate my love for my family and friends? Valentine's Day, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, and, at least around here, St. Patrick's Day (which I will explain more as the day approaches) we set aside to do special things and buy special gifts. But what about every other day?

Why don't I put more time and energy into doing the same things through out the year, not because it is a special day, but simply because I love them?  Why don't I find the extra $2 to bring home a stuffed animal from Good Will for a child who has had a rough day? Why do I let Bob head to work morning after morning on a bowl of cold cereal?

For me, I think the answer is just simply I get caught up in the day to day business and work of life. I forget. The day-in and day-out demands of family, school, and community push aside those "little things" that could make it all so much nicer for my loved ones.

So I have a challenge for myself, and for you. While the extravagant demonstrations of love are on your mind today, pull out your calendar and randomly choose several days this year to do something extra special for a loved one. Not because it is a special day, but because they are special everyday.

Some ideas:
       - Prepare your spouse's favorite dinner and desert to be    shared by candle light after children have gone to bed.
        - Save your spending money for that thing he/she would really like, but the regular budget won't accommodate  Give it to him/her "just because", not for a birthday or anniversary.
         - Send flowers, just because you love her.
         - mail, not e-mail, him a card to his office
         - show up at school to take your child out to lunch, or for a special afternoon out.
          - arrange to have the house cleaned
          - let a child stay up late to watch a movie or play a game with you.
          - volunteer to play his favorite xbox game with him and provide his favorite snacks and drinks

So be creative and take the time through out the year to Stop life to show some Love.