because He first loved us

I will admit that I was feeling a bit grinch-ish toward Valentine's Day this year. Going to a public school (okay, it's actually a private school, but it's more public than any school I have ever been in!) and seeing all the couples, etc. can definitely make a girl start asking what the matter is with her. But then I got to thinking. I am glad I don't have a boyfriend. I'm not just saying that so some guy will read this and go "I am going to rescue her from the pit of singleness!" And I'm not just saying that because it's the popular thing to do in the Christian circle when you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend. You know, the whole "there-is-someone-out-there-for-me-who-is-more-wonderful-then-all-my-dreams-and-I-am-waiting-patiently-for-him/her." Right now, I am honestly happy that I don't have to deal with a relationship. Not saying that a relationship would/will be all bad, but relationships with people take a lot of work.

So then, you ask, why were you feeling all grinch-ish?? Because to me, and I think a lot of other people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the word "Valentine's Day" is romance. As in, mushy, gushy, candle light dinners with your Prince Charming or Cinderella. And it feels like without that romance, Valentine's Day has no point. And then I remembered.

"we love because he first loved us"

1 John 4:19

Valentine's Day isn't about romantic love. Valentine's Day is about love, period. And the reason that we can love, is because He loved us first. You know when you're a kid, and you get into trouble and you always try to blame it on your brother by saying the famous words "he started it!"? Yeah well, God started this one. He started love. 

I love so many things. My mom. My dad. My sister. My brother and his wife. My broskie (for those of you who don't know, that's what I call my one brother). My grandparents. My uncles. My aunts. My cousins. My cousins' spouses. My cousins' kids. My best friends. God. Sunshine. My dog. Chocolate. Cats. Cows. Horses. Working out. Hugs. Stilettos. Makeup. Photography. Driving tractors. Mud. Coffee. Rainbows. And the list goes on and on and on and on. 

I need to change my attitude about this day. I need to love this day because first of all, God gave it to us. And second of all, because God made love. And third of all, because I have a list about 500 miles long of things that I love. 

So what is this (very happy) single person going to do on this day of love? I am going to do some of my favorite things today. Some of the things I love. I am going to hang out with people that I love. And I am going to love life. 

Why? Because He first loved us. That's why.