I had a fun flashback today.
Valentine’s Day 2007. It was my
first married Valentine’s day, and should have been filled with romance. But instead I found myself traveling for work
a thousand miles away from my husband.
The drama associated with this was epic!
I started to feel sorry for myself a good two weeks ahead of time,
whining to my co-workers (male engineers can be very sympathetic—HA!).
No pity party can last forever, and mine ended with an aha
moment. While I couldn’t spend Valentine’s
Day with the love of my life, I could make sure that those I loved felt that
love. So I threw myself into a shopping
frenzy (thank you Target dollar aisle), putting together care packages for a
few of my closest friends. It felt so
good to mail them off knowing the smiles they would bring, and it soothed my
soul to serve others.
Fast forward eight years.
The honeymoon is over. Valentine’s
Day is no longer one of the most important dates on my calendar. Halloween and birthday parties have taken
over in a big way. While Valentine’s Day
has taken a back seat, the heartache and drama of life continues. I still find serving others in my time of
sadness to be a salve to my soul like no other.
My source of encouragement has changed a bit too. Rather than trolling the aisles of Target, I
tap into God’s endless love and care.
And I feel Him challenging me to pass that encouragement on to
others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us
that God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can be a comfort to others
in their times of trouble. How amazing
that something I stumbled upon years ago is rooted in God’s plan for each of
us. Or maybe I shouldn’t be amazed at
all….
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