My Favorite Valentine

I would love to take a survey to see how many love Valentine's Day and how many hate it. Of all holidays, is Valentine's Day not the most polarizing? It either rubs salt in your wounds or you are so obnoxiously happy no one can stand you. (You know I'm right.)

Having been on both sides I can tell you which one I prefer. I was the awkward junior high schooler who never got sent carnations on Valentines' Day. The pretty and popular girls had armfuls while I sheepishly walked the halls empty handed (cue sad violins). In high school, I was accidentally sent a dozen red roses only to find out they were meant for the other Lisa Smith. Yes, I know the meaning of rejection.

Wherever you find yourself on the "love spectrum" this Valentine's Day, I want you to remember the greatest Valentine ever. It's not found at the Hallmark store. It's found in scripture in John 13.

‘It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.’

Get that. No card, no chocolate, not even jewelry has ever measured up to this Valentine. It leaves the recipient speechless. Try to understand that Jesus knew who He was - all Holy and all Powerful. Therefore, how could he do this menial task? How could Holy God touch stinky man feet?

He did it because He loves you. He did it because He was desperate to express to you, in a way so you could understand just how much. What He did was shocking. Only servants washed feet in that day. This night He said "I love you" by washing our feet with water. Shortly thereafter, He would wash our souls with His blood.

Some people say it on the jumbotron, some say it with a poster on the Today Show, some say it with flowers. Not Jesus. He showed the full extent of His love in the most creative, unexpected way. He washed your feet.

Wherever you fall on the "love spectrum" this year, you need to know you are not rejected. Just the opposite. You are loved with a crazy, mysterious, astounding, call your best friend on the phone kind of love. Washing feet or dying on a cross, Jesus reaches out to us over and over and over again to say, "I love you." That's my most favorite valentine of all.

Do Not Poke the Bear!

Encountered a parenting dilemma this week. Shocker, right? Every week seems to bring a new challenge to me in regard to raising my kids. Here's the challenge of the week. My precious boy, Jack, has been experiencing various issues at school making this year a total drag. A good part of it is by his own hand but there is also a good part of it that is out of his control.

As a parent who wants to raise my children to be responsible adults, I'm all about teaching kids to take ownership of their actions. In other words, "Get your act together, son!" I would say I'm a fairly strict disciplinarian. Our children know what we expect of them. This is good.

On the other hand, this week's events have revealed to us some of the circumstances that are not in Jack's control. In some ways, we have seen that Jack has been dealt a bad hand. He's been treated unfairly, in our opinion, and is having to bear the consequences for someone else's actions. Herein lies my dilemma.

There's the part of me that believes in tough love, then there is the part of me that is 'Mother Bear'. Any of you parents out there relate?

Mother Bear hibernates peacefully deep inside my heart until she is provoked. Then there's trouble. Do not poke the Bear! Mother Bear is the part of me that wants to reach across the table to the battle-ax who's been ugly to my baby boy and show her what I think of her! Mother Bear's instinct is to rise up and strike down anyone who dare threaten my sweet, innocent child. Mother Bear wants to wrap the boy in blankets, snuggle him tightly and protect him from a world that is cruel and uncaring. Mother Bear is thirsty for justice, waging a campaign against all those who would cause a moments pain to my little angel.

Lord, help the one who pokes Mother Bear. So, the dilemma is, who will win out in this mommy identity crisis? The level-headed parent who believes in the importance of self-discipline, responsibility, and consequences? Or will it be Mother Bear who sweeps in to save the day leaving a wake of carnage in her path? (Chris says I have a flair for the dramatic but I just don't see it. :-))

In my impassioned state I phoned a friend who helped me find some balance to these contrasting emotions. Her advice was simple, yet powerful. "Say it in love." That was it. That was the truth I needed to tame Mother Bear and empower my more rational side. Bottom line is this, we need to hold our children accountable for their actions. We also need to be their voice when they have none. We are our child's advocate.

When speaking up on behalf of our children we can do more harm than good if our emotions are out of control. I often say, "Where the heart leads, the tongue will follow." The Lord used this friend to help me get my emotions in check and soothe that Mother Bear within. With God's help, whether I'm training my child or tangling a bully, I'll say whatever needs to be said - "in love."

Cravings

Have you ever had a craving? I don't mean a craving for coffee in the morning or chocolate in the afternoon. I mean a serious, hard core, get-out-of-my-way-or-I'll-crush-you type craving.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I wasn't just sick as a dog. I was sick as an old dog after eating a bowl of expired chili. I mean I was sick! I had just started a new job when I found out I was pregnant. Imagine what my new boss and co-workers thought when they couldn't find me in the office as I was curled around the toilet in the staff bathroom. Yep, good times. Good times.

After several weeks of not keeping anything down and multiple trips to the ER, my doctor decided to give me a home I.V. for three weeks. Over time, this helped and low and behold, one day I was actually hungry for something to eat. Not only was I hungry, I was ravenous. There was only one food that would satisfy. I needed pizza, stat.

I called Chris at the office. Fortunately, it was near the end of the day as I insisted he leave at once to get what my gut demanded. 'No problem', Chris thought. He knew exactly what kind of pizza I liked. He went to our favorite pizza place and decided, since I was so hungry, to order a large instead of our usual medium.

Bless his heart, he was trying to help but the large, as it turned out, was this bizarre rectangular deep-dish concoction. Friends, I know some of you are 'deep-dishers' but I am in the thin crust camp. I like a lighter-than-air, crispy crust. When he got home and showed me the freaky pizza I snapped. My craving took over and Chris swears my head spun around on my shoulders. As I went into a mad tirade my husband, very carefully, backed out of the door. (He was afraid to turn his back on me!)

I've been trying to live that down ever since but that craving was so strong. It overpowered me! Our desire for God is much the same. We are born with a God-shaped void in our lives that can only be filled with Him. He created us to crave Him and Him alone!

Here is the evidence:
As the deer pants for streams of water,so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? -Psalm 42:1-2

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. -Psalm 63:1

O taste and see that the Lord is good. -Psalm 34:8

Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture said, streams of living water will flow from him.’ -John 7:37

Have you have ever tried (or currently still trying) to satisfy your soul's cravings with someone or something other than God? Money, status, physical appearance, career, relationships, food and dare I say it...shoes, are simply empty calories. You can stuff as many of these things into your life but you'll still be hungry.

The Father's heart breaks as He sees people spiritually starving to death. Their chasing after the world leaves them dehydrated and weak. How He longs to fill all who would have Him. To satisfy your deepest longing you need look no further than our Savior.

Jesus is what you desire. Jesus is what you crave. Whether you're a 'deep-disher' or a 'thin-cruster', Jesus and only Jesus will fill you up and give you peace.