HOW’S YOUR LOVE LIFE?
Valentine’s Day has come and gone. As quickly as the idea began to appear one day after Christmas, we are now headed into a season of pastel, eggs, and chocolate bunnies. The retail gods give us no time to rest our weary heads and empty wallets.
How did your Valentine’s Day go? For some, the dreaded day brings lonely darkness accompanied by a movie and a tub of popcorn. Others scramble to meet annual expectations created superficially by those same retail gods. Still, some go with the flow and use the occasion to highlight their love for those around them.
At our house, whether you’re single, married-with-kids, or married with no kids – we dress up for our annual Red Fancy Valentine’s Day Dinner. This year I was the chef for the main course. I masterfully whipped up a 2-pound, heart-shaped, red, meatloaf. Mmmmmmm. You gotta see it and taste it to appreciate it.
All our other food was red and delicious as well. It’s amazing how creative our family can get with all things red.
We’ve done our annual feast for over 20 years. We always invite people to share our tradition and then ask them to carry it into the future with their own Red Fancy Valentine’s Day Dinner. This year, just before I laid my head down to rest from and dream about my famous meatloaf, I had texts and photos from families who had carried on our red tradition. How cool is that?
Along with our dinner, we always have a “love” activity. We’ve launched Chinese lanterns with love notes. We’ve done love videos. We’ve created hilarious, rotating, chain love letters. We have a growing list of fun, creative, love activities we’ve tackled over the years.
This year, we decorated small buckets and filled them with a month’s worth of encouragement notes. Every day since our big day, I’ve pulled a love note that has warmed my soul right where it needed warmed. Amazing. Love in action.
This Sunday we’re talking about love… but we’ll be talking about doing love. No clanging cymbals at CCC! Our text is 1 John 3:11-24. It’s a love thing, and we’re gonna bring this lofty idea right down to a practical street level. Daniel Akin writes, “Real love, God’s love, is shown as well as spoken. It is tangible and not theoretical.” As faith without action is dead, so love without action is lifeless.
Did you know, as Christians, our love output starts with each other before it goes beyond the church walls? How’s your love life? It begins inside CCC before it’s moved outside.
I’m pumped to teach and gather with you. In fact, this Sunday you’ll receive a little “extra” for just showing up. I hope to see you at 9 & 1 1 a.m. — and bring someone you’re lovin’ on!
Blessings!
Weekly Need: $43,924
Weekly Giving: $41,901 2/17/19
