Happy Valentine's Day!

So, I'm curious, did anyone take the Valentine's Day challenge from my last post?  Our kids were so excited to collect food for our local food pantry as a way of showing God's love to others.  I forgot to count up all the bags of food, but I think we collected about 6 or 7 bags of food.  The most exciting part was when we took the food to the church for the food pantry.  The church had two large bins for collecting food for their pantry.  When we got there, the bins were completely empty!  We got to put our 7 bags of food into an empty bin.  Now that bin is no longer empty because we chose to follow the Spirit's leading in doing a Valentine's Day family project.  So exciting!

So, happy Valentine's Day!  Remember Jesus wants to be your first Valentine.  He loves you unconditionally, forever, and more than you can imagine!  He loves with a perfect love...

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Valentine's Day Challenge

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" ~Matthew 22:36-39

Happy February!  As I continue to think about ways I can teach my children to know and be more like Christ, I started thinking more about a prayer we say every night at bed time.  Every night we end our prayers with, "help us to know your love, Lord, and to show it to others."  We want others to know Jesus loves them unconditionally, forever, and more than you can imagine!  He is the best Valentine!  So, I got an idea I'm really excited about!  How can we show Jesus' love to others this month, in light of Valentine's Day?


My first thought comes from ideas I've heard on the radio in past years.  I've heard about youth groups collecting food for their local food banks from their communities.  And, in light of the "Souper Bowl of Caring," I thought why don't the kids and I get a group of people to gather food together for our local food bank for Valentine's Day!  


Here's the challenge: ask your family, friends, and/or neighbors to help collect non-perishable food items for your local food bank for the next 2 weeks.  Then, take the food over to the food bank on Valentine's Day, the 14th!  Or come up with your own idea with your kids.  Ask, "what can we do as a family to show Christ's love to others this Valentine's Day?"  Then, please post your ideas below.  I'm sure we can share ideas and come up with great ways to show Christ's love this month!