The Power of Love Expressed

We had a simple Valentine's Day celebration at home this year. The kids had just come down with the most recent round of illnesses which included some bad coughing. This wasn't all bad, though, since it caused me to miss Bible study that morning and make a special breakfast for the kids. Even though I know holidays are coming, often I feel unprepared. Setting the table and making a valentine for each child used about all the creativity I had beginning at 11:00pm on February 13th. Sometimes the role of mom (i.e. celebration maker) leaves me feeling pretty inadequate. The kids did enjoy their breakfast of shaped pancakes, strawberry milk and special kid yogurt (a treat I rarely buy). But what stuck with me most was how Sportster really enjoyed the simple valentine I wrote to him and read those words for others in the coming days. The love I expressed to him really did seem to sink in and made him feel special. It makes me think I need to be more intentional with those little expressions to make my family really feel loved by me.

So, even though I'm not the mom who has it all together and has decorations and special foods and gifts ready for each and every holiday, the little things I am able to do with love will still be enough for my kids.