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Until the last rose fades

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Until the last rose fades

It’s either that happy day we look forward to in February or the most dreaded day of the year. Whether we love it or hate it, it shows up regardless.

Valentine’s Day is many things to many people. Some have terrific memories of elementary school and spending several nights in a row around the kitchen table, filling out little paper Valentines. Don’t forget to add a few candy hearts inside the little envelope! That was always the most difficult. You had to choose wisely or Tommy, Joey or Michael might think you actually liked them. EEEWWWWW!

I happen to love Valentine’s Day. I was engaged on February 14, 1979 and have great memories of dinners, flowers and chocolates. When My Three Sons were of school age, once again I found myself helping them fill out their Valentine’s. Not much had changed in the way things were done since I had been in school. They still worried over what to give to the opposite sex. So much fun with the school parties and cupcakes and games.

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Since I don’t have a hilarious true story to  share of a disastrous Valentine’s Day in the Elkins household, I thought I would share some senseless facts. There was that Valentine’s Day that The Sweetheart sent me this in a text message:

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, lived a wife that never nagged, whined or complained.

But it was a long, long time ago.  And it was just that one day.

Yeah. But I love him anyway. This one day a year.

  • Valentine’s Day’s most popular theory originates with Emperor Claudius II.  Supposedly, he didn’t want Roman men to marry during times of war but Bishop Valentine didn’t honor his wishes and performed secret weddings for those who were in love. Unfortunately, Valentine was jailed and then executed. But before he died he wrote a note to the jailor’s daughter and signed it “from your Valentine”.

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  • Some believe that the X symbol became associated with the KISS way back in medieval times. If you couldn’t write your name you would sign in front of a witness with just an X which was then kissed to show commitment and sincerity!

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  • Another one from the Middle Ages tells us that young men and women would draw names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. Yeah, that would happen today. They would wear the name pinned to their sleeves for one week for everyone to see. From this comes the expression, “To wear your heart on your sleeve”!

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  • Did you know that 15% of women in the United States send themselves flowers on February 14?

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  • Approximately 8 billion (that’s with a B) candy hearts are made each year for Valentine’s Day. That is enough candy to be stretched 20 times from Italy to Arizona back and forth!

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I will leave you with this true story from someone I met this week. One year he gave his wife a dozen of the most beautiful roses that looked as normal as any other bouquet. But tucked in the middle was a single, artificial rose that blended in with the rest. His note?

I will love you til the last rose in the bouquet fades completely away and dies.

Which reminds me of the year that The Sweetheart left me with a forever memory. Our wedding colors were yellow so every single year for 37 years he has never failed to send me a dozen yellow roses, even when we were overseas! One year we were ministering in Chattanooga over the Valentine weekend and he left our hotel early that morning to “go get breakfast”. He was gone over an hour and finally came back looking quite sad. He had been all over town looking for yellow roses and couldn’t find any. As a last resort, he went to Wal Mart where he bought an artificial bouquet of yellow roses. Yeah. Teary eyed, I have treasured those more than any I ever received and of course they are the only ones I still have that look as good as the day I received them.

However you celebrate today, tell someone you love them, hug your kids, your pets, your parents and your sweethearts. Everyone can benefit from sharing love!

For the kingdom

Resolutions or No Resolutions, Jesus Cares

Resolutions or No Resolutions, Does Jesus Even Care?

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Yesterday we talked about Does Jesus Even Care About Our New Year’s Resolutions? You should probably read that real quick, go here!

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Since the New Year is all about resoluting (not sure that is a word, but again, writer privilege!) renewal and change, there is a really cool set of scriptures that relate to just that. Once again, our beloved Apostle Paul is explaining it to us. Be sure and read it slowly!!

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Here comes that renewing, changing and resoluting! Paul is all about it. Get rid of the sinful nature and the way we used to live. When? “Since you have heard about Jesus and learned the truth…”  So this should have been a process we started when we came to know the Lord. But, alas, we are human, born with a sinful nature that, if we aren’t careful, tends to revert right back to its old sinful ways. We need to be reminded!

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Paul begins to give us a list. We love lists! We are all over lists, all about lists, you get it, we get all giddy when making a list. But that list sometimes get lost and we need, again, reminders.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Paul continues to be specific and we need to get specific with our faults and shortcomings too. Don’t just make a list of what you want to do better, maybe we should make a list of what we want to get rid of too.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Paul admonishes us to not grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we live out our lives. It is a reflection on Him and could cause another to stumble.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:21-32 NLT.

Look at all Paul has mentioned here:

  • Throw off your sinful nature
  • Stop telling lies
  • Don’t let anger control you
  • Don’t go to bed mad, fix it
  • Stop stealing
  • Don’t use foul language
  • Don’t use abusive language (there is a difference!)
  • Don’t let your life grieve the Holy Spirit
  • Get rid of bitterness
  • Get rid of rage
  • Get rid of anger
  • Get rid of harsh words
  • Get rid of slander
  • Get rid of all types of evil behavior

This looks rather daunting, doesn’t it? A little overwhelming, perhaps? But Paul didn’t leave us without a solution. Did you notice that I put emphasis on a particular word in the scripture reading? Did you see the word in bold?

Instead.

Paul didn’t just say, “Don’t do this…” Paul said, “INSTEAD…do this!”

  • INSTEAD…let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes!

  • INSTEAD…tell the truth!

  • INSTEAD…use your hands for good, hard work!

  • INSTEAD…give generously to others in need!

  • INSTEAD…let everything you say be good and helpful!

  • INSTEAD…be an encourager!

  • INSTEAD…be kind to each other!

  • INSTEAD…be tenderhearted to one another!

  • INSTEAD…forgive one another!

Because Christ has forgive you.

So, does Jesus even care about our New Year’s Resolutions?

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I think the answer is, “Yes.”

Resolutions or No Resolutions, Does Jesus Even Care?

If we are on the wrong track, have slacked off in certain areas, picked up bad habits, bad attitudes and put Jesus on the back burner, He cares. And if we have been awakened to that fact, if we realize that a New Year would be a good time to fix those things, He cares. He desires for us to be more like Him, to reflect HIS glory, not our own. A time of renewal is always a good thing and the above list would be a great one to try to emulate.

The one thing to remember is to not continually let things slide with the attitude of “Well, there’s always next year, there’s always another New Year’s Resolution.” That is not pleasing to Him at all. Choose to stay close to Him, to get to know Him, spend time with the Creator of the Universe! He is waiting for you to call, always ready to listen and able to supply your every need. He can also make you the man or woman you have always desired to be so that next year, if He tarries, your resolutions for 2017 will be totally different.

On this final day of 2015, may you enjoy time with your family and friends, reflecting on His goodness and resting in the comfort that He cares about every aspect of our lives, resolutions or no resolutions.

For the kingdom

DF cover side viewWhat kind of resolutions are you making for the New Year? Do they include fasting and praying more? Of course you need my book, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional! It is available in paperback or Kindle at Amazon.com. Easy-to-read with 21 days of devotions, enough for a three week Daniel Fast or for any type of fast! Also includes Daniel Fast Recipes after each devotion and three days of preparation devotions to explain fasting, why we do it, how we do it, etc. Remember, fasting without prayer is just a diet so fast unto the Lord. 

 

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