Valentine's Day and Exalting God's Love in Our Home

The way we observe [special] occasions - the focus of our observation - has great potential to show our children what we think is most important and to help them value what we hold most dear. 

Our celebrations work good... by rekindling our love of God, by increasing our knowledge of him, and by helping us remember who God is and how he works.

- Noel Piper, Treasuring God in Our Traditions 

After reading Noel's book five years ago, I would never look at any holiday the same. My growing passion is to find ways to intentionally embrace the opportunity every celebration, holiday, special occasion affords us to exalt Him.

Every time I try to intentionally teach about God through a holiday or special tradition we learn something new. It may not be pretty, but I think God blesses even an attempt! And memories are being written on the boys' hearts!

The cultural tradition around Valentine's Day is celebrating love and the people you love in your life. Our very favorite Valentine tradition that the boys absolutely L. O. V. E.  is our family heart box. 

I came up with this idea several years ago. My ideas don't always stick, but this one has become a beloved tradition! Each night for the 13 nights leading up to Valentine's Day we draw a name from our heart box and take turns sharing one thing - a gift, skill, talent, personality trait - we love about how God made that person. To watch the boys' beaming smiles as a brother or Kennon or I share something we love specifically about each of them, in front of everyone, is just priceless. We are speaking truth into their little lives... God made you special. You are special to this family.

Each year I try to think about what scripture/s on Biblical love I want to try and focus on during the time leading up to Valentine's Day. This year I decided to go with 1 Corinthians 13. The boys and I decorated a banner to hang above our kitchen counter. 

I am not artistic. As you can see I'm not even being modest about it. But thankfully my boys don't seem to care! I'm grateful for technology that connects me with like-minded moms who share their artistic gifts! Over at kidsintheword.net I found 12 picture perfect hearts to use in breaking down 1 Corinthians 13. Based off various translations (KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT) of each verse and Strong's definitions, I wrote clues in my lop sided hearts on the banner that would match each printed heart's characteristic of love. Each day I spread out the remaining hearts, and the boys match the print out heart with the descriptive heart on the banner.

We discuss each heart and talk about how we can apply what we've learned about that specific attribute of love as defined in scripture. Here are a few thoughts I've written down thus far to keep our conversations focused each day. 

• Love is patient - It suffers long. This word is not about waiting for something you want; it's a response to being wronged. How can you be patient with your little brother when he's knocking down your tower and driving you crazy?!
• Love is kind - It is not jealous or envying. Let's think of an act of kindness you can do to demonstrate love by giving not wanting.
• Love is not boastful - It is not proud or arrogant. How can you encourage one of your teammates during your basketball game this week? Something your brother is good at? Let's focus on building up others.
• Love is not rude - It does not dishonor others through words and actions. What words show respect? Please! Thank you! Excuse me. Let's listen quietly and with our eyes when someone is speaking. Lots of practice applications to be drawn upon here!
• Love prefers others - Love is not demanding, seeking it's own way, self-seeking. God first, Others Second, I'm Third. 
• Love is not resentful - We do not want to provoke or be easily provoked. We talk about this often in our home! Love will keep no record of wrong. We forgive because He first forgave us.
• Love does not rejoice in wrong - Love does not delight in evil, wrongdoing, iniquity, injustice BUT rejoices in the truth. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), and when we ask, "what would Jesus do, what did Jesus say about this," we can walk in the truth. We are sad when someone has to experience the consequences of disobedience. We celebrate when someone makes a wise choice. 
• Love bears all things - It never gives up, it always protects and covers.
• Love believes all things - It never loses faith but always trusts.
• Love hopes all things - It has a hopeful trusts.
• Love endures all things - It perseveres. It will not flee but hold fast to faith in Christ.
• Love never fails. - God's love never ends. It never perishes. 

Also, there are great ideas that go along with the printable hearts on Teaching Children About God's Love. 

One last note on what God has shown me in all my intentional planning...
It is good to learn from and be inspired by other moms
It is good to plan and prepare for what I want to teach

But I must pray each morning that the Lord will meet me with the fresh bread of His word to feed my children what they need for the day. Only God knows exactly where their little hearts will be when they wake up. Supernatural insight granted to me is the key to teaching my children in a way that reaches their hearts and transforms through the teachable moments that are planned and unplanned!

Happy Valentine's Day!