Can we be real? Yes? Ok.
Are you about to spend a Valentine's Day single? If not, you can keep reading, but this probably isn't for you. :) Or, you can share it with your single lady friends!
Let's call this a letter from one single lady to another (and to myself)...
Don't be the girl that hates on all the love birds. You don't want people hating on your birthday because it's not theirs, do you? Or there are the people that hate the day all around and think it was created by the flower/chocolate/card industries... but what good does that do us either? Someday it will be special to us (I hope so, anyways). But why not start now? Whether this is your first solo Valentine's Day in a while, the 25th consecutive one, or somewhere in-between... Don't morn!
It's not a day that we need to despise those that do have a man and are happy. Instead, it's a day that can serve as a reminder to us that there are good things in the world and that love DOES exist. Think about the man the Lord has for you... does that excite you? It should!
You can be thankful for the love that your friends and family give you, and most importantly, you can be thankful for the love that Jesus has for us all--every single day. Spend this Valentine's Day (and every day that you spend single) thanking the Lord for the special time that He is allowing you to have no distractions and relieving you of the possibility of idolizing a man. If you don't have someone to buy for, take advantage of it and bless someone with what you would spend on a significant other. Although these are all things we should be mindful of and thankful for every day, Saturday can serve as a great reminder if we allow it to be. (Just like we should appreciate the people in our lives every day but their birthdays are good reminders!)
This is the reason I asked if we could be real: If you're hurting, that's ok. I realize that being single is a struggle for lots of ladies.
Last Valentine's Day, I was less than a month out of a relationship that had lasted over a year. But, the Lord was teaching me; sometimes that's uncomfortable (and possibly scary). I remember my mom saying, "You can't be afraid to be alone, babe." Through that, he taught me that He doesn't waste our hurts. I learned things in that season that I otherwise may not have. He also reminded me that He could love me more in a moment than anyone else could in a lifetime.
If you missed the previous post, Waiting on Mr. Right: Embrace Your Winter, this may be a good time to reread it. (I will be doing that!)
If waiting means spending the rest of your life with someone God chose, that seems worth it, right?
The photos below are of my grandparents. I want my grandchildren to get to watch what I watched. Not something I settled for.
My grandma passed away last March, but I feel blessed to have seen the portion of their love story that I was able to. My grandpa had minimal communication abilities left in my grandma’s last year, but he showed his love. When she was in the nursing home, he wanted to go sit with her. It wasn’t about what she could do for him… it wasn’t about having a great conversation… he simply wanted to be there. Their marriage wasn’t perfect, they weren’t perfect. But this man, my Pa, has shown me what to want.
Happy Valentine’s Day, single women! Go out with your girlfriends, do something fun, celebrate with those who are in love, and embrace where you are now! We have to be willing to wait, but wait excitedly. Embrace your winter.
You are special. You are wanted. You are good enough. If the Lord is making you wait, you are in good company.
- Gentry