The whole Valentines Day deal can be charming, passionate, embarrassing or perfectly painful, depending on the status of our social calendar, time of life, and the condition of our heart. And the worst part is that unfulfilled dreams, shattered expectations and unrequited longings often leave us wondering if we are just not good enough to sustain the "perfect love".
While a little introspection to consider traits we would like to embrace or grow can be worthwhile, taking the opinion of another (who by necessity comes with his or her own baggage and biases) can add fuel to the flames of self-doubt.
So, just for today, give yourself a break. Make of list of moments of joy in your life and consider what parts of that can be woven into more of your days. Identify one thing that causes pain and work on eliminating that from your life. Just one, please. Just a small one to start, please. Celebrate each time you add a joy. Celebrate each time you choose not to shoot yourself in that particular foot again.
Write the perfect valentine to yourself, listing all your strengths and all the skills you are building. Don't worry about a wart here or there...we all have them even if some are more visible than others. A wart is not who you are, for goodness sake!
My darling, God sees how wonderfully you were made and the purpose for which you were born and the blood of His Son covers every imperfection. He longs to teach you to see yourself as God sees you -- amazing, utter loved and deserving of every good thing.
While a little introspection to consider traits we would like to embrace or grow can be worthwhile, taking the opinion of another (who by necessity comes with his or her own baggage and biases) can add fuel to the flames of self-doubt.
So, just for today, give yourself a break. Make of list of moments of joy in your life and consider what parts of that can be woven into more of your days. Identify one thing that causes pain and work on eliminating that from your life. Just one, please. Just a small one to start, please. Celebrate each time you add a joy. Celebrate each time you choose not to shoot yourself in that particular foot again.
Write the perfect valentine to yourself, listing all your strengths and all the skills you are building. Don't worry about a wart here or there...we all have them even if some are more visible than others. A wart is not who you are, for goodness sake!
My darling, God sees how wonderfully you were made and the purpose for which you were born and the blood of His Son covers every imperfection. He longs to teach you to see yourself as God sees you -- amazing, utter loved and deserving of every good thing.
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