On February and Perspectives.

Why does everyone thing I'm so crazy for loving Valentine's day?
If you immediately said "I hate it because it's just a consumer holiday intended to make Hallmark money and I'm single anyway."
You are right. I'm fully aware of the fact that Hallmark, the flower business and Russell Stover just want my money. That's why I make my own cards and cookies. I'll just confess that I'm drawn to all the pink and red things lined up in the stores right after Christmas (?!?!!?). It all makes me smile to myself. Weird. I know. I'll probably even wear pink on Monday February 14th. Don't judge.

As for the truth, here's really why I love Valentine's day: it's such a perfect excuse to tell people why you love them. I have done just that these last few years, and it makes February 14th so enjoyable for me, I don't even care about the hoopla of romance,love, flowers and such. I just get to tell people I love and care about why I love and care about them. Revolutionary thought huh? Everyone I tell about this has the same reaction at first. "What?! Why?" and then when I explain, they all say the same thing. "Well, that makes sense. I can see your point." They especially see my point when February 14th comes and they get a little hand made card that states specific qualities in them that I love. Sneaky huh?

I wonder how many things we have in our lives like this that cause anger, frustration or a disproportionate response and really all it needs is a new perspective. Maybe a new perspective could really help us in our life story more than we know. Like, that person who really frustrates you, what's the reason why they frustrate you and how can you look at it differently? Or that relationship rejection ... how might a new perspective bring freedom so you're not bound up in the past? Maybe you hate St. Patrick's Day and a little education on why it exists to begin with would bring you new information that would change how you view it. Maybe it's in your view of God as your Father. Did you know He says in His word that when His children ask for bread, He'll never give them stones or snakes? True story. He says that even our earthly fathers know how to give good gifts, how much more His desire is to take care of us. Perspective change: Am I trusting God will give me what I need when I ask Him for it? How do my actions in faith show that I DO trust Him?

Last week, twice in a row, a friend of mine stated a case for why I shouldn't judge a certain person we both know. My perspective needed some changing, and she so graciously told me so and told me why she loved that person a lot. I couldn't help but agree that all the things I had thought were true most likely weren't. Or at least I hadn't made any attempt to even find out if they were true or not. Yes, I work for a church. Even church staff struggle with such things sometimes. We're human.

Perspective changes are so needed in our lives on a daily basis.

My guess is that each of us have somewhere in our life we need a change of perspective. You don't have to change your mind about Valentine's Day. I'll still love it regardless. Take stock in the other places you need a perspective change and do something about it. Talk it through with someone else. Put some action behind it. And I think you'll come to find that peace will settle into those places that just needed a different perspective.

Matthew 7: 7-11
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."