February, the love month

     My calendar page has turned again! 
February, I welcome you. 

     I know that this month will be filled with blessings of love, happiness, peace and prosperity. I've experienced such already. 

     February is thought of as the "love month." Valentine’s Day reminds us to tell those special people in our lives how much we care for and appreciate them. 

     Love, being so wonderful and unexplainable, yet someone has said,“It is the one thing we can never get enough of and the one thing we never give enough of.” 

     

     I think we need to make every month qualify as a love month.

     During my growing-up years, exchanging valentines with my classmates and friends was popular and exciting. 

     One may find a surprise love note tucked inside your desk from an admiring classmate, too shy to face up. 

     I recently heard of a lady living in Saskatoon, who plans to install, somewhere in her city, a love-letter mail-box encouraging people to handwrite and post actual love memos. Perhaps we need to revive a lost art — memories collected on paper. 

     Having lived in that almost forgotten era, my courtship days over a two-year span was almost entirely through an exchange of handwritten words. 

     

     Nels and I kept the postman busy in each city, (Vancouver and Moncton) delivering our notes of love. 

     In later years, my children asked me why I did not keep such interesting treasures. Looking back, I think the cost of shipping prevented me from even considering it. 

     I like the month of February. 

     Could it be because it’s my birthday month? 

     As a child, it was always exciting to reach another age bracket. But as we age, I’m not so sure we feel the same excitement. I wonder why? 

     January — a happy beginning with special birthdays throughout our family. 

• Krista, my oldest granddaughter; soon to hit 40, (sorry for revealing truth); 

• Merle, my 92-year-old sister; 

• Gordon, my 101-year-old brother-in-law; 

• Carolyn, my daughter-in-law, 59;

• David, my son and webmaster for my blog 

• February will bring more birthdays, 

• to daughter-in-law Lisa; 

• grandson, Jonathan; 

• daughter, Debi. 

     This being Debi’s birthday weekend, I had the joy of celebrating her life with my two loving daughters Karen and Debi. 

     A delicious, seafood dinner at local restaurant, Zabbs’, followed by an overnight girls’ time. 

     Relaxing with a fun game, Ticket to Ride, then catch up time with jovial conversation and then later on, mellowing out with some serious talk and thoughts before retiring. 

     Wow! I am so blessed to have a large family. Birthdays are special and should be recognized, as we have been so uniquely crafted in our mother’s womb by the greatest designer of all time — our Heavenly Father. (Psalm 139:13-14). 

     

     Did the groundhog see his shadow? Are we to have another six weeks of winter? 

     Perhaps it depends solely on where we live. I heard it has been 132 years that the groundhog had be commissioned with determining how long our winters will last. 

     As my last blog revealed, I am progressing through this winter by semi-hibernating, while not neglecting my designated activities. 

     I believe every life needs spells of calm. 

     Every life needs expanses of time when nothing much occurs. Perhaps, once in awhile, I need to sit quietly in the same place and gaze upon static things — a grey sky without clouds, or a still blanket of soft snow covering the hedge of trees near my back patio. 

     Have I ever thought what it would be like to not have a sky above my head or to not have the freedom or ability to see it? Do I, at times, miss the blessing of noticing little things? 

     We all can be too busy, regardless of where we are in our life’s journey. 

     In a recent survey, some children were asked what their greatest wish was for their family. Their answers were not for more money or more things, but more time for family togetherness. 

     That's not easy to attain in our demanding world. I have been there, done that. 

     But who can argue with the awesomeness of a child’s wisdom? 

     Into our new year, occasionally our usual optimism may be found wanting. People are craving peace in today’s world. 

     Recently, I heard from two young women,“I just want peace! Where do I find it?”  

     How wonderful that we can direct them to Jesus’ peace that … "transcends all understanding, as it guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). 

     I am slowly learning to avoid anxious thoughts that steal my peace.   

     I sent the following poem to Nels during our early courting days. 

     

     Now, I reprint it here as a Valentine tribute and precious memory.   

Because Your Life Touched Mine   

We met as casual strangers, and in the usual way, 

We said, “I’m pleased to meet you,” for want of more to say. 

But soon there came a feeling that something mighty fine 

Within my soul was growing, because your life touched mine.  

So as the passing moments developed into days,

I found myself reflecting, upon your kindly ways 

And all the time this feeling, that something mighty fine, 

Within my soul keeps growing, because your life touched mine. 

Your life of true devotion, and your determined will, 

Shall be my inspiration, to climb the steepest hill 

To fight the hardest battle, to keep myself in line 

And be a loyal Christian, because your life touched mine.      

                   

— beulah