How deep is your love?

 Guest Blog by Emily Cook

Today is “Sweetest Day”. I’ve been thinking about what exactly this ‘holiday’ means to me. A few years ago it used to mean that I would want a really thoughtful card with a heartfelt message scribed by my sweetie, maybe some flowers or a gift and a nice dinner. This year though, someone asked me if I was planning anything special for this day and I replied ‘I doubt it…I like to think every day is sweetest day in my house’. After having said that though, I decided I wanted to know what the real origin of sweetest day was. Turns out, contrary to popular belief about it being a holiday made up by card companies to boost revenue, it’s actually been around for almost 100 years. 

This is what proflowers.com has to say about Sweetest Day.

So what is Sweetest Day? Sweetest Day is a day on which we celebrate romance, love, and friendship, showing our appreciation for friends, family, and co-workers with bouquets of flowers, gifts, candies, and other tokens of affection. But it wasn't always this way... Depending on whom you believe, the first Sweetest Day was either the idea of philanthropist/candy company employee Herbert Birch Kingston, or it was planned by a team of twelve confectioners who dubbed themselves "The Sweetest Day of the Year Committee."
In any case, the first Sweetest Day took place in Cleveland, Ohio (hence its popularity in the American heartland) in the early 1920s. It was an occasion not to give gifts to sweethearts and family necessarily, but to give to the less fortunate of the city: its orphans, shut-ins, and charitable institutions.While it has yet to take its place alongside Valentine's Day as a holiday for pure romance, it grows in popularity each year, as people raised with the Sweetest Day tradition tend to carry it with them into new towns and even countries.No matter your feelings about Sweetest Day, one thing is certain: a day for people to be romantic, kind, or just to show their appreciation is always a good thing.

How is it that a day that started out with such a noble cause of doing nice deeds for those less fortunate then yourself has turned into a day where people feel forced to be romantic and kind. Shouldn’t we be trying to do this every day?

I used to be a huge sucker for romantic comedies. I could watch one every day and there are some I could watch over and over. 5 or 6 years ago I was convinced that men like those depicted in these kinds of movies really existed and that I wouldn’t be happy until I found and married one. Well, then I met the man who would become my husband. This man would rather buy 5 quarts of oil to change the oil in my car then a bunch of flowers that will die in a week anyway. He’ll probably never write me a poem or sing sappy love songs and that’s ok. He does know what kind of ice cream I like, doesn’t groan when I turn on yet another cake-decorating show and he knows just how to tuck the blanket under my feet when they are cold. When I really think about all the ways he shows his love for me on a daily basis, I’m overwhelmed and humbled. I still watch the occasional chick flick but I no longer feel the need for that kind of man to make me happy.

What about the relationship I have with God? What kind of expectations do I have from Him? Sometimes I wonder why He doesn’t give me everything I want or think I can’t live without. In those times, I am gently reminded to take a step back, get over myself and think about how my life really is pretty great. 

The best thing happened when I asked God to be the Lord of my life and live forever in my heart….and He said yes!! From that point on, I have become more thankful for what God does provide and not bitter or angry things I don’t have. I want to live my life so that people know I have this great God in my life and he blesses me more than I could ever even begin to know.

“How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch his treasure.”

Father thank you for the depth of your love. Thank you for the roof over my head and the food on my plate. Thank you for my husband and my family and friends. Thank you that I have job and a car that runs. Thank you for the sun when it shines and the sky when it rains. Thank you that I live in a country where I am free to worship you and share the love I have for you with others. Thank you for allowing your love to change my heart in ways I never would have imagined. Lord, please help me to continue to remain humble towards the things you are doing in my life and give me opportunities to share You with others. Emily