"How would we celebrate your national holiday?"

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Once there was a bishop in the church named Valentine. Valentine was known far and wide for showing love to others. It was illegal for him to proclaim his belief in a loving God, but Valentine did so publicly. His loving actions landed him in jail on charges of treason to the government.

But he shared God’s love with his jailer who started believing in God. He even fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. He sent her cards with clovers made into hearts which read, “From Your Valentine.”

The legend of Valentine’s displays of God’s love only spread more after his death. So much that he was made a saint and a day was declared for us all to share God’s love—St. Valentine’s Day.

Share God’s love with others today, not just your family, but people you don’t even know. As you pass them in the hall at work or on the street, say, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” And as you do, do so as if today were named after you.

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"Do you know how much God loves you?"

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A good friend of mine wrote recently. I was with him for his daughter’s wedding and later for his wife’s funeral. So we’ve shared in some of life’s special times. In fact, he and his wife gave my wife and me tickets to an Eagles concert to enjoy, knowing they’re my favorite rock band of all time.

Well, he recently wrote to say, “I’ve met someone special.” Then he went on to tell me something really special about this woman is that she loves horses and has several of her own. Well, you know that I became excited when I read that because my wife and I love horses and live on a horse farm. So that was wonderful…

..and then he wrote that he thought she might be special and recently found out for sure. It seems she gave him two tickets to an Eagles concert in the same city my wife and I saw them.

Isn’t it amazing how out of all of the zillion and gazillion possibilities there are in life, the very special, best, and most meaningful ones happen like that? I guess they happen to show you just how much God loves you, don’t you?

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"What beauty is growing in front of you?"

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A few months ago, I shared a story with you about a friend of mine who lives on a golf course. We sat on his back porch, enjoying the beautiful day, when I noticed the hedge growing around his backyard. He said that they usually kept it cut down so they could enjoy the beautiful golf course, but since the course was in disrepair, they let it grow up. The hedge, by the way, was hibiscus—a beautiful, tropical flowering hedge.

Well, a friend who listens to life with us through www.ListentoLife.org wrote to say, “The hedge kept under control would sprout flowers, but wouldn’t produce the kinds of flowers that it will once they let it go. They can see hundreds of beautiful, colorful flowers instead of just well-maintained grass.

“Sometimes we look over the beauty right in front of us because we’re looking beyond that for something that’s more expensive or fancy when right in front of us is what’s really beautiful.”

God places beauty under your nose every day of your life. Look around you and find it as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today.

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"What do you pay more attention to?"

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My seven-year-old nephew and I were watching a football game together. One of the players lost a shoe and had to leave the game.

The player came back on the field and his shoe looked…well, different. My nephew said something about it and I looked more carefully. The player was in such a hurry to get back on the field that the athletic trainer didn’t have time to tape the shoe back on, securing it up his ankle. So the guy runs back on the field to play with one shoe taped up and the other untapped…which is why it looked different.

We figured this out and my nephew said, “I thought he had mismatched shoes on” and we laughed about it.

That same player with the different shoes ran the ball on the very next play. He broke several tackles and almost scored. And my nephew said, “I guess it doesn’t matter whether his shoes match or not if he can run like that.”

Today avoid paying attention to the outward appearances in your life. Focus on the results you get. That’s one way to make a life, and not just a living.

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"Are you having fun?"

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Are you trying to do it all? I’m sure you can. I’m sure you can do it all. What I’m not so sure about is if you can do it all at the same time or all by yourself.

Life is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. But you may be running it as a sprint and that’s all right for a day or two…but after a while you wear down. Your mind isn’t as sharp. You become grouchy. Your spirit is downcast.

Sure do it all, have it all, be it all in life. Squeeze every precious drop from every minute of every day. But if you’re going to enjoy life while you get it all, you’re going to have to give up control of some things and ask for help. An orchestra achieves harmony by playing different notes in rhythm. You’re going to have to value friendships and give attention, energy, and time to those people you like. You’re going to have to laugh a lot, especially at yourself.

You’re going to have to let go and let God. Spend time talking with God daily. Laugh at the little things around you. Watch a baby toddling around the mall. And listen to life so you can make a life, not just a living.

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