My Favorite Valentine

You Ask Why I Follow This Jesus?

Why I love Him the way I do?

When the world's turned away from His teachings

And the people who serve Him are few.

It's not the rewards I'm after

Or gifts that I hope to receive

It's the Presence that calls for commitment

It's the Spirit I trust and believe.

The Lord doesn't shelter His faithful

Or spare them all suffering and pain,

Like everyone else I have burdens,

And walk through my share of rain.

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose,

And that joy only Christians have known,

I never know what comes tomorrow,

But I do know I'm never alone.

It's the love always there when you need it;

It's the words that redeem and inspire,

It's the longing to ever be with Him

That burns in my heart like a fire.

So you ask why I love my Lord Jesus?

Well, friend, that's so easy to see,

But the one thing that fills me with wonder is

Why Jesus loves someone like me.

~ Author Unknown ~

30 Top Romantic Movies

In honor of Valentine's Day I thought I would post the top 30 romantic movies.

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pride and Predjudice
3. Pretty Woman
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless In Seattle
6. An Officer and a Gentleman
7. The Notebook
8. Bridget Jone's Diary
9. Bull Durham
10. Casablanca
11. The Sound of Music
12. Shakespeare In Love
13. Sense and Sensibility
14. Overboard
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Say Anything
17. Rebecca
18. Breakfast at Tiffany's
19. Ghost
20. Love Actually
21. Notting Hill
22. Moonstruck
23. Somewhere in Time
24. Emma
25. Room With a View
26. The Fabulous Baker Boys
27. Love Story
28. Doctor Zhivago
29. Always
30. The Thorn Birds

and one that hubby and I just saw last weekend... FIREPROOF (great movie)

Oh and French from British Colonial Love Affair reminded me of another romantic movie... "August Rush" I agree, it's a great movie!

I think I'll have hubby build a fire in the fireplace tonight and snuggle up on the couch with my hubby and watch a romantic movie or two. I'm leaning towards the movie "Always" or my favorite movie.."The Notebook".

What movie from the list would you watch??

Happy Valentine's Day & Night! (wink wink)

Darlene

True Love

The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life Friday, so here is my contribution. It's something different than what you normally read on my blog, but something that I've been thinking about alot lately.

Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated across the globe. February 14, every year, is greeted with red roses,chocolate and cards.

Valentine cards are swapped between lovers as a gesture of their love. Parties are arranged and youth flock to Valentine’s Dance parties. Passion runs high on this day of the year.

Why is the world so crazy about Valentine’s Day?
We should not celebrate it on one day only to not remember our love for those around us the rest of the year. What is the true love that has to be remembered and revered by all of us? Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13).

This is the truest, purest and greatest form of love. Does the world remember it like it does Valentine’s Day? I regret to say it does not. Do we ever dance for Jesus, who bled for us that blessed day on the cross to pay for our sins, the entire world’s sins? Do we ever take roses to those lying sick in hospitals and nursing homes to give them hope to live on? Do we ever send cards to tender our apologies to those we may have hurt by our vicious attitudes? Have we contemplated making things right with those whom we are not even on speaking terms? Do we return sweet words when confronted with provocative speech? If the answer to the questions posed above is in the affirmative, might I ask why we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Why is the world is placing a greater premium on Valentine’s Day rather than following the One who loved the world so dearly that He stretched out His hands on the cross and died? Love came into this world but men loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil. I'm sure most of us have encountered people who flatly refused the Gospel and cursed the name of Jesus. Ironically enough, these same individuals enthusiastically participate in Valentine celebrations. It hurts me immensely when I see them opting for observance of a “Love Tradition” instead of embracing the True Love.

Love that gets you eternal love.

The "love" of today makes demands on us; be that a love for a beloved, love for our family, or love for our country. Each kind of love makes demands on the lovers. However, the Love God has for us makes no demands on us. It rather graces us with a gift, which is not sold in the biggest shopping malls of the world. No purse or pocket can pay for it. Eternal life is a gift of God, which comes through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans says: “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

How about giving the gift of eternal life on this Valentine Day? Let’s be different than the world. How about sharing and learning the greatest love of all, a Man who laid down His life for all of us. Love who bled, Love who suffered, Love who died and the Love who rose again to reign forever and evermore.


God Bless You!
Darlene

A Creative Valentine

Instead of going to the store and buying Valentine cards for your loved ones...get creative! It's fun & fairly easy to do! Best of all the person you give it to will be thrilled to know you took the time to do something so personalized for them!

I have done these for birthdays too. In fact I made one for our daughter's 20th birthday and our 12 year old daughter told me that she wanted me to make her one for her birthday...well she just had her birthday a couple weeks ago...and I forgot to make her a candy bar card. Luckily she forgot too! So...guess what she will be getting for Valentine's Day?? Yep, a Valentine's Candy Bar Card!



How to Make a Candy Bar Card

Write down the names of candy bars

Come up with something cute to write using the names of the candy bars

Now, go buy all the candy bars that you will need and a large poster board

Space everything out on the posterboard before you start hot gluing the candy bars. You may want to use your printer to print out your words so that you can cut them to properly fit on the posterboard.



A few ideas to get your creative mind a flowing

My Dearest (Sugar Baby):
Happy Valentines Day. May this bouquet bring you a (Snicker) as you read my message. It will not make you (Chunky) and I am not playing (Twix) on you.
You are my (Bit-O-Honey), you are worth more than a (100 Grand) to me, I get (Goo Goo) eyes every time I see you.
Our (Good-N-Plenty) life together is like shopping on (5th Avenue) on (Pay Day). I wish you (Mounds) of (Almond Joy) on this Valentines Day.
Hugs and Kisses
(Now and Later)

OR if you like you can make a Candy Bouquet like this


and just make a heart shaped card to include the candy bar poem.


Now go have fun & get creative!!

Let me know when you come up with your own creative sayings for your candy bar card.

Decorating for Valentine's Day

Do you decorate your home for Valentine's Day? If so, do you just add a touch of valentine decor or do you go all out for the holiday?

I usually only decorate the table the day or day before Valentine's day. Today I realize it was exactly 1 month until the big day, so I decided to add just a bit of valentine decor. I got the glittery "Love" sign at Hobby Lobby after Christmas for 85% off so it was dirt cheap! I guess it was meant for Christmas, but it screams Valentine's Day to me!! Last year I got a bunch of plastic red hearts from the place my daughter works for $1. You should see how many hearts I have!! They used them as display/decor in the store she works at and they were getting rid of display & decor. I also had a piece of heart fabric that I had bought a few yrs ago that I brought out that I used as a runner. I'm not crazy about the burgundy color vase holding the orchid but for now it will have to do. I think one of these heart shaped topiaries would look pretty stunning! Found these at Overstock.

I actually bought one of these for hubby for valentine's day years ago...but I killed it. I don't have much of a green thumb!

Oh and check these out! I Love these LOVE pillows! I found them here Not sure if they are sold in the US, but if not I'm sure some of you talented women can recreate these!!

I will be sharing a great Valentine's craft for you later this week...so come back & make a great decor item with me!

Oh and please enter my GIVEAWAY here.