That’s me. Sitting there with a red bow in my hair while my Valentine Hubby was taking pictures for me. He was a gallant Valentine today giving me my choice of things to do. We went to eat with these special friends from many years. I do not spend very much time with them now. The mechanics of going and coming have gotten to be hard for me to physically do. For instance, I tried to get in the van with them, but had to give up. Just could not step that high. Oh, yes, of course they had a special step for me. Just couldn’t hoist myself up there! So Sammy took me in the car.

Let me remind you of my last blog where I said something like “we should do special things sometimes just because we want to please Jesus.” I said, “Let’s acknowledge some accountability to our covenant relationship to love him back. Do you want to please him?” I did not feel like I was tying that into the process of our receiving salvation, or salvation by works. But I guess it came too close to that. I took a survey with the group today. Only about forty percent of them responded to my question about whether or not they were motivated by wanting to please the Lord.

Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Well, I love him so I think I should at lease strive to keep his commandments – or at least try to please him. Well, that’s my opinion. 😀 Actually I’m not to sure we don’t all have some basic points that could be called “works” that we expect. In the first place, we have to ask. Isn’t that a work?

We can get so caught up in theological speech! No wonder some find Christianity hard to understand. I’m glad Jesus only asks us to come as little children. Hearts open and full of trust as they sing, “Into my heart, into my heart, come into my heart, Lord Jesus.”

A bit more for the Valentine mood. Excerpts from my mother’s autograph book from about a hundred years ago.

1. My hair won’t stay in place, I have freckles on my face,But just the same, my heart beats true, for some one so lovely- like you.
2. Remember the dear old school days, when you and I were young, We used to pull each other’s hair – and chew each other’s gum.
3. I’m glad the sky is painted blue and the earth is painted green, I’m glad there’s so much nice fresh air all sandwiched in between.
4. This world is like a mirror, reflecting what you do, And if you face it smiling, it will smile right back at you.
5. I wish you health, I wish you wealth, I wish you gold in store, I wish you Heaven when you die. How could I wish you more?