Love is in the Air

As we approach Valentine's Day, the marriage counselor in me has mixed feelings about this day. On the one hand, love is a beautiful thing, and letting that special person in your life know that you love them is a great thing to do. On the other hand, the way our society looks at love is pretty pathetic. The media (and a lot of men I work with) have a difficult time distinguishing between love and sex. Popular culture talks about love as a feeling, or something you fall into. You don't fall in love, you fall in ditches, potholes, and open manhole covers. Love is an action, a choice, something you grow into with another person. Check out 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible, the greatest description of love in my opinion, and notice how much involves feelings and how much involves commitment, action, and attitude.
So do we scrap Valentine's Day because our culture is so warped? No, I think we need to transform it and how we talk about love. Celebrate the day with your spouse or sweetheart if you have one. But put more of your time, effort, and prayer into what you do to love your spouse or sweetheart on a daily basis.
Let me also suggest that you rent or buy a copy of the movie Fireproof. If your marriage is doing well, it will encourage you. If your marriage is struggling, it will give you practical suggestions and insights on how to get your marriage back on track.
Blessings,
Dr. Paul