I remember one Valentine’s Day in my early 20s. My ex-husband (emphasis on ex) lovingly gave me a pair of running shoes.

For the most romantic day of the year.

Bless him.

I laced those running shoes up & took myself to the store & bought myself some chocolate.

Why he thought I needed running shoes I’ll never know. I was all of 120 pounds soaking wet.

Clearly he was not speaking my love language.

Today we will be bombarded with declarations of undying love for our sweethearts. And adorable pictures.

Keep them coming, I love reading them!

What love looks like for me has changed over the years.

I’ve changed in the ways I give it & receive it, it seems.

I remember one year I was in high school. Had a boyfriend. He had a really cool car.

He did not send me anything to school like all the other boyfriends did.

I was devastated. And embarrassed.

We didn’t last long, not because he neglected me on the big day, because he was a jerk in many other ways & I figured it out quickly.

My husband (not the ex) sent me beautiful red roses while we were dating. I can still picture them. Heck I probably took a picture of them!

He was definitely speaking my love language.

Don’t get me wrong, I would adore roses if he sent them these days.

But I’m not devastated when he doesn’t.

Sometimes love looks like lunch at the Cracker Barrel two days before the big day because that’s when you could slip away. And who doesn’t love the Cracker Barrel lunch specials?

Sometimes love looks like doing your teenager’s laundry (that she is normally responsible for) to surprise her & bless her.

Sometimes love looks like helping clean up a floor full of legos when your 4 year old is overwhelmed with the mess she made.

Sometime love looks like sending in popsicles to your kids’ preschool class.

Sometimes love looks like vacuuming & scrubbing toilets when you’d rather be out shopping.

Sometimes love looks like your mom bringing you a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper because they were on sale & she knows how much you love them.

Sometimes love looks like your dad sharing info about a new supplement he researched & bringing you a bottle to try.

Sometimes love looks like your in laws picking your kids up from school so you can be at the hospital with your sister.

Sometimes love looks like over looking grumpy moods & offering grace.

Sometimes love looks like forgiving even when it’s not asked for.

Sometimes love looks like a man, not just any man, the son of God, suffering a horrible death, to offer you life.

Sometimes love looks like accepting & being grateful for all the love that is offered to you.

Happy Valentines Day.

You are loved!