Today is my least favorite holiday. I never have (at least since I was the age of 10, probably) and am not sure I will ever be excited about Valentine's Day. However, something happened today that made me look at this "holiday" a little differently.

A close friend of mine is having some issues with one of her children. This said child is a teenager and my friend is ready to send him away. The behaviors and the fighting has become such a stress that she feels she can no longer bear it. Love. This is a love between a mother and a child, not an infatuation or lust, but love.

This made me realize, today isn't about what Hallmark or any other conglomerate says it is. I question whether or not they themselves know the true meaning of love. Unconditional love.

You see, no matter what my past experiences with this "love holiday" have been, many years ago, my true love gave His life for me. He knew every mistake, tantrum, failure, success, tear and fear that I would live through long before He spread His arms wide for me. It didn't matter. In fact, it is because of my short comings (and there are MANY) that my loving Father sent Him to die for me in the first place. This Man, who is the best of everything, died for me, the worst of everything, because I am mercifully loved!!

So, as parents when things are at their worst, God already knows. He has felt the pain when His children have disappointed Him or been disobedient. The difference is in the reaction. He mercifully gave us His only Son to die for our disobedience so that we may be righteous in His eyes and receive the gift of eternal life!

As parents we cannot offer such a gift to our own children, but we can love them despite the disappointment. We can choose to push forward, mercifully forgive our children, just as our Heavenly Father has forgiven us. We can seek His face for answers and paths to take in order to help our children when they are in trouble. We can draw resurrection strength from Him and we can rest in His arms!