I am trying a new idea this month. I got it off this site.
Since Valentines day is in February I usually like to make the whole month focused on love. Not the kind of love that buys stuff and is full of commercialized things but the kind of love that comes from Christ. I have tried various ideas in the past years and we do love to do fun things on Valentines day like have pink heart shaped pancakes and trade valentines but I still think the focus should be on the Lord. Loving like Christ loves us.
It is so important for me and my husband to teach Christlike love to our children. The serving kind of love and the selfless love.
This month I decided to try what we call the “love jar”
We decorated a ball jar with a love theme and then I had my boys cut out a bunch of hearts. Cody even tried. By the end Cody had a bunch of little tiny, tiny strips on the floor and table. He was very proud of himself and kept asking me to “yook” (look.)
I put the jar, hearts and a pen where the family can see it in the dining room and throughout the whole month anyone can go pick up a heart and write on it why they love another member of the family then put it in the jar. On Valentines day and February 29 (leap year… I knew someone born on the 29th of Feb!) we are going to pick the hearts out and read them to each other.
Corbin was so cute. He couldn’t wait to write on the first heart. He kept saying, “Isn’t anyone else going to write a heart, I have already written two!?” Mind you it was only like two hours since we created the jar and put it up. He is so full of love. Praise God.
I hope the family likes this idea because if they do I can see it becoming a fun tradition that we look forward to each year.
As I posted here last year, remember John 13:34
“A new commandment I give you, love one another as I have loved you so you must love one another.”
Let’s make February about the Agape kind of love, the love Christ showed us.
~Blessings~
I love how simple and meaningful this is! We have a similar tradition but it is a bit more complicated. I may be changing things up this year. THANK YOU!
You’re welcome Hannah! Enjoy your February 🙂
Very creative! Can friends add to your jar too? 🙂
Thank you Lisa! Yes, friends can add 🙂 We’ve even had extended family stay with us and participate. It’s a lot of fun!
This inspired an activity we did on Valentine’s day! thank you! Since we hadn’t planned ahead, on the actual day, we each said something encouraging and or what we love about a person (and wrote these things onto a card for that person to keep). It was sweet way to connect. Your intentional ways to ‘show’ love as an action bear fruit. Miss you guys! (hugs)
I LOVE this idea! What a great way to affirm our love and show appreciation for each other. I may just try to incorporate it in our Valentine/February family traditions! <3