Random Acts of Love: Loving the Lonely

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 ~Mother Teresa

So yesterday I celebrated Random Acts of Kindness week by committing Random Acts of Love.

I got to thinking: In my lifetime I have had precisely three significant others on Valentines Day. Each relationship ended in an un-loving, messy, extremely hurtful situation. I did not enter any of those relationships with the good counsel of friends, family, or most importantly, God.

So yet another Valentines Day was about to round itself out, dismissed as "Singles Awareness Day" when my mom made the comment,

"When I was in elementary school I used to get Valentines that said 'I hate you' or 'Drop Dead.' I hated Valentines Day."

Oh Mama! My mom, though imperfect, and broken, is one of the sweetest, kindest, most heart hurt person I know.

I've experienced similar cruelties from Children, and adults, and I'm sure others have too.

I know many people in retirement homes are left there, forgotten.

Children in Hospitals are without their friends in school. No Valentines Day Mail Boxes or classroom parties.

There are people in this world who don't have significant others either. Some because of divorce, or breakup, or death. Some have lost their children, or their parents.

There are professions that are taken for granted as we pass through a drive through, or the checkout counter at the grocery store.

How many people do you pass by as "scenery" every day?

Oh look at all the lonely people -The Beatles

Well the Lord told us to take care of the motherless and the widows. Deut 10:18

So I spent my Valentines Day in an attempt to give at least one person a Valentine, who otherwise would not get one.

Valentines went to the Church Office



Flowers went to a Retirement Center with the express instruction of delivering them to someone who did not receive flowers this Valentines Day.



I bought some McDonalds Valentines vouchers I was going to give to the homeless man who hangs out by the off ramp, but when I read the back of them, it said they were only redeemable by children of 12 and under. Sux.

Hats I crocheted were dropped off at the Children's Hospital. On my way to pay my parking ticket I delivered a Justin Bieber Valentine to the Parking Attendant. She gave me my dollar back and said "No Charge" (YES!)



I gave the McDonalds Coupons to a family that was leaving the hospital.

Cupcakes and Brownies were delivered to the secretary's at the school I went to, where my Dad works, I did my Student Teaching, and I Substitute Teach at. (I learned how to use an icing piper. Whoot!)



I put over 30 valentines on the windshields of cars in a parking lot.



We gave a Valentine to the waitress after dinner.

How many people are forgotten on Valentines Day? How many people are hurting?

I didn't see many of the faces that received the Valentines gifts. In my mind and imagination, I hope they have the warm comforting sense that someone loves them.

And Someone does. The Someone who is greater than all someones put together. The Someone who comforts, and helps you get through your days.

God loves you. You are greatly, most magnificently loved, even when you don't feel it.

I pray that God wrapped his arms around those people when they received the gifts. I hope that, if only for a moment, they felt the love of God.

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me

~Mathew West