WOW! This is my 100th blog entry! Give-Away time! Hopefully these fun prizes will help with a fun Valentine's Day at your home. I've included a photo of the entire prize and then took photos with the items closer. Here's what we have:
Candy: Red Vines, Strawberry Whoppers, Hershey's Kisses, heart ornament filled with mini Butterfinger and Reese's, Extra brand gum
Scrapbook Supplies: stickers, paper flowers, notecards, ribbon
Baking: Fun plate, heart shaped cookie cutters
Baby and mom: Valentine Gorilla and Valentine crocodile for baby. For mom: mittens (warm hands = warm heart) and reusable red bag (reusable = loving our planet)
Here's the scoop:
Leave a comment sharing one way we can spread love this Valentine's Day anytime from now until Friday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m.
Yes, I will pay for shipping!
No, I don't need to know you to win! (So tell your friend, sister, mom and if they win, hopefully they will share with you!)
Now the reason:
I found this quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley that I love:
"When I was a little boy, we children traded paper hearts at school on Valentine's Day. At night we dropped them at the doors of our friends, stamping on the porch and then running in the dark to hide.
Almost without exception those valentines had printed on their face, "I love you." I have since come to know that love is more than a paper heart. Love is of the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is more than the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arches across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family, friends, church and neighbors.
I am one who believes that love, like faith, is a gift from God.
(President Gordon B. Hinckley, "And the Greatest of These is Love," Ensign, March 1984, p.3.)
Powerful thought. I encourage you to read that quote again. Sincere love is powerful.
I appreciate the association I have with you. It is through friendships that our lives are enriched. This small give-away is just one way I've chosen to share love this Valentine's Day.
Lurkers are always welcome, but it is through the written word (comments!) that friendships blossom...
20 comments:
Cori! I am so glad that you emailed me in your "mass" emails. When I heard about Pres. Hinkley, I had a small smile on my face. All I could picture was the celebration that must be going on in heaven right now. That would be amazing to see. How proud Heavenly Father and Jesus are of our dear Prorphet. He will be miss, won't he?
Hey Cori –
I am amazed at your journaling and loved reading over your blog. Thank you for sharing it with me. I also enjoy getting to know Molly every time she comes to baby sit for us. The kids love her.
When I think of love there are two things that I think of. The first is something that was told at a fireside years ago. The speaker said that we can show what kind of disciple of Christ we are by the way we treat and love others. As I have pondered that statement over the years I have come to realize how true the comment was. The greatest commandments that we have been given are to love the Savior and love each other. I try to think of this comment when I see others struggling. It isn’t always easy – but it is always worth sharing the love.
The second is a book I read called “The Five Love Languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman. The things that I learned have strengthened all of my relationships. I know my “love tanks” are full and I work hard to make sure that my friends and family are loved in the ways that they need it so their tanks can be full as well. If you haven’t already read the book I highly recommend it – it is easy reading.
Trish
whoo hoo-you have a blog too! YAY!
My family tends to show love through our actions. There are plenty of words, but it is our actions that back it up.
I love the small things that my children do for each other and for their parents.
Recently my two older sons have been giving me spontaneous shoulder rubs when they can see that Mom is having a hard day.
Leah leaves love notes for everyone all around the house-even in the bathroom!
Matthew knows he has the cutest smiles with the deepest dimples, so he knows that he can charm anyone, no matter what kind of day they are having.
Have a happy, fantabulous Valentine's Day (and everyday!)with your family!!!
Cori,
I'll try this again...I am hoping that the computer is showing me love today and will take my comment.
The way I show my love is by trying to help "those" who can't help themselves. I am a HUGE sucker for animals in distress. I hate it and it makes me cry deep inside and out...but animals are so like little children that I am compelled to try to help them. I show them love by trying to find their owners or whatever I can do. Jesus said, "Even as ye have done it to the least of these, ye have done it unto me." That's how I show love...I try hard to care for those who can't do it for themselves. :)
Hi Cori!
You are a light in our lives! What a wonderful gift of optimism and cheer you have. :)
My suggestion for giving loving service on Valentine's Day is to serve in the temple. (And if anyone would like an opportunity to do so, a small group of us are going to the Mesa Temple on Valentine's Day. We would love to have more join us! We'll be leaving R.R. at 6:30 AM and hope to be back before 2:30 PM. Call me if you are interested!)
Thanks again for your help this week. Sometimes I need "a little help from my friends" :)
Love, -Mary->
Thank you for sharing. I love having the opportunity to see what you and your beautiful family are up to.
You have also inspired me to update my blog - It's just for recipes. If you ever need something new to cook you might want to take a quick look.
DentlerFamFoodies@blogspot.com
Cheryl
We have so many ways to share our love it is hard to pick just one.
I will share a way Greg and I shared our love while we were living in Hawaii.
We went to a retirement home on the northshore and spoke to the staff about whom we could visit that did not have many visitors but would welcome a new friend.
We met a wonderful gentleman named Frank Ritter who had suffered a stroke it was hard to understand his speech but we could tell he was a sweet man and had accomplished many things in his life one being a retired Colonel in the military. Every week we visited Frank at the retirement home and he even came to our wedding reception on the AirForce base in Honolulu.
Frank passed away a number of years ago and we miss him dearly but we remember him in our hearts.
I encourage you to cultivate a new friendship with someone in need and share your love with them.
Melissa
I have something a little more specific to share.
For most people when they think about Valentine's Day they think about going to a nice dinner with their spouse. At our house it is a little different. I had a dear friend many many years ago when my kids were just tiny who taught me that for her Valentine's Day was a day to show love, and not just to our spouses. She spent that day with the people she loved the most - her husband AND her children.
I have followed suit. Eric and I do have a special date, but it is never on Valentine's Day. Instead I make a super fancy meal, set the table really beautifully, and we sit down as a family for a candlelit dinner. I always buy sparkling cider and get out the fancy champagne glasses. The kids always feel super special, but that is the whole point. To show an outward expression of love to those that we love the most.
Hi Cori,
You have a great blog! I really need to get into the blogging world!
I think one of the best ways to show love to everyone is by simply giving them a SMILE. But there's something even better than that...it's a HUG. If you know me, you know I love hugs!!! Happy Valentines Day!
Steph
Cori, my idea for Valentine's Day love would be to be nice and uplifting to those around us. I found this good quote--it is long--but thought it said kind of what I mean. Patty
By Mary Ellen Edmunds, Love Is a Verb, 1-10:
"I first learned about verbs from my third-grade teacher, Nellie Higbee. Verbs, she said, were action words like kick, run, hit, jump, bite, scream, and fly. The word love seemed more like a noun to me in those days. But gradually I began to realize that love is a verb as well. Love is doing. It's action.
Love without service, like faith without works, is dead.
***
Love is not only your sacks of groceries, your words, your clothing, your time, your loaf of bread--it's you. You have no idea how often you may rescue someone just by your countenance, the love that shines from your eyes. Maybe people can come close to you and feel safe--you provide a refuge. ***
If we could really figure out how to love, we wouldn't need a whole lot of other commandments. Not only would we reach out as we were able, but we in turn would receive help and comfort and the lightening of a burden when we needed it. Imagine--we would fill the world with love, until finally there simply wasn't room for unkindness, hate, contention, anger, impatience, envy, and other things that make us sick and sad. No one would be hungry or thirsty, physically or spiritually, for lack of attention and care. Wouldn't that be worth giving our time and our lives to?"
Cori,
Hi! We haven't talked in a while. I'm so glad you included us in your list of emails.
Well, I don't have anything super extraordinary, but here goes....Growing up I was always teased for making EVERY holiday a big party. As I married and became a parent I've tried to continue that tradition. Even when money is tight, I've been known to make yummy, fun shaped pancakes with our food storage. But the point I think is "time"! Valentine's Day has always been a family affair (and a spouse affair!). And we've enjoyed this very fun day as a family (and couple).
Recently I found a study where children were asked what love means. My favorite was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's
yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'. Isn't that AWESOME? This morning You will see me still in my pajamas. In fact, everyone in our house is still in pajamas. And, for good reason. Our son, woke this morning with a fever, devastated that he was going to miss "Pajama Day" at school, once I told him he had to stay home. So, I said we can have "Pajama Day" here at home. With tears in his eyes he cried,"Oh, thank you mom. That will work." My heart melted, along with my arm as I squeezed 102 degrees of a little boy. Since, you posed this question with a quote from our beloved prophet, I'll answer with a quote from another beloved prophet. " We are all expecting to live together after death. I think we all as parents and children ought to take all the pains we can to make each other happy as long as we live that we may have nothing to regret"-Wilford Woodruff. I can't say it any better than a prophet. Many happy love days to you and your family.
Love always!
Thanks for the opportunity to read your great blogs. I think I will book mark your page and visit again! =). I'm supposed to leave a comment about love, but I'm not very poetic with words. So here are a few quotes from other people I thought you might enjoy!
"Love is not blind, it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less."
Rabbi Julius Gordon
"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."
Sir James Barrie
"What ever souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
Emily Bronte
I received this lovely comment in my email and told Susan I would add it for her!
"I will celebrate Valentine's Day by going down to church on Friday morning for the shower program. We provide showers; clean clothes; a hot meal; haircuts if a barber shows up; minimal care if a nurse shows up twice a week, on Monday and Friday mornings for 80 to 100 homeless men, women and children. So I will scour my house for towels that are a little ragged for me, but perfect for the showers, all the little soaps and shampoos from motels, go to Costco and get some bags of socks, buy some valentines and little tins of fruit and maybe fresh fruit. The homeless don't eat many sweets because if they do have teeth, they're bad. And then I will sit and visit with them because sometimes they need a friend as much as they need food. And then I will come home and count my blessings."
Love, Susie
Here is another comment that was sent to my email from my dear friend Janie.
"What a wonderful surprise and a great idea!!! Hearing from you with this; just made my day. I loved reading about your family and seeing the pictures. Your children are really growing up. I think you have started a great idea and I plan to share it with my daughter-in-laws. In YW this Sunday we plan on doing a special on Pres. Hinckley to honor him. What a great prophet! This made me think and realize that Valentines is a great time to think of all your family and friends (not just the ones around you) so on that day, I plan to call or send a note to some of them that I haven't been in contact with for a long time just to say hello and how much I care for them and hope it may brighten their day as you have mine. Thanks so much! Love, Janie
Being such a techno idiot the best way I can think of to show love on Valentine's day is to actually go on line and read my friend's blog and to take that nest giant step of leaving a comment. Talk about scary! So happy Valentine's day Miss Cori! By the way your blog is fantabulous! You may have made a blog believer of me.
Cori, this is such a wonder4ful idea! We always share Valentine's together as a family. The kids always get a nice Valentine, and a goodie. We then spend the evening eating a good meal at home with eachother. I can't think of a better way than I would want to spend this special day, than with my kids, and Steve.
What an awesome quote from President Hinckley. I love Jann's comment about there must be some big celebration going on in heaven. Makes me teary eyed just thinking about it.
I just stopped by to add you to my blog list so I can find you easier.
I hope your valentines day is full of love.
I try to spread it out through the year, so as not to give my family a heart attack with it all in one day. LOL! All of your comments have made me think a little deaper about the whole thing though. It was nice to read.
Today I was at the grocery store with the kids, and elderly man was beind us in line. He had a bandaid on his arm, which Kyra quickly noticed and said "He has an owiee". She then asked "Did his mommy kiss it and make it all better?" I reassured her he was fine, but I guess she wanted to make sure, and blew him a kiss, to catch and put on his arm. He smiled and said thank you. To me love is the small things we do to help lighten anothers day.
Thanks for the email, I would have hated to miss the deadline. So many comments, maybe I will have to copy your idea for my blog. So many readers, but never enough comments! What a fun idea. We've never been done that much for Valentine's day per se. But the quote and comment left me thinking about love. One of the greatest loves I can think of is our Heavenly Father's love for us. It's absolute and perfect! Yet, it seems like sometimes we all struggle to know that He loves us, or don't feel it as we should. I think then that it's as "simple" as that. Finding ways to serve others to remind them of their Heavenly Father's love. Like Christmas, valentine's day could serve as a day to remind us to do better, or make a special effort.
Here's another comment that was sent to my email from my friend JoAnne.
"Here is how I plan to show love this month and hopefully will develop the habit to do it always...
1. I will remind those around me of their divine potential.
2. I will live in such a way that my inner convictions will mirror my outward actions.
3. I will listen, really listen. Not just with my ears, but with my heart.
4. I will look at others the way our Heavenly Father does.
5. I will hug without being the first to let go.
6. I will bear another burden without feeling burdened.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
Love.
What is love?
No one can define it.
Yes, love is beyond
what man can define.
For love is immortal.
And God's gift is divine.
(author unknown)
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