Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything. – Katherine Hepburn

Rebekah and I enjoyed our Valentine’s Day in the quiet, understated way we have grown accustomed to over the years. It’s always an interesting day to navigate, because while I have never been able to buy into its artificial, contrived, manipulative and commercial trappings, the day is still about love and love is absolutely worth celebrating.

It helps that just ten days ago Rebekah and I celebrated the anniversary of our first date (February 4, 1977). Having done that, everything else falls into place and anything additional via Valentine’s Day is gravy.

Besides, one more bouquet of flowers is going to come with good vibes regardless. So I did two, plus a few good words on a simple card.

At the store the other day I saw a guy standing in front of a Valentine’s display.

“It’s hard to find something that’s not stupid,” I laughed. “That’s right,” he responded, “there’s nothing here.”

“I try to find something that skips the words altogether,” I told him. “That way I can write my own.” “No. Thank. You.” He shot back, quickly. “She doesn’t want to know what I’m thinking.”

I think I scared the guy a little bit. He obviously did not want the responsibility of words. But here’s the thing; nobody knows how we feel any better than we do. So why not write and share the honest authentic contents of our hearts?

If I have said this once I have said it a thousand times. The most effective witness we have to anything is our own authentic story.

You may be getting ready to tell your wife how you feel about her, or thinking about sharing Jesus with a friend. Regardless, its not fancy words so much as authenticity that gets the job done. We don’t need the cheap sentiments or the catch phrases, what we need is a story worth telling.

For me and Rebekah, it’s a love story that keeps growing. Not because of glitz or chocolates or Valentine’s bling, but because we are honest, and authentic and sincere and we are not afraid to let it show.

Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. – 1 John 4:7-9