Linkses

* T.L. has been on a big of a blogging craze lately, which means that she's contributed way more posts to the blogosphere in the last few weeks than we're usually privileged to enjoy. (In other words, I check her blog sporadically and had a lot of catching up to do today!) I particularly recommend her commentary that she called "Through a Child's Eyes."

* Bob Kauflin had a great post on Feb 13 called "How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count The Ways." He starts off:

This morning the Washington Post business section ran a column called, "To Me,
With Love: Retailers Embrace Valentine's Day as an Excuse for Singles to
Celebrate Themselves." Among other interesting facts, the article reports that
Piperlime, an online shoe store owned by Gap, has a "Be your own Valentine"
category. Sales are strong for Valentine's Day gifts you can give to the person
you love the most - yourself.

One of the first things it reminded me of is a Sex and the City episode where Carrie decides that it's not fair that singles don't get all the gifts that married people get for weddings, honeymoons and baby showers. So she sends out notification that she's getting married to herself and the scene closes with her contentedly strutting around in her $485 Manolos that a couple sent to her. Granted, a lot of Sex and the City is a bit extreme for this country girl, but the hyperbole highlights what turns out to be "the lowest common denominator" of my heart and theirs.

Kauflin has a great reminder for anybody -- single or otherwise -- as we leave behind this V-Day week:

In specific ways, the Gospel liberates us from the lie, lure, and lameness of self-love. First, it shows me God's love is better than mine. "The Gospel assures me that the love of God is infinitely superior to any love that I could ever give to myself. 'Greater love has no one than this,' says Jesus while speaking of His love" (p. 33). My fickle, sin-stained, temporary love will never compare to God's eternal and unchanging displayed in the atoning sacrifice of his Son. Do I think I can love myself better than God can or does? If so, I'm grossly deceived.

Second, the Gospel shows me that God is more worthy of love than me. "The gospel reveals to me the breathtaking glory and loveliness of God, and in so doing, it lures my heart away from love of self and leaves me enthralled by Him instead. The more I behold God's glory in the gospel, the more lovely He appears to me. And the more lovely He appears, the more self fades into the background like a former love interest who can no longer compete for my affections" (p. 34). I can be tempted to think that I should be loved more. But if I'm in Jesus Christ, I can't be loved any more than I already am (Rom. 8:38-39)! No, God is the one who should be loved more. I should spend my time making sure that people love God, not me.