Hey friends! Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you’re hanging out with friends or your significant other, I hope you have a great day! Matt and I actually had our valentine date last night – our fancy restaurant was all booked the day of so we celebrated early! But good food is worth it, amiright?

Anyways, this past week I worked on the love language of quality time, which was challenging but fruitful!

I tried (and sometimes failed) to put down my phone during car rides with Matt and have conversations with him instead. Car rides are always a good time to catch up, and I actually learned a few things he had been thinking about when I made an effort to make myself available to listen to him. I need to do that more often!

I tried to be a better listener this week when interacting with my coworkers and ask about what’s going on in their lives. Small talk is an important part of work culture that often gets overlooked, and that’s something I want to cultivate in my workplace!

On Friday, my friend Mary from home happened to be in the area, and she made time in her busy schedule to come over for dinner. I always love having her visit to catch up and it was nice to have some uninterrupted friend time with one of my besties! While I wanted to veg out and watch a show with her, I suggested instead to play one of our favorite games – Dutch Blitz – so we could interact more. It was so fun having her in our home.

On Saturday, I spent some time with girls from our church’s community group, which was great! I got to learn more about their interests and even their sense of humor over breakfast, then hung out with them at a Galentine’s Day event at a nearby store. I made valentines with them, chatted about what they were getting their SO’s or what things in the store were SO hard to resist buying. It was great getting to know them better and having some quality girl time!

I think quality time is so important because it communicates to someone they are worth your full attention and that you value them. I’m going to keep working on that one for a while!

Also, here’s a little example of words of encouragement, since I’ve been working on it for each of the weeks! At the Galentines event, I made a little valentine for the sweet couple that hosts our young adult community group in their home. The rest of the group is going to sign it for them also just to show our appreciate for them. I thought it turned out really cute!

And here’s another I made for our sweet 93-year-old neighbor!

As an added bonus since it’s Valentine’s Day, I put together a playlist of what I call “Real Love” songs! Each of these songs demonstrate an extra dimension of what true love is (in my opinion), in contrast to most of the songs on the radio today. There’s links to the youtube versions of them, or you can listen to them all on my spotify playlist! I’ll put a little section of the lyrics that stand out to me as well. Enjoy!

Real Love Songs

Pieces – Bethel Music/ Steffany Gretzinger
Unreserved, unrestrained/ Your love is wild/ Your love is wild for me
It isn’t shy, it’s unashamed/Your love is proud/ To be seen with me

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
And, darling, I will be loving you ’til we’re 70
And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23

Already Mine – Us The Duo
I already have you/ But I wanna know you again
It’s so hard to kiss you/ When it feels like I’m only a friend
I can’t control you/ Or what your heart will decide
But I’ll never stop trying to fall back in love with what’s already mine

Never Stop (Wedding Version) – Safetysuit
I’ll never stop holding your hand/ I’ll never stop opening your door
I’ll never stop choosing you babe/ I’ll never get used to you

The Ballad Of Love And Hate – The Avett Brothers
Love has been waiting, patient and kind/ Just wanting a phone call or some kind of sign
That the one that she cares for, who’s out of his mind/ Will make it back safe to her arms

Photograph – Ed Sheeran
Loving can heal/ Loving can mend your soul/ And it’s the only thing that I know
I swear it will get easier/ Remember that with every piece of ya

Better Together – Us The Duo (I like their version better)
It’s not always easy/ And sometimes life can be deceiving
I’ll tell you one thing/ It’s always better when we’re together

I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
I won’t give up on us/ Even if the skies get rough
I’m giving you all my love/ I’m still looking up

Lemonade – Jeremy Passion
She’s my sunshine in the rain/ My Tylenol when I’m in pain
Let me tell you what she means to me
Like a tall glass of lemonade/ When it’s burning hot on summer days
She’s exactly what I need

Your Love Is Strong – Jon Foreman
So why should I worry?/ Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need/ You know what I need
Your love is strong

Easier To Be – Lifehouse
Let myself go/ You were still there
Like coming home/ Coming up for air

Everything – Michael Buble
You’re a falling star, you’re the getaway car/ You’re the line in the sand when I go too far
You’re the swimming pool on an August day/ And you’re the perfect thing to say

Divine Romance – Phil Wickham
A deep deep flood, an ocean flows from you/ Of deep deep love, yeah it’s filling up the room
Your innocent blood has washed my guilty life/ In your presence God I’m completely satisfied

Never Seen Anything Quite Like You – The Script
Well I’ve seen you in jeans with no makeup on/ And I’ve stood there in awe as your date for the prom
I’m blessed as a man to have seen you in white/ But I’ve never seen anything quite like you tonight

I Won’t Let You Go – Switchfoot
If you could only let your guard down/ If you could only trust me somehow
I swear, that I won’t let you go
If you could only let go your doubts/ If you could just believe in me now
I swear that I won’t let you go

I Was Made For Loving You – Tori Kelly/ Ed Sheeran
I was made for loving you/ Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through
Every bone screaming I don’t know what we should do
All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you

Stop (Just Love) – Us The Duo
I’ll never stop trying to let you love me/ Even if we’re stuck in rut
Through all this mess we’ve been together/ I’ll be right there, right there / I won’t stop

Same Old Same Old – The Civil Wars
Do I love you/ Oh I do/ And I’m going to ’til I’m gone
But if you think that I can stay in this/ Same old, same old/ Well I don’t

Next to Me – Emeli Sande
When the skies are grey and all the doors are closing
And the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe
When all I need’s a hand to stop the tears from falling
I will find him, I’ll find him next to me

I Believe in a Thing Called Love – Branches
I wanna kiss you every minute, every hour, every day
You got me in a spin but everything is A. OK

Hope you guys enjoy the playlist, and have a great Valentine’s Day! See you Tuesday!