Best Valentine's Day Gifts You Can Give

It is Valentine’s Day, love is in the air and businesses are cashing in on the love. Alexandra Churchill, a staff writer for The New Hampshire, an independent student newspaper at the University of New Hampshire, shares the following Valentine's Day statistics:
*180 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card giving holiday of the year.
*On average, men shell out $130 each on candy, cards, jewelry, flowers and dates. That's more than double what women commit to spending.
*$403 million is the combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2008 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
*15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
*64 percent of men do not make plans with their sweethearts, but beware; 53 percent of women in America would dump their boyfriend if they did not get them anything for Valentine's Day.
*70 percent of celebrators give a card followed by a phone call (49 percent), special dinner (37 percent), candy (33 percent), restaurant meal (30 percent), and flowers (19 percent).

I will give my sweetheart of 33 years a gift of sweets because Connie likes a good box of quality chocolates. There is something better that you and I can give to those we love. You cannot purchase these in a store, but they will be priceless to those who receive these gifts.
>Tell them what you like about them.
>Publicly honor them.
>Encourage them to pursue their personal interests.
>Celebrate their victories.
>Listen to their disappointments.
>Let them into the interior of your life.
>Apologize quickly when you are wrong.
>Forgive and do not bring wrongs they have asked forgiveness for.
>Pray with them on a regular basis.
>Be their biggest cheerleader throughout life.

When given repeatedly throughout the year, these gifts will deepen your love for each other.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails….

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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