Hugs from a guest

Today my favorite human on the face of the earth (my wife Andrea) is taking over my blog. Enjoy ...
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I’m hijacking Tommy’s blog for this post. I’ll be setting up a blog for myself soon but I knew more would read this on Tommy’s and I wanted to get it out there today, being Valentine’s Day. So here goes…

In January, I read one of my favorite quiet time guides, Soul Journey. There was an article on January 15, 2005 called “Compassion of Jesus” by Jennifer Farley. She said, when someone we love dies, we miss them but Jesus does not leave us comfortless.

It got me to thinking a lot about hugs. I’m not a big hugger. I didn’t come from a family with a lot of physical affection so hugging doesn’t always come easy for me. Tommy, on the other hand, well, hugging was a part of his everyday life. It comes very easy for him to show love to our kids and me with a hug.

Hugs can be taken or given. I prefer the hugs that are given. I’m well aware of the hug that someone takes and it’s very hard for me to give back when someone is just taking a hug. But, when it’s given… it’s just to show love to me, I kinda dig that kind of hug. (unless it’s Tommy after running a few miles, yuc!!!)

Hugs make an impression on my heart, on my body, on my mind. I know when a hug is real and out of love, I feel the arms make an impression on my physical body and I remember how it feels in my mind to have someone I love hug me.

Make today a day of hugs… Make sure you give enough hugs to your loved ones to last a lifetime and beyond. Make sure you give them more tomorrow and the next and the next so they’ll be able to remember how it feels to have your arms wrapped around them even when you’re not around.

So, if you’re like me and hugs don’t come naturally, take this advice that I got long ago. “If you hug someone 3000 times, it starts becoming more natural.” Just do it! Give hugs, don’t take them. Give them away freely and with lots and lots of love and squeeze so tight the person you are hugging will not ever be able to forget what it feels like.

If you don’t get the privilege of a hug today from a physical person that you love, I pray you can feel God’s arms wrap around you. He hugs us all the time, we just may not notice. In the words of Jennifer Farley, “Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you” (John 14:18). His heart goes out to us—how comforting that is! Anytime we’re hurting, Jesus has compassion on us. He’ll comfort us, as we reach out to Him.” Reach your arms out to Jesus, and he’ll hug you back!

On the “love day”, Valentine’s Day, I plan on hugging my family so much that they won’t forget what it feels like to get a hug from their mom and wife. Don’t worry, I won’t hug everyone – and I really don’t want everyone to hug me!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Tell someone you love them and GIVE them a hug!