
One of my favorite hymns is “Earth With Her 10,000 Flowers,” written in the 19th Century by Thomas R. Taylor. It’s soothing, swelling melody with a charming lyrical testimony reminds me of the LOVE of our Creator and Father In Heaven for His children.
Earth with her ten thousand flowers,
Air, with all its beams and showers,
Heaven’s infinite expanse;
Ocean’s resplendant countenance—
All around, and all above,
Hath this record—God is love.
Sounds among the vales and hills,
In the woods and by the rills,
Of the breeze and of the bird,
By the gentle murmur stir’d—
Sacred songs, beneath, above,
Have one Chorus—God is love.
All the hopes that sweetly start,
From the fountain of the heart;
All the bliss that ever comes,
To our earthly—human homes—
All the voices from above,
Sweetly whisper—God is love.
Over the years, I have published holiday blogs to inspire and educate. Valentine’s Day for us goes way back to our great…great grandfather Henry VII and his beloved queen, Elizabeth of York – and to modern times with sister get-togethers to honor our sweet Little Mama. We have celebrated LOVE many different ways, all the while remembering that LOVE is universal. As we rush closer to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I want to say that the more LOVE we have, the better the world will be. “LOVE one another.”
Here are a few articles and photos from my posts, brought to you with LOVE.

ONLY LOVE
Rilke wrote in his Letters to a Young Poet,
“…only love can touch and hold them and be fair to them…”
Mothers, and fathers may wonder if our efforts to provide meaning and enrichment to our children has value or merit. The hours and the resources we spend to give them experiences that demonstrate our love, is it all worth it? There are those who will not or cannot sacrifice for their family, what does a lack of enrichment mean to a child? I read an article by a mother who doesn’t “do” leprechauns or elves or Valentine boxes. It is a sad thing to be child in that environment.
I believe that every act of kindness and love is counted in heaven and in the heart and that it helps build a defense against the cruelty of an indifferent and competitive world.
A person’s value is not counted like the dollars in a bank account, nor is it related to worldly wealth, in his letters Rilke writes:
“For the creative artist there is no poverty—nothing is insignificant or unimportant. Even if you were in a prison whose walls would shut out from your senses the sounds of the outer world, would you not then still have your childhood, this precious wealth, this treasure house of memories? Direct your attention to that. Attempt to resurrect these sunken sensations of a distant past. You will gain assuredness. Your aloneness will expand and will become your home, greeting you like the quiet dawn. Outer tumult will pass it by from afar.”
Criticism fails to “touch a work of art.”
So go ahead and bake those heart-shaped sugar cookies and read one more bedtime story. You are filling the treasury of your child’s soul and building a defense against the “outer tumult (that) will pass from afar.”
I hope you caught Kim Power Stilson’s and my tips for Valentine’s Day on her broadcast on BYU SiriusXM Radio 143. Here’s the show from Friday, February 12:

Happy Valentine’s Day
Here’s a cute Valentine for your littles. Sew a tic tac toe game on a scrap of felt, use buttons for Os and small squares of felt with Xs sewn or drawn with a permanent marker. Glue a small heart in the center square.
When You Give a Gift, Do You Speak the Love Language of Your Sweetheart (and loved ones)? Here Are Some Ideas to Share Your Love in Ways He or She or they Will Love.
By Pamela Layton McMurtry
I love the love. I revel in the red hearts and luscious flowers; the beauty of sweeping romantic gestures that define Valentine’s Day. Before you rush out to buy those long-stemmed, red roses or sew that monogrammed bathrobe – although I am certainly not discouraging the practice – you might take a moment to assess whether that act of kindness will speak of your love to your love.
In his book, The Five Love Languages, author Gary Chapman, PhD. describes languages that speak to the heart. He says that many genuine acts of love and kindness go unappreciated, because the message didn’t translate to fill the needs of the recipient. The five primary love languages, according to Dr. Chapman, are:
- Acts of service
- Physical touch
- Words of affirmation
- Quality time
- Receiving gifts
All are valuable and helpful, but have you heard of the Platinum Rule? It states, “Do unto others as they would like to have done unto them.” In other words, give them what they want. It seems most people have two primary love languages. Many women have appreciated being taken to a nice dinner, but what they were hungry for was quality time with their loved one, or kind words without biting sarcasm, dismissive comments or unnecessary judgments.
And a husband might appreciate an elaborately prepared handmade gift, but what really says love might be a massage or positive feedback on a project. See if you can identify the love languages of your spouse, partner, friends and children. Ask them what makes them feel loved.
Here are a few ideas for Valentine gifts to show your love.

Acts of service
- Paint that bathroom that’s been waiting too long.
- Give him or her a night off to do something with friends or just some “me time.”
- Share a good meal.
- Take over one of his or her chores.
Physical touch
- Get a massage book and give a good massage to help your loved one de-stress.
- Hold hands as you walk together.
- A hand on the shoulder, a pat on the back, a long hug (my teen says wrestling.)
- Wash their hair. Many women feel calm when their heads are touched.

Words of affirmation
“Seek in every way to be infused with light…
Words matter because words lodge in our cells and in our souls and even in the walls of our homes.” Wendy Watson Nelson
- Kind words or a sincere compliment lift the spirit.
- Withhold criticism.
- Words of encouragement give strength and courage.
- Read poetry, the art of poetry carries the words to the soul.
- Help with family history or listen to a story from their past that has meaning to them.

Quality time
- Find something you both enjoy doing for a win-win. A walk through a park, a concert, gazing at the stars – enjoy a hobby together.
- Visit someone who is lonely or ill.
- Visit a temple, church or synagogue together.
- Turn off the phones, get away for a night or a few. Check out for a time – the world will continue to spin, guaranteed.
Receiving gifts
- A new dress or pair of shoes.
- An original poem or song you wrote.
- Flowers; the color and scent really do uplift the spirit and help promote healing and cheer.
- Cheese. OK, chocolate, but cheese has more mood-elevating properties than chocolate.
- A wonderful book, something to make life easier, more pleasant or a novelty to promote dopamine, the neurotransmitter that gives a feeling of well-being.
It’s apparent that showing love doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money, but an investment of time and thought.

Love heals and cheers and is the answer to the world’s ills. Make sure the love you share is the love they need. Share the love this season and make your world a bit of heaven on earth.
Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn
Oh yes you do!

Did you ever get up one day and say, “We need Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn?” Well it happened today, so I whipped up a batch and thought you might like some too. Just in case… here’s a recipe from my friend Sue Allred.
Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn
Preheat oven to 250 degrees, lightly butter a large roasting pan.
Pop in a microwave oven
4 bags extra butter microwave popcorn (should yield 16 C)
Remove unpopped kernels and place in the buttered roasting pan.
In a large saucepan combine
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
5 oz. cinnamon candies like Brach’s Imperials (R)
1/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until candies melt, about 5 minutes. Pour over popcorn, stir to coat. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool, store in an airtight container. You’re welcome.
Look what we discovered! A healthy treat for Valentine’s Day.

Snapdragon apples! They smell like Bazooka bubblegum. I kid you not. 😉 Yum.