Count Down To The 14th of Feb!

As we count down to the 14th of february, gift stores,malls, shopping sites and even small to large scale businesses have all laid out strategies aimed at encouraging individuals to willingly part with their money whilst making us believe that it is our creativity in the selection of gifts/flowers and dinners et al that adds the spark and re-ignites the fire in our relationships. Unfortunately the 14th of feb will come and go, and what next? Business as usual??
   Connecting to the ones we love takes more than the 14th of feb and theres never a count down to the day we should express our love to the people who matter to us, and if we do, the relationship becomes really rustic.
   God is the author of relationships and until we experience the connect which comes from healthy relationships, the joy of relationships eludes us. Every Individual is born with the capacity to be taught and trained to become a person of character, creativity and integrity. Men and women however are created to fulfill different needs in each others life.
   In the euphoria of valentines day, I recommend a book I am reading at the moment by Carlos L Marlone Sr. which has really inspired me- The Rib Connection
      
In his book Carlos Marlone, identifies the need of men and women, compromise,  prayer and I could go on and on.
 I will just include a few excerpts..
Needs of a Man 
"Sisters, please cut the brothers some slack and understand that you cannot program them into being what you want them to be. They have already been programmed by their creator, and your interference is just that --interference. Men are driven by their ego and a healthy ego can be an enhancing tool for a mans progress. Whatever you do ladies do not attack or defame your mans ego."

Needs of a Woman
"Family is precious to a woman and the security of her family is of paramount importance. A wife must know that her relationship with her husband is secure and that she is the highest priority in his life (next to God). No woman wants to go through life wondering if she is in competition with another woman for her husbands affection and devotion. No wife should ever be made to feel that she has to compete for her husband. She should feel secure in the knowledge that she already has him. It is however the husbands responsibility to do whatever is needed for her to arrive and remain at that place of security."
I recommend this book as the book of the month as we count down not just to the 14th but every day of our beautiful lives.
However I dont dispute the fact that we should have a special day to express our love, any amazing ideas/plans to wow that special one? Do share, variety is the spice of life.