Watercolor Valentine Printables

Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching.  I can't believe how fast time can fly!  I'll be honest, Valentine's Day has never been one of my favorite holidays.  In fact, I think I loathed it in my teenage years. Back then I focused on the romantic part of Valentine's Day, and as I was scared to death of boys at that time, I didn't get much out of it.  But now I know better. Valentine's Day to me now is a celebration of love.  I often shy away from this word too, but we all know that everything good comes down to love.

Love is a complex and diverse word because there are so many types of love.  We love our partner, children, siblings, parents, friends, neighbors, God, we are even told to love our enemies.  But the love given to each of these individuals is different.   I love my husband differently than my kids and my friends differently than my siblings.  I love them all and each type of love is important.  And yet love is so simple.  We are all born with the ability and need to love and be loved.  To love is to serve, teach, respect, share, protect, listen, have compassion, be kind, forgive....etc.  It is the "great commandment"... it all comes down to love.  This Valentine's Day I want to focus on how I can better show my love to those around me.

Use these Valentine printable for your fabric projects, Valentine's card, wall hangings, or whatever your creative mind can imagine.  I am trying to make my own pillow out of one...I'll post it if it turns out.
HAPPY LOVE DAY!

 download free 8x10 alphabet printable here

download free 8x10 Be Mine printable here

download free 8x10 LOVE printable here

download free 8x10 xoxo printable here

The Family Proclamation

The Family: A Proclamation to the World was given to the LDS members in 1995 as a guide to the family unit.  This is the official position of the Mormon church on the family, marriage, and gender roles.  These teachings have been given to the Saints throughout the church's history, but here it can all be found in one place.  

I believe the family is one of the most important responsibilities we have in this life.  God placed us in family units to learn, grow, and love.  Unfortunately, the sacredness of the family is being neglected by many people these days.  This is a tool of the adversary.  I really believe that the breakdown of the family is one the biggest problems in our society today.  If we all had strong families, I believe there would be much less violence, poverty, disease, poor education, maybe even global warming (haha, ok, maybe not that).  But what I'm trying to say is that the breakdown of the family lies at the core of a lot of the issues our society faces.

If you read this proclamation you will see that it refers mainly to the traditional family of a mom and a dad with children.  I understand that because of death and other reasons beyond our control, this "traditional" family may not be possible.  The proclamation states "Disability, death or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation." A single parent may be raising the children, or even a grandparent; but the message still applies that a family should consist of love and righteousness.  

If you are not familiar with this statement, READ IT!  If you are familiar with it READ IT AGAIN!  It really is beautiful.  

You can find a coordinating printable of The Living Christ here.

*these files have been updated March 23, 2014 to correct a spelling error.  Thanks for your patience :)

download free 11x14 Proclamation - grey here

download free 11x14 Proclamation - navy here

download free 11x14 Proclamation - turquoise here