Into the Fire

Men can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Women can harbor joy or resentment for yet another year until the obnoxious holiday spreads its hearts and sensuous advertising via every means available to them all over again. Whether it's an important day to you or if it's a dreaded day, Valentine's Day is over. Chocolatiers and florists gear up for Mother's Day while assessing their campaigns for romantic success.

When I was in the 6th grade – still elementary school in those days – I received three anonymous huge heart boxes of Valentine's candy on my desk. I remember one of them was a beautiful yellow box. Yellow happened to be my favorite color – still is, along with black – but no boy I knew could've known that. To this day I don't know who those generous young men were, but somehow I hope they understood how flattered and thankful I was for their attention. It was a sweet (pun intended) and generous gesture, one their parents probably contributed to. No small deal but apparently too embarrassing to declare their identity to me. Little did they know, so very many years later, how appreciative I would still be of the memory and their efforts.

Do you have a fond Valentine's Day memory or is it just another day for you? As an adult female and die-hard romantic who is also happily married, surprisingly, Valentine's Day means very little to me. After having worked 7 days a week for many years on the racetrack, days tended to blend together without a real identity. Inconsequential "holidays" like Valentine's Day didn't really garner a lot of attention. And my husband was one of those men who felt mostly pressured by the day rather than inspired. Not by me. I understood his reluctance to figure out a "romantic" gift. Might be fear of failure. I didn't and don't need one. I only need his love. Low maintenance.

But I always get him a "romantic" card because that's how I feel about him. Once in a while, those cards tear him up and embarrass him, and he gives me that brief look which says it all and reminds me precisely why I fell in love with him.

So. Valentine's Day is over for another year. But love doesn't come and go on one day a year. It's perpetual because of God. And that Love supercedes and is beyond our understanding. Available to every one of His creation. "Amazing Love, how can it be? That you, my Savior, would die for me . . ."

Here's hoping your Valentine's Day was all you hoped it would be . . .

Father, help us to recognize your love in all areas of our lives. Help us to be less selfish. Remind us of your forgiveness for who we are – that you made the way for us to reach you and know you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.