"Valentine’s Day"

"The legend of the origin of Valentine’s Day surrounds a Roman priest from the third century named Valentine. Emperor Claudius II, ruler of Rome, had decided to declare all engagements and marriages between young men and women illegal.

He believed that eliminating the longing for their wives and family would make for more loyal and effective soldiers. Claudius saw wives and families as a distraction that made his military force appear weak and incompetent. His decision caused a great deal of grief and sadness among the young men and women of this time.
Seeing the sadness this caused many of these smitten lovers, Valentine defied Claudius. He continued to perform the rights of matrimony in secret.

Eventually the emperor learned of Valentine's actions. Claudius reportedly imprisoned him and sentenced him to death.  The date of his official death is reported as Feb. 14, 270 AD. It was his tragic death that led him down the path to sainthood and sparked a movement to honor his memory on a day of celebration. 

In the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts in the United States. Such gifts typically include roses and chocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving jewelry.The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the US. Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, usually to children. When you include the valentine-exchange cards made in school activities the figure goes up to 1 billion, and teachers become the people receiving the most valentine."

We all have our particular way of celebrating and I just love this day! I taught my kids to give cards and chocolates, lots of chocolates! Still do! My favorite way that I love is to expect my own big box of “Mon Cheri” Chocolates and sit down all by myself and eat it all in one day!! Ohhh I just love it! This is my ritual! Ha even my kids know that I do that and know that they can’t ask for none, anyways I do not share this day!! It is fun for me!! I celebrate love! And I celebrate friendship!

I love to celebrate friendship! To have a friend is so important because we all need someone to be around and just talk or do whatever.  The Bible says that it is better to two than one! It makes a rope more stronger if has three cords and a friend loves more than a brother.  Friends make life more livable and alive! That is the Lord for me. He is my friend and He is my constant companion.  Sometimes I don’t share Him and want Him just for me, like my own chocolate box!  I just have a day for that I guess when you want the Lord’s full attention and I suspect you do too, you want His full attention! The best thing is that He does give us His full attention! He becomes that close friend that meets with you and listens to you although there is a world of people out there waiting for God to listen to them also! Isn’t that awesome from part of the Lord, He gives us His full attention! He stops squats down and puts His ear close and listens to each word and receives our tears and our pain!

Oh Lord you are so marvelous! Lord you are so out of this world! Lord I love you and I am so thankful! I give you my praise! I give you my all! Lord you are the best friend and I give you my chocolate heart! I give you my life! I give you my soul! I give you my everything! There is no friend like Jesus! We can all try to be like Him but Jesus is the greatest any friend can be! He is a true friend!

May all of you friends have a great Valentine’s Day!! And may you eat a lot of chocolate, (and not even gain a pound) receive a nice postcard and whatever you hinted your spouse, friend or family what you wanted this special day! Celebrate love! Celebrate friendship! Celebrate life! Above all Celebrate God!!

Love ya’ll my friends!!!!

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13 NIV