A Different Kind of Valentine

Sunday was a difficult day in Church. We had the sermon based on 1 Corinthians:Chapter 13 - also know as the “love chapter”. Not exactly the favorite of a single girl the day before Valentine’s Day. I was especially touched by the sermon because it talked about what God really means by love but then was drawn to tears as the versus 4-8 were put to music. I know it was a God moment as the words” love never fails” was sung and the overwhelming feeling of failure of love in my life came over me. I could not fight back the tears. I felt like I had failed at love in my life and that I had also failed to not feel that the love of God was enough…it was awful. At the end of church I had to just be alone and sit for awhile so I went into a quiet room off of the atrium. I cried silent tears for a short time and prayed for comfort. As I settled down I opened my eyes and looked out into the atrium. There was a man holding a baby girl on his shoulder. She was wrapped in a pink blanket, sleeping on his shoulder. All of a sudden I thought of the love I have for my children and how I felt when I held them as babies in my arms or as they slept on my shoulder. I also thought to myself that this is how God is holding me now. I could feel his love as he holds me close in his arms. It brought me great comfort. But that is not the end of my story….



As I was leaving to go downstairs a little boy all bundled up in his winter coat and hat came toddling over to me…he was about a year old and so adorable! His parents were close behind and didn’t mind that I bent over to talk to him…He looked up at me and then of all the wonderful things he could have done he lifted up his arms for me to pick him up! His mom said that was “so cute” and I did not want to freak them out so I did not pick him up… but again he looked at me and lifted his arms for me to pick him up…. At that point I asked if it was Ok to pick him up…she said OK, “he’s never done that before”… and I then picked him up. He immediately hugged me and put his head on my shoulder…Then he picked his head up and gave me a smile. I tried to turn to his mom to give him to her but again he gave me a hug! Yes indeed tears came to my eyes… at that point I did manage to have his mom take him gently from me. I told her that he was truly an angel and he made my day more than she would ever know.

Yes love is a difficult thing…but if we ask for it, love will be brought to us – and I have the faith and the hope that God will provide all the love I need in His own way…
So Happy Valentine’s day!


4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.