Valentine's Day 2024

It has been a wonderful Valentine's Day with my love Rick, my third with him, my second as a married woman - a delightful transformation.  

In my family we always start off celebratory days with smoked salmon on toasted, rustic brown bread for breakfast.  Thank heavens that Rick has eagerly embraced this tradition. So first thing we opened loving cards and presents over a delicious fishy feast  😋

At noon we went to a service on this odd day that strangely  blends spiritual and temporal, Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day. We emerged with ashes daubing our foreheads signalling where we had just been, and where we are eventually going.  

Tonight we went out for dinner at a low-key fish-oriented restaurant - a new favorite of ours. It is a place where "everybody knows your name."  It was a lovely, cosy interlude.  

Now we are settling down in front of a roaring fire to watch a romantic movie.  

I saw a plaque recently that  said  "I am now living in the things I prayed for."  

And I am.

I have spent decades of Valentine's Days alone, but rarely lonely. I would either spoil and pamper myself with candles, bubbles, and a good movie or book - or simply forget it was happening, assuring myself first that  it was merely a commercialized day with no real significance.

But then the God of Love answered  my prayers and suffused me with a tangible earthly love that was so worth waiting for.  

All this to say that whether you are alone; lonely in the midst of a relationship, or crowd; or with a true love match - know that you are  loved. Loved deeply by the One who created love, is love, who holds all things together with love.

  

He is a prayer-answering God - although He answers and fulfills the desires of our  hearts in His time. 

I got mine decades after I thought I would.  Many decades.

So to all - wherever  you are - whatever stage of life - Happy Valentine's Day.

For all of us the best is yet to come. 

Truly.  

Thank you Lord!