Gutsy and Gussied Up

"SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY "

A day set aside,
to celebrate romantic love!
YES!
One day on the calendar each and every year.
How did such a beautiful holiday even start?
It started because of the
early Christian Church.
It started because of a man martyred for Christ on February 14, 269 A.D.
His name was Valentino.

It was illegal to be a "Christian,"
in ancient Rome, or to associate with them, punishable by death.

During the reign of Claudius the II,
Valentino, a "Christian" pastor performed
Christian marriage ceremonies in secret.
Not even the threat of death
could keep him from this.
Not even the threat of death
could keep Christian couples from marrying.

It is said he gave each couple, a token.
A token to remind them of their sacred vows to each other, and to Christ Jesus.
It was a simple cut out,
cut from the parchment on which he wrote.
It was a "Heart!"

Little did Valentino know,
He stated something good!

Eventually Valentino,
was arrested and imprisoned.
He was punished, beaten, and tortured.

Asterius, his jailer, observed this man.
After a time,
Asterius could not help but
respect and admire
this highly educated prisoner.
He began to trust Bishop Valentino.

Asterius began to confide in Valentino.
His little daughter
Julia had been blind since birth.
He asked Valentino to be her teacher.
He brought her to be taught by Valentino.

The Bishop taught Julia about God.
He read stories to her,
teaching her the basics
of moral and ethical values.
He vividly described the beauty of the earth.
Of roses, trees, and birds in flight.

One day she asked her teacher Valentino,
"If I pray to God will he hear my prayer?"
"Oh yes dear girl, He hears every prayer!"
"May we pray now Valentino?"
They knelt in prayer and he prayed for her.
The dark jail cell began to shine
with an incandescent light.
Julia cried "Valentino, I can see.
For the first time in my life, I can see."
Julia and Valentino praised God.
Julia asked Jesus into her heart.
Her life was changed forever.
Valentino taught her to read and write!
She could see with her eyes and her heart.
Her father, Asterius, also became a Christian.

The day of his execution,
February 14, 270 A.D.
Valentino wrote to her.
Stay close to God Julia.
He signed it,
"Your Valentino"

He started something good!
"Valentine Cards!"

He was beheaded and buried
near a gate that would later be named
"Porta Valentini."
Julia planted an Almond Tree
next to his grave.

In 2020 humanity would not have a holiday dedicated to romantic love, had it not been for Jesus Christ our Lord, and his servant
"Saint Valentine," martyred for Christ.
Tragedy turned to triumph in that much of the world acknowledge "Valentine's Day!"
Sometimes I wonder if the saints in Heaven can look down and see what they started.
After all, the Bible tells us, we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.
Valentino started something good!
Jesus inspires those who believe.

Randall and I will celebrate this day
with:

Love Songs

Baking

A Double Double Chocolate Chocolate Cake,

Scottish Shortbread Heart Cookies!

A Candlelight Dinner,

In front of our Fireplace!

Roses!

A Valentine!

I have them all.

Romantic Movies!

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."

William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

Chocolate

candy!

I love this candy wrapper! My scrapbooks are full of little things others would throw away. At the time, all we could afford was one piece each. It was so good! We were living in Europe 40 years ago.

Salzburg, Austria has the most beautiful Chocolate shops,

I have ever seen! Some began in honor of

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!

A home boy, who loved and married his one and only, Constanze!

What a love story!

Original Confectioner Chocolate shops are still going strong,

150 years later. Family owned and operated

by the descendants to this day.

The shops are around the world.

Hot Chocolate

The last time we were in Paris,

we so enjoyed Angelina's!

Founded in 1903

If you can't go to Paris, bring Paris to you!
Whip up some heavy cream with a smidgen of sugar.
Make some rich homemade thick hot chocolate,
and use a double boiler to make sure it doesn't scald.

Flickering Scented Candles

The candles, glass goblets, and china plates,
I purchased from the dollar store.
The beautiful white linen tablecloth, which I washed, starched and ironed is a $2:00 yard sale find.

Our Home