Valentine's Day

As most of you already know, I love Valentine's Day! It may possibly be one of my most favorite holidays. I know some of you are thinking: "It's just a holiday made up by Hallmark to make money." You may think that all you want. It's untrue.

Here is some history into Valentines Day:
*The holiday is named after two men, both Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

*The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.

*The earliest surviving valentine dates from 1415. It is a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife. At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt.

*It is probable that the various legends about St. Valentine were invented during this period (the early 1400's). Among these legends:
On the evening before Valentine was to be martyred for being a Christian, he passed a love note to his jailer's daughter that read, "From your Valentine."
During a ban on marriages of Roman soldiers by the Emperor Claudius II, St. Valentine secretly helped arrange marriages.


You get the point! I love Valentine's Day because there is love everywhere. Before I was married, I loved Valentine's Day (I did not let singleness get the best of my love for the day of love!). It's a wonderful time to tell those around you how much you love them! Most importantly, what an incredible opportunity to share God's love with those around you! Whether you're in a relationship or not, Valentine's Day should not be something you loathe. Rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity to love God, love others and love yourself. Everyone needs a day like Valentine's Day to remember the basics in life.