I remember it well.
I was a single mom and it was another stupid Valentine’s Day. I’d been on my own for years and it was getting old. Early on I just avoided everything Valentine. Then I matured a bit and tried to reach out to other lonely souls, sending Valentines to other single moms and trying to make it a special day for my girl.
And then came my immaturity again. I woke up on that particular Valentine’s Day and felt grumpy and alone. Everywhere I looked it seemed like there were happy people and bouncy balloons with various declarations of love. I was tired of being on my own. Stupid Valentine’s Day. That morning I wrote in my journal and poured out all my angst. Finally, feeling a little embarrassed I penned, “Lord, will you be my valentine? Will you be mine?” I closed the journal, feeling a little goofy and off I went to work.
The day followed my morning angst. Happy people everywhere. And sure, they were nice to this poor single girl, but not that nice. I mean, they gave me one rose out of their dozen. They gave me the chocolate covered coconut cream out of their box of chocolates – you know, the one no one ever likes.
And then came the end of the day. I drove home and literally saw multiple road kill on the way. Of course, I thought to myself, Happy Valentine’s Day to me!
Stupid holiday.
And then I pulled up in my driveway and walked to my door. I lived in a duplex and the single mom next door opened her door and came outside. “Elsa, you got something for Valentine’s Day!”
I looked at her and I looked at the vase in her hand. A beautiful rose. My eyes teared up. I got something!
Oh how I LOVE this holiday!
I took the rose and opened the attached card. My heart stopped. It said, “I love you. Will you be mine? Love, God.”
Now do I think God showed up at the local florist and asked them to send a rose to Brewer St? Well, maybe. But I do think God prompted a loving soul to reach out to me in the sweetest way ever. When Samantha got home from school I showed her my journal and I showed her what God did. She hugged me close, tears in her eyes too.
I don’t know where you stand this Valentines Day. Maybe you have an earthly valentine that is showering you with love, or maybe you stand alone and the loneliness feels especially sharp today. If your bucket is full, maybe you could reach out as someone did to me. If your bucket is empty, I pray you would see his love today. And wherever you land, I pray you would know that there is a God who loves you deeply, passionately, endlessly. A God who shouts through the sunsets, the flowers, the mountains, through all of the beauty that surrounds you today, and He says, “Will you be mine?”
Happy Valentine’s Day.
3 Responses
Thank you Elsa! You are loved beyond measure!
I just loved your thoughts today and, in the past. I just had to share this with some of my DC participants as you are a favorite person in the version 4.0 as you have been in previous versions. I know you are a busy mom these days, so we don’t get as many posts, you are loved by so many. I know you will be blessed today. Thank you for blessing me over all these years.
OH my heavens! I Love everything about this!! I too remember having many “stupid valentines days “ and just hating the day. ( and even though I’m happily married now I still think it’s pretty silly… a day that greeting card companies and florists dreamed up to rake in the dough!) . But this Valentines flower you got “from God” brought tears to my eyes… how incredibly special was that?!