Today is Valentine's Day. My husband gave me a beautiful card before leaving for school this morning, and then showed up at my classroom with peach colored roses (my favorite). What a wonderful man I married!
I remember back in 1993, when we celebrated Valentine's Day in Russia as singles on a mission trip. Life was so different there. Boxes of chocolate, fresh flowers in the dead of winter, or Hallmark cards just didn't enter our minds. They weren't even an option.
Our definition of love began taking on a new meaning as we grew in love for the children and the elderly in our care. Love was more than a romantic feeling, or even more than a sacrifice. Watching the Missionaries of Charity devote their entire lives to serving Jesus in the poorest of the poor gave us a good idea of what love was all about. God was the source of their love, and His love was the product of their actions. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
I remember very fondly that Valentine's Day in 1993. One of our fellow missionaries, Mike, gave me this card:
The inscription read:
"May the Love which inspired St. Valentine to show undying love in the face of death, inspire your heart today."
I can still remember how empowered I felt after reading this card. God, Who is perfect Love, brings meaning to everything I do. This turned out to be the "meat and potatoes" of that Valentine's Day. After all, this was what our mission was all about, sharing God's love with the poorest of the poor.
And for the icing on the cake.....
Since it was Sunday, our team went to the flea market for the afternoon, and Andy bought me this rag doll as a sweet, romantic gift. I affectionately named it my "Drusha Doll," since "Andy" is translated as "Andrusha" in Russian.
So, Happy Valentine's Day, and may the Love of God inspire your hearts today. And, if you want to do something sentimental as well, that's okay, too.
I remember back in 1993, when we celebrated Valentine's Day in Russia as singles on a mission trip. Life was so different there. Boxes of chocolate, fresh flowers in the dead of winter, or Hallmark cards just didn't enter our minds. They weren't even an option.
Our definition of love began taking on a new meaning as we grew in love for the children and the elderly in our care. Love was more than a romantic feeling, or even more than a sacrifice. Watching the Missionaries of Charity devote their entire lives to serving Jesus in the poorest of the poor gave us a good idea of what love was all about. God was the source of their love, and His love was the product of their actions. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
I remember very fondly that Valentine's Day in 1993. One of our fellow missionaries, Mike, gave me this card:
The inscription read:
"May the Love which inspired St. Valentine to show undying love in the face of death, inspire your heart today."
I can still remember how empowered I felt after reading this card. God, Who is perfect Love, brings meaning to everything I do. This turned out to be the "meat and potatoes" of that Valentine's Day. After all, this was what our mission was all about, sharing God's love with the poorest of the poor.
And for the icing on the cake.....
Since it was Sunday, our team went to the flea market for the afternoon, and Andy bought me this rag doll as a sweet, romantic gift. I affectionately named it my "Drusha Doll," since "Andy" is translated as "Andrusha" in Russian.
So, Happy Valentine's Day, and may the Love of God inspire your hearts today. And, if you want to do something sentimental as well, that's okay, too.
How sweet:) I like it. :) ;) :) ;) ~Lucia
ReplyDeleteI have the most wonderful wife in the world. I am still challenged by Mike's words today. Love is sacrifice.
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