Valentine’s Day, and the patron saint hero of it is shrouded in mystery. We know that February 14th, across the United States and around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. There are variations on the story of St Valentine, but my personal favorite is that he continued to perform secret weddings for young couples in love, after Emperor Claudius II decreed that young military men were prohibited from marriage. Pattern today after Psalm 48:9-10 “We pondered your love-in-action, God, waiting in your temple: Your name, God, evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever It is spoken, near and far; your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.”

I have always loved the Valentine holiday, but not for the flowers, candy, and special dinners with flaming steak and Tiramisu. I don’t have the blood of a romanticist, but I do have the heart of an encourager. Here’s what I love about Valentine’s Day.  Maybe you can relate.  On Valentine’s Day there is a lot of pink and red – the colors of joy and calm. Vibrant red for joy and shades of calming pink.  If you don’t like pink and red, choose other colors that have the same effect. Choose to be thankful on Valentine’s Day and choose to be joyful.  You might not care about Valentine ’s Day at all, you might think it’s a manufactured holiday, but get into the spirit anyway.  If you’re waiting for a good opportunity to try out a new attitude, demonstrate love, , share positive feedback with someone, or make good on a promise, February 14^th is a good day to do it.  Today could be declared that intentional pay-it-forward tactic you thought about when 2013 began.  It’s never too late to reach out and make someone’s day a little better because of a kindness that you performed. One thing to keep in mind is the conviction we have and having the right motives.  1 Peter 3:8 has the right idea “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Most acts of kindness are free, costing you nothing but a few seconds of thought and a minute to act it out.  Say ‘hello’ to everyone you meet and be genuinely happy about it.  Smile at people you see as you walk from your desk to your next meeting. There is no language barrier in a smile.  Open the door for someone. Brush the snow off the car in the parking spot next to you. Let a person in line behind you, have cuts.  Go ahead.  Be patient, let a couple people cut in front of you.  Be brave, open our wallet a little wider and donate to a food bank when you pay for your groceries.

Galatians 6:9 spells it out for us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

According to history.com “Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.”  If you forgot to get a card for that special loved one, no problem.  You can do something else – and make it meaningful and memorable.  Act it out. It starts with a thought, travels to your heart, and comes out as the act.  Deuteronomy 5:32 “ So be very careful to act exactly as God commands you. Don’t veer off to the right or the left. Walk straight down the road God commands so that you’ll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you’re about to possess.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!