Valentine's Goodies

My kids made out like bandits this Valentine's Day!  They received cards (both store-bought and handmade), toys, coloring books, stickers (thank you Mary - they're a big hit!), money, and enough candy to send them to the moon.  Ironically enough, none of it came from us!  Valentine's Day was never a big holiday for our family.  We wished each other a "Happy Valentine's Day" and shared a few hugs and kisses, but nothing much more.  That has how it has been for the kids too, but this year, everything came together and they scored big time.

My favorite Valentine's story from this year is not about receiving, but about giving.  We made some valentines and sent them to some of our church's homebound members and some people who are sick and need some encouragement. I had to put in a short note with them, since all the boys can do is color, add a few stickers and then Travis signs his name.  I had decided a few people to whom we would send the cards, but Travis had one very special request: he wanted one of the cards to go to Miss Rita's family.  Miss Rita is our friend who died last month and Travis really grew to love her.  He knew that her daughter would be really missing her mama on the first holiday without her.  He wanted me to write a note on the card that read "I know you will miss your mama so I wanted to send this card to make you happy."  I added my own little note and sent it on its way.  Well, it arrived perfectly on Valentine's Day.  After a busy day of texting her friends about how she was sad and missing her mother, she arrived home and got Travis' card to lift her spirits.  And it did.  She called us and said how thankful she was for that note.  She mentioned that her mother shared with her stories about Travis and the nice things he said and did for her, and now she was getting some of that sweetness shared with her.  It was the exact right thing at the exact right time.  I love how God works to provide the comfort a person needs by prompting one of his children days and even weeks or months in advance.  It made a huge impact on Travis too.  He was grinning from ear to ear!  He heard how his card made her feel better.  I almost think that is more powerful than sending the card, seeing how service impacts the people we serve.  That's what I want my children to remember.  It's hard in a world that is so self-indulgent and self serving, but it's what we are called to as Christians.

It was a good Valentine's Day.  I did make dinner and save it for when Randy and my mom got home from her first chemo in the second round.  We rarely eat together because they get home so late.  The kids were bathed and in their PJs for dinner.  It was a fun occasion to break tradition.  We ate super late, but the Valentine's trifle was worth the wait!