What is Valentine's Day?
When is it ... and Who is Saint Valentine?

First, what is Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day is a cultural observance to celebrate true love.

Valentine's Day is a celebration of the gift of human love - true unselfish love for one another, especially those we are closest to.

1. The greatest love is God's love for us.

2. Then there is our love for God.

3. Then there is human love for one another.



It is important to understand that we are talking about true and legitimate love.

Outside of marriage we are talking about legitimate genuine friendship and appreciation. Within matrimony (lawful marriage) we are also talking about the marriage commitment.

We thank the Good Lord for His gift of love:

• Love between partners in marriage.
• Love in families
• Love by those lawfully engaged, dating, or courting
• Love between friends.

When is Valentine's Day?

In the United States of America, Valentine's Day is on February 14th each year. Because it sometimes involves a work or school night, some couples reschedule the full celebration for a weekend.

Many western European countries have observed Saint Valentine's Day for at least several centuries, notably England. The practice of sending verse and cards on February 14th is over 200 years old.

Some South American and Asian countries also celebrate Valentine's Day or a similar custom, although not always on February 14th.


Who is Saint Valentine?

Valentine's Day is named after a holy many named Saint Valentine.

Saint Valentine was an early Christian pastor who brought many people from paganism to Christianity. He was thrown into prison, and was killed for the faith.

He is the patron of love, lovers, travelers, beekeepers, young people engaged or affianced, happy marriage, and greetings, as well as patron against several diseases. In pictures he is shown with birds and roses.

He is an example of true love, because he was willing, like Jesus, to die for the truth, than to betray Jesus.

Jesus says, greater Love no man has, than to lay down his life for his friend. (John 15:13)

But there is a greater love. Jesus, who is God, died for us while we were yet sinners, and his enemies. (Romans 5:8)

Saint Valentine's example should put to shame those who use Saint Valentine's Day for unlawful love, which is not love, but sin.


Valentine's Day Observance and Celebration

Valentine's Day is observed in many ways. Here's a few more common ones:

• Greeting cards known as "valentines" often in the shape of a heart, or having designs using the heart, a symbol of love.
• Cupids (images of babies) with bows and arrows, an arrow through the heart, and the color red are also common symbols used.
• Red flowers such as carnations, and especially roses, are purchased and sent.
• Chocolates, often in heart shaped boxes, are used as gifts.
• Those lawfully engaged, dating, or in courtship before marriage may use the occasion to spend time with each other, sharing greetings, cards, and gifts.
• Sometimes, when true love gets deeper and more serious, it's an opportunity for a real special event, such as a marriage proposal, or an engagement
• Married couples will sometimes have a special dinner by candlelight, along with flowers, especially red roses, cards, cake, music, and ... chocolate for chocolate lovers.
• A token of love might include a ring or piece of jewelry.
• And of course, Valentine poems.

On these Valentine's Day pages, I have posted many short poems - mostly limericks - about love between already married couples, or about to get married.

You can also adapt these for those not married, like dating or engaged, or maybe just friends.

14 Short Valentine's Day Limerick Poems

19 More Short Valentine's Day Limerick Poems


Valentine's Day is a Teachable Moment

Valentine's Day is truly a teachable moment, to show our love, appreciation, and friendship - of course, only in legitimate ways.

It is one of the 2 greatest commandments, to love our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. (Matthew 22:35-40, Romans 13:9-10)

It is the Golden Rule...(Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31), especially seen in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)


What is Valentine's Day? - When Love Gets More Serious

Dating - or courtship - is only reserved for a single man and single woman who are prepared man and an unwed woman prepared to get married, and no one else. Else, all kinds of grief comes later in the marriage. There are no exceptions, the grief and heartbreak always comes to those who violate God's principles.

If a person is not of legal age and ready to take the responsibilities of marriage, they should not be dating or courting.

Marriage intimacy must be reserved only within a lawful marriage. It is a special gift to wait and give your spouse.

Intimacy and living together before marriage or outside of marriage is not allowed. This evil brings with it all kinds of bad consequences.


Love Binds. Lust Blinds.

If you don't follow God's laws of marriage, and you think you're in love, you're not. Don't say you're in love, when you're really in lust.

Love may be blind, but lust blinds much more and kills the life of the soul.

It can be forgiven, but you still have to pay the consequences like King David.

King David was truly sorry and repented, and was forgiven by God. But he ended up paying for the rest of his life for disobeying God's marriage laws. And the people of his entire kingdom suffered as well. (2 Samuel 11, 12)


Valentine's Day is a Good Time to Reflect on Proper Marriage Preparation

Marriage is a lifetime of work and togetherness.

Yet many people spend more time and money on the one wedding day, than on getting ready for this life commitment. No wonder so many people divorce. And that brings even greater evils.

Many people will spend more time and money to prepare for a two week vacation that's over and gone, than to prepare for a marriage which lasts a lifetime, and can affect generations of offspring to come.

Get good Christian marriage advice. Good marriage counseling. Good marriage reading. Read the bible daily. Pray daily. And plan to keep on praying daily. Take some time to pray together daily, not just quick meal prayers.

Don't marry anyone not a full believer. Else, you will most likely regret it every single day for the rest of your life, and maybe for all eternity.

That is why it is so important to take plenty of time before making this life-changing decision, especially to ask God's Will in prayer.

Be careful of what you say. Unless you're married, don't be saying things like I love you the best, I'll love you forever and always. Wait until marriage. Because if someone else ends up being the right person for you, you may be setting yourself up for some serious heart breaking.

And really, even while married, you should reserve your best and greatest love for God. Humans will disappoint us, yes, even marriage spouses.

God comes first. Your love for your marriage spouse comes after your love for God.


Real Love in Marriage

It takes 3 to get married. Put God first and foremost in your marriage.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

God wants your marriage to be happy and blessed.

God gives much happiness and many blessings to those who follow His laws of marriage.

God will help you when human love fails. And human love will always eventually fail. Then true love must enter the picture to help.

Ideally, the way it should be, a marriage should be based on God's true love as it's foundation before the marriage.

God should be a part of the marriage from the beginning. He is the maker of marriage to begin with. (Genesis 2:23-24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:6-9, Ephesians 5:31)

What is true love? It is a gift of God. God loves us unconditionally with such sacrificial and generous love, even when we disappoint him. God gives us the example in Jesus Christ how to truly - and sacrificially - love each other.


Valentine's Day is an Opportunity for Gratitude

When God gives the special gift of marriage, it is necessary to cultivate this love, so it stays so strong "until death do us part". This gift must be accepted with deep gratitude and appreciation.

• To God for the precious gift and graces of marriage.
• To God for the spouse he has prepared.
• To God for the children and grandchildren he brings to the marriage.
• To each other spouse for their love and efforts.
• To the children and grandchildren.

And yes, it is a precious gift that can be lost if we fail to daily work at it.

A good marriage takes a lot of work. It's a lifetime of work, but the results are certainly worth it.

Even more, it takes a lot of God's help. God can make what we think impossible, possible.

God is in the miracle business.


What is Valentine's Day? - A Day of Miracles!

Yes, God is in the miracle business. How else could 2 people so opposite ...

Wait a minute, you say, we are very much alike? Surprise, when you get married, you will soon discover the truth ... maybe in a few weeks or months.

Anyway, how else could 2 people - who like you and me are born selfish and with a sinful nature - be attracted to sacrifice of themselves for the rest of their lives for someone else?

Love is the answer. Love is the magic. Love is the key.

And we don't have it by ourselves, because true, unselfish, giving love is the gift from God.

The least we can do is to daily show our appreciation to God for this special gift.

Thank your stars!


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