VALENTINE’S DAY 2021
Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, next to Christmas and Easter. It’s a special time to express the love you have for your spouse, significant other, or even your family and friends.
Over the years, I’ve tried to find creative ways to celebrate this special holiday: with thoughtfully selected gifts, a dinner party, a chocolate party, a scavenger hunt, a progressive dinner, even a large Valentine’s Day party with friends in a wine club group.
It was also my mom’s favorite holiday. And after a battle with colon cancer, she went home to Heaven on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2018, now three years ago. We were all in shock and I can’t even really remember that day, except moving straight into funeral plans.
But the following year, I decided to throw a big family celebration and party in her honor and memory. And honestly, I didn’t want that day to be marred with the memories of grief for me and my family. So, I left the Christmas tree up and transformed it into a Valentine’s tree. I wrapped up fur coats and gifts my mother had bequeathed to her granddaughters to give them that day. I had special memorial stuffed bunnies made from her clothing to give to her great granddaughters. And I purchased gifts for the men, so they wouldn’t be left out. I even decorated the house and dinner table with a Valentine’s Day theme, using many of my mother’s beautiful dishes and red glasses. I loved it so much, as did my family, that I replicated the idea last year as well—with yet more gifts that represented the things that she loved.
This year, with the ongoing pandemic and the ice storm that has descended on our city, my elaborate plans are on hold… But it may birth another creative idea of ways to celebrate this much beloved holiday.
As I reflect on years past and think of the significance of this day, I think too of how much God loves each and every one of us. I think this might very well be one of His favorite days too. And He is endless in His ability to express His love for His beloved ones. In fact, He loves to show that in demonstrative ways as well. And He longs for His beloved to show and express their love right back to Him. Isn’t that a part of what worship, serving, and giving is all about? Isn’t that just some of the ways we express our love to Him? God says to you too, "Will you be My Valentine?"
This year, in lieu of a big party, or gathering with family, friends, or even our wine club group, I decided to launch my long-awaited dream of blogging and writing on a larger scale. This blog, Just-Beloved, reflects years and years of writing and expressing my heart to my BELOVED and Him expressing His heart to me as well—and hopefully to you too.
And with it now being the third year of my mother’s homegoing, I think it’s timely to dedicate this page to her and to launch Just-Beloved!
Betty Pearl Loop, you were always God’s beloved daughter and He called you home on the perfect day. "Happy Valentine's Day! We all miss you!"
