Valentine's Day | JOY for Today

(Updated 1/25/2024)

While Valentine's Day is met with mixed emotions, I see it as a celebration of LOVE: love of God, love of others, and love of self.  There is never enough love to go around. So, let's find JOY for today in giving and receiving love.

A heart background with overlaid text quoting 1 Peter 4:8. Valentine's Day 2022.
Hearts image from Pixabay.

Valentine's Day Offerings

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:

Did You Know:

  1. There are three Saint Valentine legends? First, there's the Valentine who married soldiers despite Emperor Claudius II's decree to keep them single. Second, Valentine of Terni lived his life supporting marriage and ended it with a note to his beloved signed "From your Valentine." Finally, a third Valentine helped Christians escape imprisonment. 
  2. There are three reasons it's on February 14th: St. Valentine's burial date, the Pagan fertility festival Lupercalia, and the beginning of birds' mating season (according to medieval belief).
  3. Geoffry Chaucer immortalized it? In "Parliament of Fowls," (1375) Chaucer wrote: "For this was on Saint Valentine's day, / When every fowl comes there his mate to take,"
  4. Cupid is actually mischievous? Cupid is the Roman God known to the Greeks as Eros, god of love. Eros toyed with the emotions of gods and men. With a gold arrow he could bring about love, while a lead one led only to hate.
  5. Vinegar valentines were sent in the Victorian era? Effective at warding off unwanted suitors, your "Valentine" could receive a note that reads: "'tis a lemon that I hand you and bid you now 'skiddoo,' / Because I love another - there is no chance for you." Short, sweet, effective - but it carries quite a sting. 
Find out even MORE about Valentine's Day:

We'd Love to Know:

Another fact we could add to our list.

Wolfe Stew Connects

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. And no, not just because I have a husband to share it with. I love that it is a celebration of love - at least that's how I choose to see it. I cherish the idea of being able to set aside one day a year to focus on love: love for God, love for others, and love for yourself. I hope you take a moment to soak in the love that surrounds you and that it brings you great JOY.

If you are ready to RISE into love, join us in our GROWTH for Today calendar with daily tasks to help you RISE toward personal change. It is a struggle, encouragement helps, and it starts when you RISE. Know we're learning to RISE right along with you.

We'd Love to Know:

Your thoughts on Valentine's Day.


Bible Verses and Quotes to Inspire

Bible Verses

  • "I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains - but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned - but if I have no love, this does me no good." I Corinthians 13:1-3 (GNT)
  • "Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!" I Corinthians 3:4-8 (CEV)
  • "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love." I Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT)
  • "We love because he first loved us." I John 4:19 (NIV)
  • "Above all, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins." I Peter 4:8 (CEB) 

Quotes

  • "This fire that we call Loving is too strong for human minds. But just right for human souls." - Aberjhani
  • "Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." - Robert Heinlein
  • "The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller
  • "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu
  • "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." -William Shakespeare

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote do you most love?

Activity Suggestions

Focus on spreading love (caring about another) this Valentine's Day by having your learners complete one of the following:

  • Show love to another by making an I Love You to Pieces Valentine with Laughing Kids Learn. 
    • A tear art activity for building muscles necessary for fine motor skills.
    • Add love to it by writing traits you admire about the recipient on several pieces.
  • Show yourself love by building a Love Tube with Clicky Chick Creates.
    • Decorate a container and fill it with attributes you love about yourself.
    • Ask others to contribute too (but only add meaningful ones).
  • Create an environment of love by filling a Jar of Hearts with Inspired Elementary.
    • Record statements of appreciation on cutout hearts and place them in a jar.
    • Periodically, pull out a heart and read what someone "LOVES" about their classroom, family, or life.
  • Show God love by making Him a valentine. Write a prayer, a journal entry, spend devoted time with Him, or create an actual valentine. Surrender to His love and thank Him for it. Check out some of these sites for inspiration:

We'd Love to Know: 

A favorite Valentine activity of yours.

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow. Join us next week for...Presidents' Day!

Fighting the Good Fight with You,

Red stew bowl with steam rising from top. Wolfe Stew crawled on front.

Sample these related posts:
To connect scarlet with love.


Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.

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