Happy Valentine’s Day 2007

It’s come again. The day on the calendar circled in red with pink hearts and flowers. That holiday when those without a significant other focus on their identity as “single” while those who are in love act rather silly. (Or at least my brother thought my candlelight dinner with romantic music was silly.)

A year ago my best girlfriend became engaged to Merritt. We enjoyed compiling a post of humor and encouragement (you can read last year’s Valentine’s post here).

It seems that most people would spend today pursuing one or more of three purposes: demonstrating love, celebrating romance, and appreciating singleness. We gathered a small number of quotes and links for those of you who stop by for a chat on this day, February 14.

Demonstrating Love
The origin of Valentine’s Day is about Biblical love of which romance is one facet. There are numerous ways to show love on this day. Here are some examples…

• Victorian Trading Co. has a number of beautiful e-cards that could be used to brighten someone’s day
• Christianity Today’s feature on Valentine’s Day has lots of good reading.

Celebrating Romance

• As always, the Index of Courtship Stories is a fun place to visit.
• For married or engaged readers only I highly recommend The Generous Wife.

Happiness, in other words, love, in married life is not a mere accident. When the union has been formed, as most Christian unions are, by God Himself, it is His intention and His will that it shall prove the unspeakable joy of both husband and wife and become more and more so from year to year.

Every day that a husband and wife walk hand in hand together upon this earth makes the twain more and more one flesh. The selfish element that at first formed so large a part of their attraction to each other disappears, and the union becomes so pure and beautiful as to form a fitting type of the union of Christ and His church. There is nothing else on earth like it.

-Selections from Stepping Heavenward, by Elizabeth Prentiss

Husband and wife are not two, but one; if he is the head and she is the body, how can they be two? She was made from his side; they are two halves of one organism. God calls her a “helper” to demonstrate their unity, and He honors the unity of husband and wife above that of child and parents. A father rejoices to see his son or daughter marry; it is as if his child’s body is finally becoming complete.

-John Chrysostom, St. John Chrysostom on Marriage and Family Life
quoted in Aflame: Ancient Wisdom on Marriage

Appreciating Singleness

• A poem written for Esther Wissell (whose courtship story will be posted soon)
• “Content but Not Complete” series by Jeannie Castleberry. Jeannie’s articles on singleness are the feature of our week here at the YLCF. Check back on Thursday and Friday for more!
• The YLCF archives on Singleness and Waiting
• Solo Femininity’s series on preparing for marriage can be read here.
• Christianity Today’s Singles’ website might be of interest.
• Some quotes from Gretchen:
  Laura is too young to ‘play house’ yet, and you are too unstable to assume the part of lord and master, Philip. Go and prove that you have prudence, patience, energy, and enterprise, and I will give you my girl,–but not before. I must seem cruel, that I may be truly kind; believe this, and let a little pain lead you to great happiness, or show you where you would have made a bitter blunder.
  -A Modern Cinderella, by Louisa May Alcott, pg. 37
  click here to read the story on classicauthors.net

It seems very long to wait, mother. If I could just ask her for a word of hope, I could be very patient then.”"Ah, my dear, better bear one year of impatience now than a lifetime of regret hereafter. Nan is happy; why disturb her by a word which will bring the tender cares and troubles that come soon enough to such conscientious creatures as herself?

-A Modern Cinderella, by Louisa May Alcott, pg. 40
click here to read the story on classicauthors.net