Okay, so it was a toss up. Write about Friday the 13th or Valentine’s Day, and since I’m such a romantic at heart – Valentine’s Day had to win out.

I found some very interesting tidbits about Valentine’s Day. There are all sorts of stories about how the holiday came to pass. It’s said to be founded in honor of St. Valentine who married lovers in secret against the wishes of Rome. I found it fascinating that in 1537 King Henry VIII

is actually credited with making it a national holiday for all of England to celebrate. Somehow this seems strangely appropriate for a man who had six wives.

There are wonderful stories about the middle ages when young people would draw names from a bowl to see who their Valentine sweetheart would be. They’d pin the names to their sleeves, and hence the saying, “wearing your heart on your sleeve” was born.

There are all kinds of traditions and myths associated with Valentine’s Day. Women were told if they saw a robin fly overhead on Valentine’s Day she would marry a sailor. If it was a sparrow – she would marry a poor man, but if she saw a goldfinch – she would marry a wealthy man.

And of course there is the financial aspect. It’s reported that over one billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday for florists, with an estimated 110 million roses being delivered on this day alone.
With all of that in mind, it seemed only proper that I should send you a Valentine through this blog. So here it is.

I wish you blessings on this day, that your heart would be full of hope and love, and that God would guide your every step and thought.
Tracie