My youngest daughter works downtown in a children's boutique. For this month's window display, she constructed an enormous candy box and sixty candy hearts out of cardboard to resemble Sweethearts candy. She made some hearts big, some small, different colors, some with sweet sayings, and some without any words at all... It reminds me of God taking the time to uniquely craft each of us with love. It also reminds me of another hand crafted valentine...
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
The first memory I have of Valentine's day was in the fourth grade. I had a crush on a little boy named Toby. I sat in the third row, second seat, and he sat in the fourth row, third seat. Toby was so nice to me! He opened my door, always smiled when I looked his way... but I wasn't sure if he liked me in the same way that I liked him. He was very quiet and polite to everyone. One day, as Valentine's day approached, our teacher stood in front of the class and handed out construction paper, doilies, stickers, and markers. She announced that we would be having a Valentine's day party and each of us could make over-sized envelopes to hold our cards. As we finished decorating the envelopes, we took turns hanging them up in the front of the class below the chalkboard. She said we could exchange our cards during the party at the end of class on Valentine's Day.
I carefully considered Toby's valentine. Should I buy a card and sign my name in hearts? Maybe I should make his valentine card? Maybe he doesn't like handmade cards. Maybe he doesn't like me? Maybe I should just give him a strawberry shortcake card, just like everyone else, as not to stand out? After careful consideration, I decided to make his card. I wanted it to be big and special, and it was! I carefully signed it with a red heart and my name.
The day of the party arrived and I carefully tucked his card under my desk. The Valentine party was about to begin... Row by row, we all walked up to the chalkboard and put our cards in the envelopes. I dropped Toby's card into his envelope. I looked up to see him watching me, smiling. I quickly walked back to my desk, keeping my head down. His row was about to go up next. I watched Toby slowly walk up to the chalkboard with only one card in his hand. "Oh great!" I thought, as I put my face in my hands. "How embarrassing, he only has one valentine, and I'm sure it isn't for me!" I quickly regained my composure, peeking through my fingers, and watched him stop in front of my envelope. He dropped in the card! He dropped HIS card, his ONLY card, into MY envelope! He turned around to walk back to his desk. He was smiling ear to ear, and I was, too. Only one more row of valentines to be delivered. A student on that last row had so many valentines to deliver, giggling and smiling as she read their names aloud, looking back at each of her friends as she dropped theirs in...."HURRY UP, please" I thought, "I need my valentine card!" I looked back at Toby and he smiled with a sheepish grin before looking back down at his desk. Once all of the cards were delivered, our teacher stood up and allowed one row at a time to get up and grab snacks before taking their envelope from the chalkboard... Oh, Mrs. Terry, I can barely stand it. I HAVE TO READ THAT CARD!
Finally, it was time! I bypassed the heart shaped cake snacks and went straight for my valentine envelope. I dumped out all of my friend's cards, and there was his card. I opened it and written in red ink, it read "Will you be my valentine? Love, Toby" Love, Toby. Love. He likes me!
My face felt hot. I looked over at Toby. He saw my smile, and it said everything. I could see his relief as he mustered up the courage to lean over and say, "Will you?" My smile widened as I nodded and replied with a simple but sweetly delivered "yes." He sat up straight in his desk and clasped his hands. The boy sitting behind him, who took it upon himself to make this a party of three, shook his head as he nudged Toby's shoulder, saying "Hey, it's your turn to get snacks." Toby got out of his desk, went straight to his envelope, dashed over to the snack table, and then headed back to his seat. He reached in and grabbed my card and read it. He looked at me and I looked back...we were two very happy fourth graders!
Now, nothing ever became of our budding romance. We were only "sweet on each other", as my grandmother would say...but I never forgot how he made me feel that day. I felt chosen. Out of all the pretty little girls in our class, he chose to give me his only valentine.
Can you believe that seventeen years later, I was given an even sweeter valentine! The Lord decided to bless us with a sweet baby girl on Valentines Day. The same sweet girl that has been crafting the valentine hearts for the downtown display is turning 18! Happy birthday, sweet Lucy! You are, and will forever be, my favorite valentine!
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14
