Candy, Card an’ Rose

February is the month of LOVE! Who is the patron saint of Valentine’s Day? Believe it or not, that fact is clouded in a bit of a mystery. For ages, February’s most celebrated day is the 14th, Valentine’s Day. A day that is historically associated with romance. It also has roots from both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. The mystery revolves around which Saint Valentine is the true Saint Valentine. According to history from the Catholic Church, there were three priests named Valentine that were martyred in Rome during the third century and executed by Emperor Claudius II. All three of these men were sympathetic to Christians and to young lovers. One of these reportedly sent the first valentine to a young girl that he had fallen in love with and signed it, “From your Valentine.” As history shows, there will be stories to substantiate the legend and they all portray Saint Valentine to be a ro-mantic and sympathetic hero of the time period and one that lives on today in the hearts of lovers worldwide! February is the month of LOVE! The mythical Cupid waits for the chance to shoot that arrow into the hearts of lovers as well as innocent bystanders. This is the time for valentines, flowers, and candy. Now, a warning to the Gentlemen… be smarter than my friend of years ago, this goober procrastinated until after work on the 14th and could only find a card for his wife that said, “To a good friend” resulting in, well to put it lightly, a strained relationship! Okay…okay…I know most of you are smarter than that, but I ‘spect a few of you could be suspect! As my Ol’ Daddy would say, “Bein’ sweet on a lady is when a feller gets his love an’ ignorance mixed up!” But, legend has it that my own Ol’ Daddy’s reaction to my Sweet Mama’s acceptance of his marriage proposal was that he kissed her…but Mama said, “Not so, ‘cuz he kissed his horse!” I thank the Good Lord for providing a good woman that was willing to put up with me through all these years. Believe it or not, this May will mark 62 married years that followed 4 years of “courtin’.” Great memories came from walking side by side holding hands as we trailed through life’s journey. Truth is, I love my young bride Stella! ”Husbands, love your wives” is a biblical directive, primarily from Ephesians 5:25, urging husbands to love their wives sacrificially, selflessly, and actively, mirroring Christ’s love for the church—nurturing, cherishing, and providing for her spiritual and physical well-being, as if she were their own body, to present her holy and blameless. This means leading with selfless service, understanding her needs, and actively working to make her thrive, not just tolerating or being bitter towards her.

Candy, Card, an’ Rose

This day set aside for lovers true, With candy, card, an’ rose, An’ to hear those words, I Love You, With a poem he might compose. A glimmer of light Fond memories of how love will surge,

In trails that we have

Brings forth a morning Candy

An’ thru the beauty of Held tight by the hand dawned the day, Their music swells the

An’ love was in the air, Sweet smiles knowin’ it

You see, walkin’ life’s

An’ brings forth faith as trails together, was there to stay, With joy an’ tears an’

Resounding from the We figured it was fair. This was a day the Lord

Our God keeps us on

Like sweet words from To live happily ever after!

Our rejoice would be

The morn brings song See, we know our love This day set aside for will never fade, Melodious notes upon Thru ages, it would repeat!

With candy, card, an’

Our heart with rapture

An’ to hear those words, Yet, God made this day a

While the fragrance of With a poem he might For lovers young an’ old, To meet the early glistening the morning rose,

An’ grasp this orb of With sound of bubbling brooks, as it flows,

So day would come with An’ melds into its © Ol’ Jim Cathey You always gain by giving love. So, say to someone, “I love you!”

Remember, true love stories never have endings.

God bless each of you and God Bless America!

sweet refrain, Of bird song in the air, An’ beauty of their sweet An’ in those moments love will merge,

had made, complete, special one, sun,

gold.

domain, prayer. the morn, breeze, if reborn, trees. poets sonnet, bird trills, it, thrills. Wisps quiet meadow, shadow.

‘crost yon

trod, of God! laughter, His tether, lovers true, rose, I Love You, compose.