We celebrate love on Valentine’s Day
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.(and also planting potatoes!)
Gentlemen, be smarter than my friend of years ago, who procrastinated until after work on the 14th and could only find a card for his wife that said, “To a good friend” resulting in a strained relationship! And as my Ol’ Daddy would say, “Bein’ sweet on a lady is when a feller gets his love an’ ignorance mixed up!”
Well sir, over 64 years ago, a pretty young girl absolutely stole my heart. Yes, my young bride Stella. Ahhh she woudn’t marry me at first, but in about four years I wore her down. But to hear her tell it, she claims it’s the other way around!
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 Christion 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 romantic and sympathetic hero of the time period and one that lives on today in the hearts of lovers worldwide 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!”
All joking aside, my young bride Stella and I share a love for each other with great memories as we have walked side by side holding hands as we trailed through life’s journey.
The Bible tells us in; Mark 12:30-31 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Join us at First Baptist Church Marlin to share in the love of Jesus.
Cowboy’s Predicament
Well sir, Valentines Day had come an’ gone,
An’ Ol’ Jim was in a sweat,
Sometimes life makes a feller moan an’ groan,
Like…when you just up an’ forget!
There’s no doubt, he’d be in the doghouse now,
‘Cuz what in the world could he do?
This was a deed he could not disavow,
An’ by now, everybody knew!
So, by end ‘o day, he’d head straight for town,
Tie up in front of the drug store,
He’d buy some truck an’ put his money down,
This would make atones… he was shore!
He took off his dusty hat an’ said a little prayer,
Asked the Good Lord to help him out,
Help him know what words to say once he got there,
Maybe take away his doubt.
When he gets home, his bride will hug his neck,
An’ he’d breathe a sigh of relief,
Then on his jaw, she’d plant a little peck,
An’ he’d be as smug as a thief.
He stopped by headquarters to show his boss,
An’ get advice ‘bout what he thought,
He said, “Son, you’d best get on yore knees at the Cross,
‘Cuz I shore think she’ll be distraught.”
“A woman shore ‘nuff likes candy an’ flowers,
But a peppermint cane won’t do!
An’ I reckon yore in for some bad hours,
‘Cuz I ‘spect you will get what you are due!”
The boss just spit ‘twix his boots an’ shook his head,
He warn’t sure what to recommend,
So, he told Ol’ Jim that he could bed down in the shed,
He figgered this marriage would end.
Well, Ol’ Jim allows, there warn’t much selection,
I done the best a feller could!
Like when you go in the wrong direction,
You’re hopin’ you’ll be understood!
Now, a cowboy has plenty of try an’ grit,
An’ he figgered to make his play,
They’d been through thick an’ thin, she would not quit,
At least that’s what he hoped that day.
So, he quietly said a word of thanks to the Lord,
For helpin’ him throughout this day,
Providin’ him a chance, no matter how hard,
Helpin’ him all along the way.
An’ wonders of wonders, she took it in stride!
‘Cuz she was a quality gal.
Ol’ Jim breathed a sigh of relief an’ swelled up with pride,
Most folk don’t have this kind of pal.
Now I ‘spect you wonders at this outcome,
‘Bout this fine lady an’ her plan,
Well, it’s plain to see… an’ will be by some,
See, she shore ‘nuff loved her man.
Now the moral to this story is plain,
Though Ol’ Jim shore ain’t got a clue,
To think bad of him would be inhumane,
‘Cuz cowboys need lovin’ too!
‘Cuz a feller seems to get farther behind,
An’ his thinkin’ gets muddled up,
When thoughts of his true love boogles his mind,
Got no more sense than a speckled pup!
They say a man’s lucky to love a woman,
that loves him back an’ won’t bend,
Well, his young bride Stella rode for the brand,
‘Cuz that ol’ card read, “TO A GOOD FRIEND!”
© Ol’ Jim Cathey
Tell your Darlin’ that you love her!
Pray for our Nation.
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 59 married years that followed 4 years of “courtin’.”
God Bless each of you and God Bless America!