Poster | Thread | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Valentines is for the Birds | | In my early school years we had a Valentines Day custom that has thankfully been dropped. We would collect our valentines, and then spread them out on our desks to count them. The boy and girl with the most got to be the Valentine king and queen for the day. That custom seemed to have more to do with popularity than with love and devotion. As far as I was concerned, it was for the birds.
Actually, Valentines Day got started with the birds. It arose out of a belief in the Middle Ages that the birds began to pair in mid-February. February 14 was therefore designated as an occasion for lovers to write letters and send lovers' tokens.
The recently released documentary movie, March of the Penguins, shows just how much Valentines truly is for the birds. This is an amazing story of loyalty, driven by a powerful instinct that has preserved the penguin species for countless generations in the most inhospitable climate on earth. During the breeding season bird pairs instinctively stay loyal to each other and their offspring, even though it could mean death.
St. Valentinus, a third century saint, was motivated, not by instinct, but by choice to risk death rather than renounce his devotion to the one whom he loved his God. He was supposedly martyred on February 14. His name has been attributed to Valentines Day, probably because of a legend that he wrote letters to his beloved while in prison.
Both birds and St. Valentinus can remind us that devotion is much more than momentary sentiment reserved only for that one day of the year Valentines Day.
Diane _________________ Diane
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| 2006/2/11 7:52 | Profile | MrBillPro Member
Joined: 2005/2/24 Posts: 3422 Texas
| Re: Valentines is for the Birds | | We Christians are just taking all that is and was fun out of the world, making folks feel under condemnation, no wonder kids are turning to shooting games on the Xbox. :-? _________________ Bill
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| 2006/2/11 9:22 | Profile | IsaacD Member
Joined: 2005/11/2 Posts: 6
| Re: | | Saint, I don't need to condemn anyone. They're already condemned, under the law. But what's written is that all meat is fine for the body, it's all from the Lord. So my conscience isn't condemned by sending someone a Valentine's day card. :-( That would be ridiculous, especially since the commandment from our Lord Jesus says Love your neighbour as I've loved you, and so whatever occasion that can be done on I do in devotion to praising His name. |
| 2006/2/11 9:33 | Profile | MrBillPro Member
Joined: 2005/2/24 Posts: 3422 Texas
| Re: | | Quote:
IsaacD wrote: Saint, I don't need to condemn anyone. They're already condemned, under the law. But what's written is that all meat is fine for the body, it's all from the Lord. So my conscience isn't condemned by sending someone a Valentine's day card. :-( That would be ridiculous, especially since the commandment from our Lord Jesus says Love your neighbour as I've loved you, and so whatever occasion that can be done on I do in devotion to praising His name.
Agreed. :-) _________________ Bill
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| 2006/2/11 9:38 | Profile |
| Re: | | MrBill's signiture:
Quote:
Exposure to the Son may prevent burning
I like it!
Actually, Exposure to the Son will cause burning.
Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
But I do know what you mean prevention of being burnt in hell fire. |
| 2006/2/11 14:56 | | deltadom Member
Joined: 2005/1/6 Posts: 2359 Hemel Hempstead
| Re: I am always afraid on Valentines Day | | I am always afraid on Valentines Day as being single it can either be the most miserable day, there are so many other people like this aswell. I find that Love is put to such a hyatus in are culture, that the single person because of the media and television and all the shops. I have always viewing loving god and loving one another as one of the hardest things in the bible. Yet it is one of the greatest. I know in myself that I cannot love. I find it personally in england one of the most lonely days in the Year, as from finding Halloween the most demonic day of the year.
I think it is C S Lewis says that GOD is Love not Love is God, There is also a verse in the bible that says he who does not love does not know god and from john, how can you love a person that you can see and not love a god that you cannot see.
Another quote from C S lewis is when love becomes a god it becomes a demon.
I have run out of words, I know what the bible says or I dont know enough. what scares me on this day is how much sexual immorality goes on this day but yet there is the unbent form of love which is almost as good! What is love? and how do you conquer that lonelyness within, also how many people suffer on this day over lost partners and lost wives and husband, does god even cry over his lost love.
Can anyone help me here
Dominic _________________ Dominic Shiells
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| 2006/2/11 18:21 | Profile |
| Re: Love ! | | Dominic, doesn't sound like you need any help here. You've said a good mouth full of Truths. Many good truths.
I was just reading C.S. Lewis' book 'The Four Loves', this last December, and you've quoted a good writer on that subject.
There is a lot of sadness on that day and you are not alone in that, but what I do, is just love as many folks as I can, like my Dad and sibling brothers and close friends on that day ... and see it as [u]just another day[/u] to 'show' love and not expect any in return.
That's agape love, right ?
His Love to you is sufficient. At least that is what I've found in these lonely years.
[u]God Bless you brother.[/u] Amen. |
| 2006/2/11 21:52 | | roadsign Member
Joined: 2005/5/2 Posts: 3777
| Re: dealing with loneliness | | Quote:
and how do you conquer that lonelyness within, also how many people suffer on this day over lost partners and lost wives and husband, does god even cry over his lost love.
You shared a lot of good points, Deltadom. Some of our cultural observances, like Valentines Day can be couterproductive. There is a good reason why the New Testament forbids us to have special days. When one is established then in time everybody thinks that they must observe them. But God never told them to. Man did.
Yet, Valentines is here to stay, and talking about the wrongs of it won't help anyone. Each of us must come to terms with it. Perhaps those who are suffering from loneliness or lost love can use this day as a reminder of the futility of trusting in another person as the source of fulfillment. The pain of loneliness can be replaced with the joy of God's presence. He is sufficient. We don't need chocolates and flowers and valentines cards. That may be nice, but God is far better.
I wrote this for the paper, knowing that the readers would not benefit if I told them of the pagan origin. (I just dropped hints)Instead I tried to explain the virtue of loyalty. I think that people need to be reminded about that these days when so many are deserting their loved ones when things don't go well. In that sense, the penguins put us humans to shame.
Is that any help? Diane
_________________ Diane
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| 2006/2/11 22:04 | Profile |
| Re: | | Reckon that's why I've been an animal activist since I was tiny ?
;-) |
| 2006/2/11 22:13 | |
| Re: Valentines is for the birds | | Here is the poem I thought of posting in the other thread - which is probably a slightly tougher read - about Valentine's Day. (And this thread is on the front page of the Lounge at the right time.) The poem fits here slightly better and covers the matters under discussion.
[b][size=x-small][font=Georgia]14th February, 2003[/font][/size][/b]
I [font=Georgia]REMEMBER[/font] Valentines day last year, Turquoise glacier hanging in the sky; Clouding upwards through the icy air, Puffs and wisps of steam float; like a sigh;
Hazy sunshine grapples with the frost, Shivering drivers huddle in their cars, Polar blue leans heavenward - where Im lost Praising God, Whose love outlasts the stars.
Who are these exchanging cards today? Passing fancy, or the genuine thing? Disingenuous lovers wait to play; Aching hearts desire, more than a ring.
Who dare put their trust in Valentines day? Fears and laughter mixing dangerously; Plundered spirits, floundered by its sway, [font=Georgia]LEARN[/font] to seek Gods loving husbandry!
Faithfully, He healed my broken heart; Tenderly, held fragile spirit still; Gently wooed my soul again to start Its journey, on His path and in His will.
He Who healed my broken heart, heals yours, Gently holds your startled spirit, too, Lifts your soul, touch-tenderly and woos Your love, Until its [font=Georgia]HIS[/font] You long to choose.
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| 2006/2/12 10:17 | |
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