I walked by the Valentine candy isle today. Fellow chocolate lovers, our best day of the year should be February 15th! All that chocolate for half price! Shelves of chocolate hearts; dark chocolate, milk chocolate, crunchy chocolate… Normally I would be giddy with the thought of stocking up on chocolate, but today the left over Valentines reminded me that there are many who are nursing unmet expectations and disappointing realities.

I’m reminded of the tears of friends who didn’t receive chocolate, flowers or a card. I thought of the scores of couples who spent hundreds (even thousands) of dollars on chocolate and trinkets in a vain attempt to revive a dying relationship. Valentine’s Day is a day many would like to eliminate from the calendar…I thought of my first Valentine’s Day as a new bride…

Brad and I were in our thirties when we married on a beautiful August day in Colorado. I never had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day and over the years I managed to weave a beautiful dream about what the day would be like when I finally found my true love. As Valentine’s Day approached I eagerly anticipated my dream becoming a reality… (you know what’s coming don’t you?!)

Brad casually mentioned one night that he resented all the Valentine hype. “It’s a day Hallmark has blown up and marketed so they can sell a lot of cards and gifts. I don’t like being used like that. I wish we could just ignore the day all together.” One look at my devastated face and he knew he’d made a mistake, but like most new husbands he thought he could bring me around to his thinking if he explained it better…NOT!

Brad ended up saying he would get me flowers and a card for Valentine’s Day if I wanted him to. I told him I didn’t want him to get me anything for Valentine’s Day…EVER! So much for my Valentine’s Day dream!

Tuesday marked our 20th Valentine’s Day together. I woke up to find 3 red roses and a card waiting for me in the kitchen. A festive dinner with the kids took the place of a romantic dinner for two but that was fine with me. We laughed and shared memories we’ll all treasure. It was a great day, not my Valentine dream day…it was better. Why? It’s because we work hard at loving each other every other day of the year.

My dear friends, I hope you take advantage of the half price chocolate Valentines, but I pray you don’t settle for half-price love. Whether you’re married or single, God has placed people in your life for you to love and who will love you. The love may not look like the love of your dreams , but if you trust your Heavenly Father and fix your heart on His promises, He will fill it with a love that exceeds your dreams!   Ephesians 3:18-21