Just add Water

It’s been fun to watch the weather change so drastically in the last few weeks. About a month ago we had a very cold snap, as did much of the US. I am not used to freezing weather and was very entertained by the crunchy grass and frozen puddles. When the freeze was over, the fog returned. It remained relatively cold for a few weeks and many began bemoaning the fact that we had not had much rain (water is a valuable commodity in California). So when the rain clouds came, they were a welcome sight. As is the case with rain, it brought with it the dreariness of dark clouds that blotted out the sunlight. So it was another surprise when the sun suddenly came out and started warming everything up. It is almond blossom time in our area, something that I always look forward to, but have seen only once in the last 8 years. I have been anticipating the pink and white blossoms for some time and intend to get my camera out to capture some of them on film. But I didn’t anticipate that they would burst out so quickly and early. Just a few short weeks ago we were experiencing freezing weather and tule fog. Now the air is clear, the sky is blue, and blossoms of all sorts are bursting forth from the trees. Since the change was so dramatic, I have to take a double take. ‘Are those blossoms on that tree, or is that whiteness leftover from the frost?’ It’s as if God just got out a packet of instant spring and just added water.

The approaching spring reminds me of how we grow spiritually. Sometimes we go through dark damp winters and don’t see any growth, but then God adds a little sunlight and water and new growth bursts forth!

The Legend of St. Valentine

I don't know how true this story is, but it certainly is possible. Enjoy.

The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian martyr. The emperor was Claudius II. The Christian was Valentinus.

Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and he had made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians. But Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ, and not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs. He was arrested and imprisoned.

During the last weeks of Valentinus' life a remarkable thing happened. Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons. She had been blind since birth.

Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick young mind. Valentinus read stories of Rome's history to her. He described the world of nature to her. He taught her arithmetic and told her about God. She saw the world through his eyes, trusted in his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength.

"Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" Julia asked one day. "Yes, my child. He hears each one'" He replied. "Do you know what I pray for every morning and night? I pray that I might see. I want so much to see everything you've told me about!" "God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said. "Oh, Valentinus, I do believe," Julia said intensely. "I do."

She knelt and grasped his hand. Then they prayed together.
Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell. Radiant, Julia cried, "Valentinus, I can see! I can see!" "Praise be to God!" Valentinus exclaimed.

On the eve of his death, Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God, and he signed it "From your Valentine."

His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D., near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory. He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome.

It is said that Julia herself planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each February 14, St. Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world.