Dear Reader:

Happy Valentines to one and all! I love the picture of this intricate door knocker with a heart on top! What a wonderful way to greet friends, family, and strangers, year around at one’s door….with a heart symbolizing the love within.

You might remember I got a sparkly heart-shaped Valentine decoration from one of the drug stores on the first of February and added it to my front wreath. So I have enjoyed coming home to it each day…my own little porch ‘heart’ to welcome me back. It does make me smile as I go and come each day.

And lo and behold “Big Red” has decided to spread out all over the white porch bench….beautiful red against the white…my own Valentines present from my favorite geranium.

When I came across this short anecdote about the little girl with the red umbrella it made me smile! The definition of faith personified.

As a drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the way of life of the townspeople.

As the problem became more acute, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain. Many people arrived. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting he noticed most people were chatting across the aisles and socializing with friends. When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting.

His eyes scanned the crowd as he asked for quiet. He noticed an eight year-old girl sitting quietly in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella. The little girl’s beauty and innocence made the pastor smile as he realized how much faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella. All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer .

And our last little anecdote on this beautiful Valentines Day…titled: Faith like a Dog…On the Other Side.

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.” Very quietly the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” the man said. “You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.”

“I know little of what is on the other side of death,” the doctor continued, “but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness.”

I am purposefully keeping this little blog shorter than usual today so everyone can enjoy this day of showing love and caring to the fullest.

Anne got another God Wink with her word “re-boot” or “pause” yesterday and she sent it on to me. I think it is a great way to leave the post today.

So until tomorrow: “Practice the pause. When in doubt, pause. When angry, pause. When tired, pause. When stressed, pause. And when you pause, pray.”

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh