A Rosy Valentines - Dorothy Bentley

I woke up early the day before Valentines Day, and the house was empty, which almost never happens.

Odd.

I wandered around, looking in all the rooms, inspecting the coat closet to see which boots were gone.

Strange.

Did they all ditch me and go to church without me?

I texted my older son, who has a habit of going to the early service at church on Sundays, with his friends, to leave time for doing other things during the afternoons. He had no idea where his dad and younger brother were.

I decided to relax and have a cup of herbal tea while I had some peace and quiet.

Without know where they were, though, my imagination went wild.

What if they went to the store and got into an accident and that is why they are gone so long.

Or maybe they did ditch me and go to church and were sitting at the back and my older son didn't know there were even there. Why wouldn't they have woken me? I love going to church!

On and on went my imagination.

A little while later, my husband and young son came home with gifts.

My son had bought several different types of chocolates, including a bag of Hershey's Kisses, given to me with his hugs and real kisses.

And
my husband brought me a dozen velvety red roses.

I felt so spoiled and blessed!

Why had I panicked? Why had I doubted their love?

When I look at the roses, a little wilted but still alive after more than week, the thought crosses my mind that each rose stands for one month that my husband loved me and was faithful to me, just in the last year. (There were plenty of years before that one!).

I am so thankful for his love,
yet it is just a shadow, a mirror of the love my Heavenly Father has for me.

He is faithful always,

Loving always.

Help me not to panic, Lord, when I am going through a time of uncertainty.
Rather, help me to remember my dozen roses, the twelve months of my husband's love and faithfulness, which in turn will remind me of You.