Everyone Has A Valentine
By Marianne Schultz, Deacon
1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Tinsel paintings are reverse painting on glass, transparent colors against opaque backgrounds. Crumpled foil behind the transparent design makes the colors glitter. “ …The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)
I collected tinsel paintings as a kid. I found them in the neighbors’ garbage. Due to the fragility of the art form, finding good existing examples now is rare. They can disintegrate, crack, get mold spots, and show other signs of age. Restoration is impossible. Two of mine have lasted the test of time. One is “God Bless This Home,” which I found 50 or more years ago.
And “God Is Love” is from my beloved Scott’s grandparents' home. (It was the only thing we could bring back in our suitcase due to shipping costs.)
I can be like a tinsel painting; colorful and bright on the outside but sad and crumpled on the inside. God sees me with those feelings. He restores me, and I know how very much He loves me unconditionally, inside and out. He loves us all so very much. “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. (2 Cor 5:17 CEV)
Growing up, Valentine’s Day was the worst day of the year. I was the only kid whose decorated shoebox, when opened, was empty; not one valentine from a classmate. (Cue Charlie Brown moment.) I got used to it, but that didn’t make it any easier. Fast forward to 1979––enter Scott. We were newly friends but he slipped a handmade card under the door of my Northwestern dorm room. I realized from that moment we would be together forever. I knew that so many of my crumpled foil days would be left behind.
(From Scott: “The handmade card was a drawing of a ‘comedy fish’ on a computer ‘punch card.’ I may be older than I look, or act. It took me a bit longer to realize that we would be together forever; thank the Lord that she had better perception. I was surprised that Marianne did not title this devotional “My Funny Valentine.”)
Jesus has been with me all my life; He has never left me. I recall the song Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. That song has kept me going all my life. For me, Jesus was always my Valentine with His love. He is everyone’s Valentine––Father, comforter, hope; the unconditional love we need in this world we live in.
1 John 4:8-9 (NIV) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the love You have for me and others. While sometimes I am crumpled, Your love restores faith, hope, and the promise of eternal life with You. I know You are with me always, not only on Valentine’s Day. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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