DUANE AND I have been sweethearts since 1979. Married in September of that same year, I have never, ever, seen him look wrongly at another beautiful woman! I knew he never would!

Here are two of my Valentine Memories I’d like to share with you now:

 

#1

We had met February 3^rd, 1979. Our first date was on February 6^th: our first kiss was our last kiss to any other potential love interests…

Selah.

However, that famous February month for us found me home alone on Valentine’s! (Good thing I am patient!) But, I did get a phone call. And I became all excited

until…

I realized I was not speaking to Duane, but Roger. I politely ended the conversation as soon as possible because this man and I were not a possible love interest. I was very disappointed: and yes, that was a good thing!

Sometime after this very (very!) special celebration I called Duane and invited him to my ‘couch party’!  I was beginning to think he was never going to call me, it had been two weeks.

NOTE: Ladies, be patient, not pushy. Be ready, not desperate.

I had two different groups of friends over to celebrate my first (and brand-new) couch! The party wasn’t the best. I’ve learned not to mix two groups of people. (Of course, now I’m Christian and we’d all be on the same page: the page like John 3:16 is on! Loving God!)

At my truly successful couch party, (successful for me) a very beloved, precious, and wise man (his friend Steve) sat at the table with his date, another couple, Duane and myself. Forever grateful to Steve, he said to Duane and me: “So, when are you two going out?”

Wisely, we too, took this question as a matter of fact and looked at each other, planned a date, and without knowing it, an everlasting covenant together…

I definitely do believe in love on first sight. But, beloved, I had to get used to Duane’s curly hair: I wanted black wavy. But his was black and his eyes were my favorite for my husband: brown! Even upon meeting him I didn’t think he was cute and he thought I was average! Imagine!

NOTE: this is how stupid people can be who don’t go to church! Cut me some slack about his looks. God was the one who planted all good desires in me: and once I realized I was stupid, God made it right! You see, after seeing him the next time, I decided  I was yet one more time: wrong. He was handsome!

And: he came to be mine!

Our first date was a double with Steve and his fiancée. We went to a scary movie (very scary!) and I got to tell you, I used subterfuge!! I was never good at flirting at all (or so I always thought.) But I did pretend I was going to slip and fall on the way back to the car after that very, very scary movie where he never held my hand, never put his protective arm around my shoulder! I was not pleased! I wanted him to and he let me down on the first date… Without surprise to me, I didn’t get mad… He didn’t touch me, he didn’t comfort me, he didn’t ‘catch’ me!

I was patient. Upon him taking me to my apartment, he leaned into kiss me and it was the kiss that sealed our fate…

We were both in love!

Married since 1979, raising a family, increasing our professions, and most importantly putting God first in our lives, through the bumps and shakes, we are still here and we are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us. We have a covenant: God, husband, wife! I thank God there is no divorce, I truly think I could not handled one. Not a day goes by when we don’t kiss and say: “I love you!”

By the way, Duane and I are getting another new couch this March!

I hope Roger struck gold in his love life as well!

 

#2

This Valentine Memory I will keep short and sweet!

I love red roses. They always symbolize romance to me! A lobster dinner, chocolate, lace, baby’s breath, and beautiful red roses.

And these are just some of my Valentine joys!

When I was working quite a few years ago part-time, I worked and dealt with a lot of people. It was wonderful every year to share my good news and joy of receiving red roses! A lobster dinner was most usually the evening plan for us too!

This particular Valentine’s Duane had to go to work.

NOTE: We are terrific at celebrating wonderful anniversaries such as Valentine’s when it suits our schedule best. It truly is never a disappointment to change the date…

Selah.

(Wives make a special note of this. It’s more important for a precious celebration to be celebrated on a different date rather than to rush it or shortchange it.)

Duane was getting his things to go to work and I was already in bed. Somehow it turned out that way. I was wide awake and I could hear his movements…

Suddenly, I knew exactly what he was doing! Being covert, I waited until I heard him leave, saw the car lights gone, and then waited just a little more…  Excitedly, I then jumped out of bed knowing exactly what I would find! He had hidden my roses in the office where he thought I wouldn’t see them until I came home from work myself the next day!

Now I could have let him surprise me! But wait: I remember back then, I couldn’t wait! How could he be mad at me when I was so excited to find my Valentine’s Day roses?! And what fun I had telling so very many people what fun I had in the hunt?! How sweet and cute it was that he had them all ready and ‘hid’ them?!

That’s another story I will never forget! Sure he wasn’t totally thrilled with me finding them without him…  But I justified it to him completely when I told him how much fun I had in finding them and sharing my good news to others! A great romance in Christ is to be cherished, bringing glory to the King of glory!

 

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.

 

#3
LASTLY
Next year, if the Rapture hasn’t come, I tell you about our famous White Castle Valentine’s!

 

 

 

SEVEN SCRIPTURES ABOUT ROMANCE AND MARRIAGE:

 

 

Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

 

Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

 

Ephesians 5:28
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

 

Proverbs 30:18-19
“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.

 

Song of Solomon 1:2-4
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you! Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers….

 

Song of Solomon 4:9
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.