There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day.
Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.
According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages, but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison.
During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods.
Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. But he continued, because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it.
While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. Because these people had come to know Jesus, Valentine praised God right there in his prison cell. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine beheaded.
He died on February 14, 269 A.D. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine".
The Bible Says: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13) God showed us this love by coming in Christ to die for our sins. And St. Valentine demonstrated this love when he died for his friends. This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really about.
In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.
Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers and candy. There was often a social gathering or a ball.
In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentines. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800's and now the date is very commercialized. Valentines are sent out with sentimental verses, and children exchange valentine cards at school.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
"Be my Valentine."
We all want to hear that phrase.
It simply means "you are loved."
God loves you and wants you to be His Valentine. The love that God gives us is not like the world's love. The World's love is as sturdy as the paper that most Valentine cards are made of.
God's Love is not a flimsy cheap imitation. It is the real thing. It is an all giving love that was and is willing to suffer and die for our deliverance.
Will you be God's Valentine? It is your choice. Say yes and give back to God the love that God first gave you.
And when you do, remember the first St. Valentine and the way he gave everything, including his life, to the God he loved.
It simply means "you are loved."
God loves you and wants you to be His Valentine. The love that God gives us is not like the world's love. The World's love is as sturdy as the paper that most Valentine cards are made of.
God's Love is not a flimsy cheap imitation. It is the real thing. It is an all giving love that was and is willing to suffer and die for our deliverance.
Will you be God's Valentine? It is your choice. Say yes and give back to God the love that God first gave you.
And when you do, remember the first St. Valentine and the way he gave everything, including his life, to the God he loved.
Scripture
"This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you."~John 15:12~
And now these three remain:Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is Love." ~1 Corinthians 13:13~
Love is the greatest of these qualities......
"LOVE"
"In this is love, not that we loved God,but he loved us and gave his Son . . . " ~1 John 4:10~
"For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."~John 3:16~
"God showed his love for us in this, that whilewe were still sinners, Christ died for us."~Romans 5:8 ~
Love isn't just for Valentine's Day!
Showing love is not just for Valentine’s Day. God wants us to love one another. Jesus commands us to "love each other" every day so that "people will know that you are my followers" (John 13:34-35).
And now these three remain:Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is Love." ~1 Corinthians 13:13~
Love is the greatest of these qualities......
"LOVE"
"In this is love, not that we loved God,but he loved us and gave his Son . . . " ~1 John 4:10~
"For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."~John 3:16~
"God showed his love for us in this, that whilewe were still sinners, Christ died for us."~Romans 5:8 ~
Love isn't just for Valentine's Day!
Showing love is not just for Valentine’s Day. God wants us to love one another. Jesus commands us to "love each other" every day so that "people will know that you are my followers" (John 13:34-35).
VALENTINE JOKES
What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus on Valentine's Day?
Answer: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand.
Sal: How can you tell an elephant from a valentine card?
Al: I don't know.
Sal: Then you don't get a job with the post office.
What did the valentine card say to the stamp?
A: Stick with me and we'll go places!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Olive.Olive who?
Olive you!
Why did the boy give his girlfriend a baseball field?
Answer: He wanted to give her the biggest diamond in town.
What animal loves Valentine's Day?
Answer: A deer.
What animal loves wet Valentine's Day cards?
Answer: A reindeer.
What did the insect say to the flower?
Answer: Will you bee my Valentine?
What did the bee say to the flower on Valentine’s Day?
Answer: Hi, Honey!
Answer: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand.
Sal: How can you tell an elephant from a valentine card?
Al: I don't know.
Sal: Then you don't get a job with the post office.
What did the valentine card say to the stamp?
A: Stick with me and we'll go places!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Olive.Olive who?
Olive you!
Why did the boy give his girlfriend a baseball field?
Answer: He wanted to give her the biggest diamond in town.
What animal loves Valentine's Day?
Answer: A deer.
What animal loves wet Valentine's Day cards?
Answer: A reindeer.
What did the insect say to the flower?
Answer: Will you bee my Valentine?
What did the bee say to the flower on Valentine’s Day?
Answer: Hi, Honey!
Valentine Crafts
Homemade Cards
What You Need
Old Beanie Baby Magazine to cut up
Scissors
Glue
Markers, Crayons or Colored Pencils
White construction paper or 3x5 cards
Envelopes, optional
Valentines stickers, optional
Small paper doilies, optional
How To Make It
Cut out some pictures of your favorite stuffed animals. Price list pages and the ads throughout the magazine are all good places to find pictures. Use a 3x5 card to make little postcards, or use construction paper to make large or small cards as you desire.
Be creative - combine your cutouts with stickers or draw your own background or decorations around them. Be sure to let the glue dry all the way before flipping the card over to write on the back.
Funny things you can write on the cards These should get you started - make up some of your own!
BEanie MINE
For the rabbits - Some bunny loves (or likes) you
For the bears - You're a beary good friend
For Bumble - Bee Mine
For Whisper - You're a deer
For Bones - No bones about it, I like you
For Fleece and Ewey - Will ewe be mine?
For Splash and Waves - Whale you be mine?
For Smoochy - How about a little smooch?
For Valentino or Valentina - Be my Valentino/Valentina
********************************
Mosaic hearts:
Supplies:
Construction Paper
Scissors
Glue
Crepe Paper or Tissue Paper
Cut out a large heart. Cut up small pieces of construction paper (either pink or red but not the same color as the heart) and glue them all over the heart. You can also use pieces of crepe paper which are crumbled up.
*****************************Heart Art
1. Create Valentine window clingies with this fun art activity. You will need the following materials: paper, drawing pencils, crayons or felt pens, ziplock baggie, colored glue or dimensional fabric paints, glitter.
The student draws a heart design on the paper and then inserts the design into the ziplock baggie. Close baggie. On the outside of the baggie, trace the heart design with colored glue or dimensional paints. Sprinkle with glitter If a change of color or layered effect is desired, the student will need to allow the design to dry before adding a different color or secondary details. When the design is completely dry, carefully peel away the ziplock bag. The heart design should stick to flat surfaces.
2. Paint beautiful symmetrical designs by folding a sheet of sturdy paper in half. Using acrylic or tempera paints, paint a Valentine design on half the sheet of paper. Fold the unpainted half over the wet paint. Press gently taking care not to smear the paint. Open paper to view your picture. Mat and frame.
**********************************Bean Bag Heart Toss
You will need to make up a box ahead of time for this center. Take a cardboard box and cut out Valentine hearts 5-6, make them big enough for the children to throw bean bags through. Decorate the rest of the box in a Valentines Day pattern. Have the children practice throwing bean bags in.
Heart Puzzles
Decorate large hearts. Cut the hearts apart in as many pieces as you feel your children can put back together. Store the pieces in plastic ziplock bags.
Heart Sponge Or Cookie Cutter Painting... Using cookie cutters and sponges dipped in paint to create pictures.
A picture says a thousand words
Make simple frames - heart shaped - from cardboard and red or pink construction paper. Use the cardboard shape for the back. Use the construction paper for front. Cut out shape so picture can be put between both. (Choose picture of your favorite sweetie or children) Glue edges when all together. Glue a magnet to the back for hanging on the refrigerator.
Heart broochUse Play Dough (or Play Dough recipe) to make heart shaped broaches. Make the dough then shape into hearts. Before dry press pins into backs of hearts (these can be bought at any craft store). When dry paint with Valentine colors and had out to friends.
Valentine Bookmark
What you need:
Cardboard- this should be textured or colored for a nice background
Sequins
Magic markers or crayons
Glue
Contact - laminated plastic
Wool
Hole punch
Scissors
What you do:
Cut out the cardboard so that the bookmark will be 2 ½ inches wide and 8 inches long.
Decorate it with sequins, markers, crayons- let those creative juices run wild.
Contact (laminate) the cardboard after the glue is completely dried.
Put a hole with the hole punch up the top and in the middle of the cardboard.
Tie wool through the hole to form a tassle.
Get a good book and READ !!!!
Valentine PlacematsGather up Valentines cards from past years. Glue onto light cardboard or construction paper in decorative fashion the size of a placemat. Cover this collage with clear contact paper to seal the placemat. Be sure to have your child date and sign it. These make great gifts for grandparents.
Fancy mobile
Have your child punch holes in his/her valentines, thread and hang them from a hanger to create a mobile. Or take two hangers and cross them together then hang valentines from them. Hang finished mobile from a curtain rod or picture hook.
Magic Valentines
Materials: CrayonsPaper Clips, Sheets of White Paper Various Sizes of Paper Hearts
Put hearts on 1 sheet of paper and place other sheet on top, paper clip together to keep them from slipping, rub the side of the crayon over the surface of the paper. Hearts will appear like "magic".
Amazing Sparkling Valentine Heart
Heavy paper
Red, pink or white paint
Table salt
Paint a large heart with red, pink or white paint. While the paint is still damp, sprinkle some salt over the painting. The heart will sparkle when it dries.
Valentine's Day CardsMaterials:Red, white, pink or purple construction paper
White glueCrayons or colored pens
Scissors
Cut two large hearts for the main part of the card, one red and one white, with the white one just a little bit smaller than the red. Fold a piece of construction paper in half lengthwise (so it's still tall). Then cut out half a heart shape.Unfold the hearts and glue the white one inside the red one. That's your basic Valentine's Day card. Now you can decorate the front, back and inside any way you want.
Early Valentine Customs
People in England probably celebrated Valentine's Day as early as the 1400's. Some historians trace the custom of sending verses on Valentine's Day to a Frenchman named Charles, Duke of Orleans. Charles was captured by the English during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He was taken to England and put in prison. On Valentine's Day, he sent his wife a rhymed love letter from his cell in the Tower of London.
Many Valentine's Day customs involved ways that single women could learn who their future husbands would be. Englishwomen of the 1700's wrote men's names on scraps of paper, rolled each in a little piece of clay, and dropped them all into water. The first paper that rose to the surface supposedly had the name of a woman's true love.
One of the oldest customs was the practice of writing women's names on slips of paper and drawing them from a jar. The woman whose name was drawn by a man became his valentine, and he paid special attention to her. Many men gave gifts to their valentines. In some areas, a young man gave his valentine a pair of gloves. Wealthy men gave fancy balls to honor their valentines.
One description of Valentine's Day during the 1700's tells how groups of friends met to draw names. For several days, each man wore his valentine's name on his sleeve. The saying wearing his heart on his sleeve probably came from this practice.
The custom of sending romantic messages gradually replaced that of giving gifts. In the 1700's and 1800's, many stores sold handbooks called valentine writers. These books included verses to copy and various suggestions about writing valentines.
Commercial valentines were first made in the early 1800's. Many of them were blank inside, with space for the sender to write a message. The British artist Kate Greenaway became famous for her valentines in the late 1800's. Many of her cards featured charming pictures of happy children and lovely gardens.
Many valentines of the 1800's were hand painted. Some featured a fat cupid or showed arrows piercing a heart. Many cards had satin, ribbon, or lace trim. Others were decorated with dried flowers, feathers, imitation jewels, and/or mother-of-pearl.
Many Valentine's Day customs involved ways that single women could learn who their future husbands would be. Englishwomen of the 1700's wrote men's names on scraps of paper, rolled each in a little piece of clay, and dropped them all into water. The first paper that rose to the surface supposedly had the name of a woman's true love.
One of the oldest customs was the practice of writing women's names on slips of paper and drawing them from a jar. The woman whose name was drawn by a man became his valentine, and he paid special attention to her. Many men gave gifts to their valentines. In some areas, a young man gave his valentine a pair of gloves. Wealthy men gave fancy balls to honor their valentines.
One description of Valentine's Day during the 1700's tells how groups of friends met to draw names. For several days, each man wore his valentine's name on his sleeve. The saying wearing his heart on his sleeve probably came from this practice.
The custom of sending romantic messages gradually replaced that of giving gifts. In the 1700's and 1800's, many stores sold handbooks called valentine writers. These books included verses to copy and various suggestions about writing valentines.
Commercial valentines were first made in the early 1800's. Many of them were blank inside, with space for the sender to write a message. The British artist Kate Greenaway became famous for her valentines in the late 1800's. Many of her cards featured charming pictures of happy children and lovely gardens.
Many valentines of the 1800's were hand painted. Some featured a fat cupid or showed arrows piercing a heart. Many cards had satin, ribbon, or lace trim. Others were decorated with dried flowers, feathers, imitation jewels, and/or mother-of-pearl.
Valentine Trivia
Does the date of Valentine's Day every change? _____Yes ______No
Which Patron Saint is Valentine’s Day named after? _____Saint Nick _____Saint Valentine _____Saint Aphrodite
St. Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during what century? _____200’s ______1300’s _____1900’s
What happened to St. Valentine because of his Christian activities? _____He was promoted _____He was martyred _____Nothing
The Bible says: ”No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Who did this for us? _____John _____Saint Valentine _____Jesus
Sailors often scratched or carved designs on bone, tusk or wood to give as a love token, this hobby was called? _____Tatting _____Whittling _____Scrimshaw
What is the winged child shooting arrows at unsuspecting Valentines called? _____Cupid _____Cherub _____Claude
What part of the body must Cupid's arrows hit to be effective? _____Head _____Heart _____Rear end
What is the Greek word for Cupid, God of Love? _____Eros _____Venus _____Zeus
Who are Shakesphere's "Star-crossed Lovers"? _____King Tut & Cleopatra _____Romeo & Juliet _____Mercutio & Marilyn
What type of bird symbolizes Valentine's Day? _____Robin _____Dove _____Swan
What happens to someone struck by Cupid's arrow? _____Lovesick _____Headache _____Measles
According to English tradition - what happens "to the first man a woman sees on Valentine's Day? _____Dies _____Marry him _____Kiss him
What flower is most commonly symbolic of Valentine's Day? _____Lilly _____Red Rose _____Poinsettia
What date was the first recorded Valentine sent? _____1800’s _____1400’s _____1700’s
Where do you "wear your heart" if you are quick to show your feelings? _____Chest _____Hand _____Sleeve
What do you need to kiss to turn it into a Prince? _____Gerbil _____Frog _____Snake
Which Patron Saint is Valentine’s Day named after? _____Saint Nick _____Saint Valentine _____Saint Aphrodite
St. Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during what century? _____200’s ______1300’s _____1900’s
What happened to St. Valentine because of his Christian activities? _____He was promoted _____He was martyred _____Nothing
The Bible says: ”No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Who did this for us? _____John _____Saint Valentine _____Jesus
Sailors often scratched or carved designs on bone, tusk or wood to give as a love token, this hobby was called? _____Tatting _____Whittling _____Scrimshaw
What is the winged child shooting arrows at unsuspecting Valentines called? _____Cupid _____Cherub _____Claude
What part of the body must Cupid's arrows hit to be effective? _____Head _____Heart _____Rear end
What is the Greek word for Cupid, God of Love? _____Eros _____Venus _____Zeus
Who are Shakesphere's "Star-crossed Lovers"? _____King Tut & Cleopatra _____Romeo & Juliet _____Mercutio & Marilyn
What type of bird symbolizes Valentine's Day? _____Robin _____Dove _____Swan
What happens to someone struck by Cupid's arrow? _____Lovesick _____Headache _____Measles
According to English tradition - what happens "to the first man a woman sees on Valentine's Day? _____Dies _____Marry him _____Kiss him
What flower is most commonly symbolic of Valentine's Day? _____Lilly _____Red Rose _____Poinsettia
What date was the first recorded Valentine sent? _____1800’s _____1400’s _____1700’s
Where do you "wear your heart" if you are quick to show your feelings? _____Chest _____Hand _____Sleeve
What do you need to kiss to turn it into a Prince? _____Gerbil _____Frog _____Snake
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