Valentine’s Day is about all kinds of love

“The greatest of these is love”

— 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

I started embracing Valentine’s Day as a young girl in school. As we prepared for our first party, I enjoyed cutting out hearts from red construction paper and pasting them on white lace paper doilies.

I enjoyed shopping at the Five and Dime for a 30-pack of valentine cards, so I could give one to each of my classmates. I enjoyed running my fingers across the smooth velvet hearts as I penned my name on the back of each one.

As I got older, I received cards with beautiful sentiments on them from admirers and friends. Some were even romantic.

The day was so special to me that I even picked Valentine’s Day as my wedding day. To this day, it has still held a special place in my heart and I enjoy giving and receiving valentines.

About 15 years ago, I got the biggest and the best valentine I have ever received.

It was a Sunday morning, Feb. 14, and also my wedding anniversary. I was washing the breakfast dishes before getting ready for church, when Jeff opened the living room blinds. He said, “Come here and see these two hearts outside!”

I wanted to ignore his request and finish my dishes. I figured the winter elements must have configured some small hearts in the snow. But, to humor him, I took a break and went to the window.

Looking out the window, I gasped. Across the width of my snow-covered driveway were two giant entwined hearts made from tire tracks.

I asked Jeff if he left them. He told me he couldn’t have done that if he tried.

I quickly grabbed my camera to capture the moment. (To this day, the framed photo is hanging in my office.) But I was still perplexed as to how these hearts got placed in my driveway and why.

I know it might be a stretch of my imagination, but I like to consider it was my valentine sent from heaven to share with my readers God’s great love for us.

From that year on, I enjoy the sentiment of the day all the more.

Valentine's Day is a beautiful reminder of the importance of love in our life. Not just romantic love, but relationship love and, most importantly, the forgiving and enduring power of God’s great love.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.