THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS..........

VALENTINE'S DAY
Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day of LOVE...well here on our side of the world most of us do......

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

With all that said, My thoughts are; there are a few different legends out there about St Valentine, but true love started in the beginning....
AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE. BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.
~ I CORINTHIANS 13:13 (NIV) ~

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day filled with lots of LOVE!(and a few chocolates wouldn't hurt either....)