Here’s a very simple story for Valentine’s Day.

I talked with my mom yesterday, and she told me what she did to celebrate the holiday.

Last week, on a whim, she decided to send a Valentine bouquet to a friend of hers who was recovering from hip surgery.

That felt good, so she ordered some more flowers for another friend whose birthday was on Valentine’s Day.

And while she was on a roll, she thought of another friend who was about to turn 80. More flowers!

Was there anybody else she should send flowers to? She told me she almost sent some to herself, but decided against it. The giving was happiness enough.

I think that’s a nice enough story right there. It reminds me that even though Valentine’s Day is an artificial holiday created by greeting card companies, it can serve as a genuine opportunity for reaching out to the people we love.

Here’s the punch line, though. On Sunday morning after church one of the women handed my mom the beautiful flowers from the altar and asked her to take them home.

It’s like God was wishing my mom Happy Valentine’s Day!

Now, when I asked my mom if I could tell this story, she said yes, but she didn’t want it to sound like some example of Karma. She’s a Presbyterian Minister, so she knows her theology.

The flowers my mom took home from church weren’t some Valentine reward for her generosity. But they were a reminder of something more powerful than anything Hallmark ever put on the inside of a card.

Love is meant to be given. Love is meant to be received. And when you make Love the centerpiece of your life…

Every day will be wonderfully fragrant.

Have a great week,

Mitch