The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dear Editor and Sponsors of the Church News,
The Bethel Lutheran Church congregation would like to thank you and the sponsors of the church news page for publishing our worship times and our schedules for church activities.
We appreciate this service that you make available to our community.
Sincerely,
Barbara Malcolm
Congregational Secretary
Bethel Lutheran Church Stronghurst
It's Almost An Antique Valentine!
By Elaine Slater Reese
A frozen water pipe took me to a far, dark corner of the basement. I had neglected that area for a long time - no real reason to go there.
Boxes of treasures from the past no longer seemed so important. And my almost antique knees revolted at the idea of trips up and down the steep old steps.
I read the labels on several stacks of boxes. And then I saw it! Hadn't thought of it in years. It wasn't a cardboard box from a grocery store like most of the others.
It was small (about the size of a boot box). It had a small black leather handle. Its wine color had paled drastically. I don't know if the large streaks were from moisture at some time through the years or just part of the aging process. Maybe it was a little like the wrinkles in my face.
The other boxes could stay where they were. I grabbed this one and hurried upstairs with my treasure.
The box was filled with stacks of old love letters, each tied neatly together with a yellow ribbon.
The envelopes had all been mailed in the late fifties and early sixties. (I can't believe that stamps then were four cents.)
But right on the top of the stacks of precious memories was a hand made valentine folded in half.
It certainly looked like an antique. I must have made it my first year in college - there was no extra spending money then.
The red heart cut of construction paper was outlined with white crepe paper - now aged almost brown.
I had cut out seven rectangular small pieces of white paper, typed a verse I had written on each, and glued them on the red heart.
Those verses were each filled with thoughts of a love long ago.
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I can't resist the temptation
To write a poem to you.
These few lines will
Tell you just what I feel.
Being your girl
Is a great big deal!
You're widely known for
Your cars and many a girl.
You like to give them
Both a whirl.
Your life motto is "love "em,
Leave "em and never despair".
And how you can woo them
With your black, wavy hair.
Do you ever feel sorry
For things that you do?
Or doesn't it really make
Any difference to you?
You're always happy
And never shy.
All in all, I'd say
A real nice guy.
Hope you don't object
To this little rhyme.
Sorry I can't afford
To send you a valentine.
But the most interesting part is that I had also glued on two very small white hearts.
And in the center of each of those hearts I had typed just question marks.
The valentine was to someone special many, many years ago.
As I held it in my hands, I wondered why I had not paid more attention to those question marks back then.
Our bodies get old - our hearts always stay young.