Perhaps it really didn’t matter.
Gigi picked up her dolls and scurried down the hallway. Using her elbow she pressed the large wooden door open and looked inside.
Yes. It was perfect.
Soft winter light caressed the quiet interior like invisible feathers of white down. It smelled a bit dusty, but that didn’t matter.
It was hard to miss out on a special Valentine’s Day sleigh ride because of a light cold, but this …this would be quite fun.
Gently seating the dolls against a round pillow, Gigi pulled over a wooden box. Opening it, she began to set up a little tea set on the floor.
The room had once belonged to her great Aunt, and it still held special treasures. Gigi missed Aunt Matilda. The elderly woman had always been ready to play dolls with her using this same tea set. As she lifted each tea cup, Gigi smiled. How glad she was that Mama let her play in this room whenever she liked.
“Let’s see,” Gigi started setting the cups on the wooden floor, “it doesn’t seem right just to put the teacups on the floor. Hmm …” looking around, she found a soft little blanket. “This will do.”
With a quick fling, she spread it out and placed the tea cups on it.
Perfect.
Tilting her head, Gigi glanced out the window and saw the sleigh pull off with her other siblings. It was sad to miss it. A slight misgiving touched her happiness. Could she really feel loved without being with the others? It was Valentine’s Day after all.
Turning resolutely back to her play, Gigi refocused. They were about to have a nice Valentine’s tea party.
Beginning to pour the imaginary raspberry tea, Gigi paused and glanced at her cloth friends.
“You know,” she mused, “we should do something together too, besides just drinking tea.”
The dollies smiled their stitched smiles in empathy. They quite agreed. Gigi was sure of it.
“Let’s see …” Gigi looked around again and then started. “I know! Just a moment.”
The little girl disappeared out the door, her happy friends waiting with the great patience that dollies are experts at. Minutes later she returned with a book, a stack of blank cards and some pens.
Sitting down, Gigi held up the items for the inspection of her dolly friends. “I brought a pretty picture book with Scripture verses in it. We’ll each pick a favorite Scripture verse and write it on a card. Then we’ll share with each other why we picked that verse. You can start, Tabitha.” Gigi picked up the doll with a bonnet tied neatly beneath her chin.
Gigi narrated each doll’s choice, wrapping her fingers over the cloth hands and carefully writing out their selected Scripture verse using the tea set’s wooden box as a table.
“There! Now, for mine …” Gigi opened the book and thumbed gently through the pages, “…hmmm. You all have such good choices.”
“Thank-you.” Said Gigi for her friends. “We like them too.”
“Yes, I agree. Great choice,” the little girl flipped over a couple more pages, “I know! I’ll do this one. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.”
Writing out the Scripture verse, Gigi smiled. “I like it.” Leaning confidentially over towards her dollies, she spoke seriously. “You know, a lot of people think Valentine’s Day is all about couples who love each other. But you know what? Mommy says Valentine’s Day is a beautiful time to remember God’s love for us. And I like that too. This verse is perfect, because it’s like the definition of love!”
And with great earnestness Gigi read the verse aloud.
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
“Isn’t it perfect?” Gigi smiled.
The door creaked. “Is it a tea party in here?” Mommy’s voice wrapped into the room like a warm blanket.
“Yes!” Gigi laughed and waved her Mommy in. “Come join us!”
Mommy smiled and brought her other hand from behind the door. A plate of warm cookies appeared.
Gigi gasped. “How perfect. Thank-you, Mommy!”
Coming over, Mommy put the plate on the blanket and reached over to hug her little girl. “Happy Valentine’s Day! God loves you and I sure do too.”
“I love you too, Mommy!” Gigi returned the hug with a tight squeeze.
What a happy Valentine’s Day!
Gigi felt so loved. Daddy loved her. Mommy loved her. Her siblings loved her.
But best of all, and she knew it for fact–the white paper in her hand holding the truth–God loved her.
No, it wasn’t such a bad thing to miss the sleigh ride. It really, truly, didn’t matter. Whether she was sick, or sad, or happy, or travelling, or wherever she was or whatever she was doing, this one fact of love remained constant. And would be so for all the Valentine’s Days to come.
He loved her.
And that …was enough.
