KwAcKy's Konfessional |
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Nothing of interest; just mindless links to bikes Birmingham City Football Club and useless junk  
  
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14 February 2003
Well, here it is St Valentines day. I struggled this year. What do you get someone who is 7 months pregnant? I tok her out last night and we spent today together, just slobbing out and taking it easy. We had best make the most of it, only 10 weeks 'til drop day! Scarey shite. The Story of St Valentine Like other days of celebration within our culture, Valentine's Day has its origins in pagan times. In ancient Rome this feast day was know as Lupercalia, the "feast of Lupercus." Lupercus was the Roman god that protected them from wolves, which were a great danger in that area. The wolves, which lived in the woods that covered most of the land, would carry off the farmers' sheep and goats. Sometimes the farmers and their families were not even safe! Each year in the middle of February the Romans honored the god Lupercus, giving him thanks for protecting them from the wolves. The people feasted, danced and played games. When the young men wanted partners for the dancing and games, they drew names of girls from a bowl. Sometimes they became sweethearts, too. This went on for hundreds of years. When Christianity came to Rome, the Christian Romans put aside their belief in Lupercus, but because Lupercalia was a happy time, and they did not want to give it up, the feast of Lupercalia was replaced with the feast of St. Valentine. What is the story behind St. Valentine? Although Christianity had come to Rome, it was not accepted by the Roman Emperor Claudius II, who considered himself a god. Many times people were arrested and even killed for believing in Jesus instead of the Emperor. One year a young couple, Julius and Octavia, loved each other very much and wanted to get married. Since Julius was a soldier, and soldiers in that city were not allowed to get married, they decided to get married secretly. They went to a very kind priest who lived outside the city, Valentine. When Julius and Octavia arrived at Valentine's home, they found a beautiful flower garden. Valentine was surrounded by little children who were helping him with his plants and flowers. As the children left, Valentine gave each of them a bouquet of flowers to take with them. Some time later Valentine married Julius and Octavia, who were very happy to be married by a Christian priest. One day the children went to the garden to visit with Valentine. When they arrived they found the flowers trampled and the house empty. Valentine had been taken away to the jail because he was a Chrstian. However, due to his faith Valentine was not afraid The children decided to care for Valentine's garden. They knew that would make him happy. Every day some of the children would take him flowers from his garden. The jailor's blind daughter took the flowers into the jail and gave them to Valentine. The jailor's daughter was very kind to Valentine. Valentine was put to death for believing in God. He prayed and asked for the jailor's daughter to be cured of her blindness. She was healed! Before Valentine died, he wrote her a good-bye letter and signed it "From Your Valentine." Ever since then, February 14, the day Valentine died, became a day of celebrating. If you haven't got your other half anything, try this. Well, I got a bread maker. The first batch is in the oven as we speak/type. I'm just doing a normal bread for now until I get it right, then I'll try some different recipes. |
