A Special Valentine's Day Message from Francesca Battistelli

I thought I'd share a funny Valentine's Day story with you this Valentine's Day. Back when I was 17, I went out a few times with a guy who will remain nameless. No, let's call him Bob. So Bob was a little bit older, drove a huge SUV and was obsessed with sailing. His dad invented toilet paper or something, so he had plenty of money, and insisted on always backing into a parking spot to show how eeeeeasy it was (a skill he learned parking his boat, apparently). He was such a boat-lover that the first time we met, he showed me how to tie 7 different types of knots. I should have known then that things were not going to work out.

Bob was the type of guy who wore loafers and khakis every day. When Valentine's Day rolled around, he said he'd pick me up at 7. I got all dolled up and ready for a nice dinner, wrongfully assuming that's what he had planned. Well Bob the Boater showed up around 7:15 wearing jeans and Birkenstocks. I had never seen him dressed so casually, and suddenly, I felt very overdressed in my heels and frilly top. I said, "Well, where are we going?" (By the way, there were no flowers, chocolates in sight) He said, "Uh, I don't know. What do you want to do?" Flabbergasted that he had made no plans, I suggested a movie. So we drove to the theater and there was nothing playing except "The Black Knight." If you've never seen it, you're…not…missing…ANYTHING!

The gist of the story is that I sat fuming through the entire movie in all of it's insipidity, and at the end of the night he thought it would be funny to dump half a bottle of water on my face. I'm not kidding. I was drenched. Oh, and he finally gave me a card that said something like, "Happy Day, Fran! -Bob" Gee, how romantic. He dropped me off at home, and I realized that without a doubt he was not my "Someday Soon."

Fast forward about 7 years, and I'm sitting in my in-laws living room after having fainted and "lost my lunch" all before 1pm. It was my first Valentine's Day being married to Matt, and I was riddled with morning sickness. I didn't feel the least bit pretty or "Valentines-y," but Matt came home from the store with 3 roses--one for me, one for his mom, and one for our little sweet baby-to-be! It was the most romantic thing he could have done that day, and the rose is now dried and sitting in our room at his parents' house.

Ahh, love. It's a beautiful thing when it is real and true and good. Waiting for the right spouse is one of the best uses of your patience, and I promise it is SO WORTH IT! Don't be in a hurry to settle down just for settling down's sake. God has the perfect mate out there for you if you will only be patient, obedient, and keep your eyes on HIM.

I know Valentine's Day can be hard when you're alone, but remember that your worth isn't defined by how many long-stemmed roses you are given or if you have a date to a fancy, overpriced, restaurant. Your worth is completely defined by Christ and who you are in Him. So smile this Valentine's Day, no matter where you are or who you're with, and think of me at 17 getting water dumped on my head for no good reason by a yuppie from Chicago. And laugh. :)

Love,
Francesca