I spend Tuesday mornings with a select group of women. One is younger than me, but the rest are my elders by a considerable number of years. They are friendly, devout and wise. I love them.
I’m the leader of the Bible study. We use the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s Lifelight studies and we have a terrific time together. We pray for each other, laugh together, go out to lunch and they’re quite vocal about my life. “Don’t clean your house. You’ve got better things to do, hire a housekeeper.” Or, my favorite, “Don’t cook dinner. Have your husband take you out.”
When I report this advice to my husband, he sketches a salute and says, “Yes, ladies.”
Six years ago, Valentine’s Day fell on a Tuesday morning. I wanted to celebrate the love these women have for the Lord, for each other, and for me. But how? Isn’t Valentine’s Day really designed for young lovers? Half the women have outlived their husbands.
My scheming prayer partner and I put together a surprise. Before we got down to the brass tacks of study–or at least the prayer list–I passed around a Starbucks menu. “Since everyone knows Valentine’s Day is for teenagers like Romeo and Juliet, I thought we’d celebrate like girls. The drinks are on my husband, choose one!”
None had ever been to Starbucks before. “What is a ‘La-tay?” cackled Bea–87 at the time and still going strong.
“Coffee with a foamy milk on top and a sprinkling of nutmeg,” I explained. “You can get it with soy, non-fat milk, or decaf.”
“Decaf? Why waste the coffee? And what’s foamy milk?”
Several twisted their tongues trying to pronounce cappuccino. “Don’t they sell a simple cup of coffee?”
“Sure,” I said. “But try something new. Giggle when you drink it and pretend you’re a flirting 13.”
Ginnie looked down her nose and through her specs at me. “I was never that young.”
Eventually we got the order sorted, my prayer partner went to the coffee shop, and we read through the Bible study. It was sweet.
And so was the coffee once it arrived. “Ooh, who can drink this?”
“How do you say this name? Frappuccino? Never again.” Justine shuddered.
My mocha was just fine, thank you very much. I like that combination of bitter with the sweet. No whipped cream.
We were studying the book of Acts that year–focusing on how the believers took the good news of Jesus’ resurrection throughout the world. We marveled at how the followers of Jesus wanted to stay huddled together in Jerusalem, praying safely behind closed doors, clinging to what they knew. But events forced them out of their comfort zone and they spread throughout the countryside taking the good news with them. Buoyed on by the joy of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples had to sample a new way of life. Paul’s life in particular was one of bitter challenges, sweetened and buoyed by the Jesus he met on the road to Damascus.
Just like the lives of my fellow students.
We had fun on Valentine’s Day six years ago, because of the love bestowed on us by a benevolent God. His love brought the Bible study ladies together to learn about him. And because we’ve studied His word together so long, my wise ladies– who have seen and done so much– trusted me with strange sounding drinks of curiously doctored coffee.
“Too sweet,” they giggled as they gathered up their Bibles. “But happy Valentine’s Day to you.”
And you, too. 
