I have to write a follow-up to my daughter’s family making and delivering Valentine cards, along with the singing Valentine greeting. If you missed yesterday’s blog, please go there now! Melody and family are in China, largely confined to their apartment because of the virus. Describing the Valentine’s Day project as a ministry, Melody wrote:

We actually made homemade cards and delivered cards and songs to everyone on campus! All the teachers and some families, our friends. Lots of them haven’t gone outside for 3 weeks. A few of them a quarantined for 2 weeks by law because they returned from traveling. In all, I think we made almost 40 cards and it took nearly 3 hours to do all the deliveries. A Valentine’s day we’ll remember for a long time!

Anyway, it was a blessing for my family to actually get to see everyone we’ve been missing, and I think everyone was blessed. I can’t take credit for the idea. He gave it to me, to him be the glory!

Using language we’ve written about before, it was a series of Holy Moments, and they were ministering grace and love.

Everyone was blessed! The Head of School began a long and serious update about the coronavirus with:

I hope you had an enjoyable Valentine’s Day wherever you were. The highlight of my day by far was the Gifford Quartet. Thank you so much for bringing some warmth to a rather chilly day.

Here’s a very small sample of the other reactions Melody received, including Melody’s and Liana’s perspective on doing it.

I’m proud of them!

Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. (Titus 3.14, NASB)

Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matthew 5.14 – 16, MSG)