Valentine’s Legacy

Cynthia L. Eppley 03/01/2021

I know Valentine’s is past; but it was only last week. I’m a bit behind in blogging with still recovering from Covid. But the heart and the mind are still active with topics!

Valentine’s

To be honest, I’ve never had a Valentine’s tree. I started a small kitchen tree—you know, the kind to “bring me joy.” First it was Christmas, and what better way to decorate than old cookie cutters? Both of our mothers had them, so they were the first thing to adorn the tree.
Next came Easter, and “Summer Holidays”, then Harvest and Thanksgiving. But Valentine’s?
I didn’t think too much about it until…..

Little Girls

There are a few little girls in the neighborhood who have become dear to us. And as they looked at my Christmas tree, their innocent question? 
“Will you have a Valentine’s Day tree?”
Well. I hadn’t thought of it. It wasn’t a regular feature in our house.

But why not?
How can one resist their imploring request?

So with my trusty friend, Paula, we made a trip to Hobby Lobby and behold!
It was like a Mecca for every holiday, and Valentine’s Day was smack dab in the front of the store.

Decorations

What to use?
First, all of Christmas was put away.
I knew I needed to leave some ornaments.
My Father’s baby cup is there, and rightfully takes its’ place at the very top. Next to it is a tin plate picture of my Grandmother Lippincott.

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Bob’s father’s dog tag from WW2 is near the top.

Cookie Cutters

But then I found “Heart” cookie cutters. Perfect.
And Paula gave me a small cardboard Valentine’s box, that may have held chocolates back in the day. Inside? Her own little heart cookie cutter.
Gingham hearts were added, but they needed some “Pizzazz.”
I pilfered through my mason jar of antique buttons.
There, I found unique pieces that enhanced the plain hearts.
And even old strips of cloth from old dresses, with buttons still attached.
Who knows how old these were?
Most of the buttons were from my grandmother, so they were at least 100 yrs. old.

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Embellish

What else?
In those mason jars, I found old pins, and clips, earrings, and hair clips. The prize in the mix was a silver pin from Paris, with 3 silver charms hanging.
A little polish buffed them up to a soft shine.
If only they could talk and tell me of their travels.

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Pictures

I haven’t put pictures on my tree before. But I realized I had pictures of my Grandmother, Elizabeth A. H. Lippincott. One in particular, is a portrait of her as a young girl. Ringlets frame her face as she strikes a pose.
A portrait of my father, Joseph G. Lippincott, Sr. fits perfectly on the other side; he is dressed in a white smocked dress, typical for baby boys in 1920.

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Final Touch

If you have been following my blogs, you may know that Bob’s sister, Carole died of Covid in early January. It has been a great loss to our family. We sorely miss her. (The Dawn of 2021: Every Moment Counts )
We received a small package that she wanted us to have: in it, pictures of Bob’s parents on their wedding day.

What speaks of love more than wedding hopes and dreams, with your life ahead of you? It took its’ place at the base of the tree.

Legacy and Roots

I’ve enjoyed my holiday trees for so many reasons.
They brighten up my kitchen. It is so much more than “Feng Shui.”
Everything on my tree has meaning and purpose.
But it wasn’t until I received the picture of Bob’s parents that it was complete.
From the top of the tree, with my father’s baby cup, and his mother as a baby about 1889?
To the bottom of the tree, rooted in Bob’s parents wedding day.
The soft glimmer of the lights reflects on the treasures on the tree.
The trinkets are a reflection of the legacy of our lives.
The tree whispers through the ages of “The Hope and Fears of all the Years.”

Roots

Our family and legacy has always been important to us.
And where to we find our legacy?
Where do we find our treasure?
During this time of quarantine and isolation, we may feel more isolated than ever. But our roots go so much deeper than family, don’t they?

Foundations and Restlessness

“Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.” Augustine

Our hearts are restless, aren’t they? We may have our roots and traditions grounded in family and in ritual. And these are good things.
But at the end of the day?

Our restlessness will only be satiated through knowing Christ and Him crucified.

And that is a legacy through the ages that will never disappoint and never leave us. It is a legacy that gives us roots but also wings to fly.
Knowing Christ is the very foundation that springs us forward.
It is a Love that will Never let us Go.