Gratitude Day 366

Fri., Nov. 22, 2019

Ephesians 5:25: As for husbands, love your wives just like Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.

We don’t have a favorite song.

Or a dance we call “our own.”

There’s not one particular restaurant that we have claimed as “a special place.”

What we have is this.

This little message between Hubby Rick and me.

Last weekend, I was gone for several days. We’ve been putting in a new master bathroom in the upstairs of our house. A few weeks ago, I asked Rick if we could PLEASE have it completed before Thanksgiving.

So, while I was away, the bathroom mice were completing final projects.

Rick knows me well. He knows that when I come home, the first place I will go is to the latest project he has been working on so I can see the progress. We’ve done this dance before. He is anxious to hear my response to his latest bit of handiwork.

Rarely is he home when I get home. So, it’s become his thing to leave me a little message.

It’s become our “special” thing.

I have hearts in all shapes and sizes that he’s left me with a remodeling project. There’s the really big one he cut out of cardboard that sappy me still has tucked away in a closet. There are ones on paper towels or a piece of wood or whatever was handy.

There are a couple that I don’t have because, well, it was impossible to keep them. The first message left for me was painted on a kitchen wall. I left if for a couple days, but unfortunately, it was eventually painted over.

Then, there was the message he left me in a bathroom in our former house. We were remodeling the bathroom that I used. This time, he drew a big heart with his special message right on the green board on the back wall of the shower. It was right up by the ceiling and not where tile would eventually cover. Did I mention that he drew the message with a Sharpie? Just in case you decide to do something like this, be warned. Sharpie does not cover well with primer. It took MULTIPLE layers of primer before the Sharpie stopped bleeding through. For a while, we were afraid the message might always be visible.  

Every time I see one of these special messages from Rick, it brings a smile to my face. I never tire of seeing them. I don’t anticipate them … but they sure make me feel special.

It truly is one way that Hubby Rick shows his love for me. It’s one way that he gives of himself so that I NEVER forget or take for granted that he wants me to know how special I am to him.

Just like Christ never tires of loving the church.

Sometimes, we think displaying love must be some big, exorbanent production. Let me be very clear. These hand-written messages that come in the shape of a heart mean more to me than an expensive piece of jewelry. Or a fancy dinner out. They ARE Hubby Rick. They are his tune, his dance, his way of showing me how I special I am in him world.

Guess what. It works.

Who might you show just a little special out-of-the-blue affection today? Whether it’s a spouse, a child, a grandchild, a neighbor, a special friend or someone else, how might you express your respect for them today?

For Hubby Rick’s unique way of displaying our special thing, I am grateful. 

P.S. – I’ll show more of the master bathroom soon!

Holy God – Thank you for loving us unconditionally. And thank you for instilling in Hubby Rick’s heart a desire to replicate this. May we be inspired to express our gratitude and love to others. Amen.  

Blessings –

Dianne

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