Beyond Common Sense

This Valentine’s Day, I honor my husband and his love for me.  We’ve been married for nearly thirty-four years, and there have been times that I doubted his love—not because he didn’t show it, but because of my actions during our dating years.  To cut to the chase—that’s exactly what I did—I chased him.  I often joke that it took a while, but he finally slowed down and I caught him!

Humor aside, it’s always better for the girl if she is chased; that way she knows that he really wanted her!  For years, that doubt lingered in the back of my mind no matter how much Tom showered me with his love.  I’m not exactly sure when the turning point came.  I don’t believe it was a sudden thing.  It’s like watching for a flower to appear.  We see the bud, we watch it get bigger, and then one day we look at it and it has opened its bloom!

Now the doubts are gone, and here are just a few spontaneous reasons whyI KNOW he loves me!

1. He greets me every morning with a smile.
2. He makes my breakfast and packs my lunch on the days that I need to substitute teach.
3. He helps me around the house.
4. He faithfully prays with me and for me.
5. He reads the Bible to me.
6. He takes me on dates and really makes them special.
7. He makes me cards. (It’s part of his frugal way to really dread spending money on cards, and love him for it!:))
8. He wants to spend time with me.
9. He watches over my spiritual and physical well-being.
10. He supports me in my writing adventure.
11. He listens to me and takes my suggestions.
12. He will make the effort to change when something is bothering me, if he feels it is of the Lord. (Do you know what I mean by that? In other words, there are times when I may not like something, but after prayer and consideration, we realize that its ME and not him!)
13. He sharpens me, encouraging me to be my best for God.
14. He does the finances and is preparing for our future.
15. He sings with me.
16. He plays games with me, even when I know he may not want to!
17. He is patient with me when I’m emotional.
18. He loves me when I’m unlovely.
19. He has really works on “thinking no evil” about me and putting the best spin on my hard-to-understand actions!
20. He gives his best at improving our relationship at every level.
21. He works hard at his end of this partnership called marriage.
22. He talks to me.
23. He listens!! 🙂
24. He’s not afraid to criticize me when he knows it is for my own good, even when, sad to say, he knows that I may not react the best!
25. He always tries to look his best!

Dear reader, if you have a spouse, I challenge you to take the time to make your own list.  I’m not sure that there is anything apart from prayer and improving your own actions that you could do for your relationship!  Love, it comes in all shapes and sizes—embrace each one, and Happy Valentine’s Day!