“Good morning, Sweetie! Sorry I missed you this morning. I missed seeing your sweet face. I hope you have a great day. I'm praying for you. I love you.”
It was an early morning and I was heading to work. Usually I leave the house before the sun comes up. My wife, whose job does not often require an early morning wake up call, was still asleep. I sent her this text as I was driving to work. I wanted her to hear my voice when she woke up in the morning.
It's the little things. Each of us respond to those little sweet things that the people we love provide for us. It's just like Jesus, right? Sometimes we're surprised by those sweet gifts that He provides for us throughout the day:
An encouraging word from a colleague.
An unexpected hug from someone who is very dear to you.
A simple, “Hello! How are you,” from someone who is truly interested in how you are doing.
As a husband, I love it when my wife sends me those little gifts. Sometimes it looks like a text in the middle of the day, just telling me that she's thinking of me and loves me. Sometimes it's things like fixing my favorite meal, or buying something for me at the store just because she knows I like it. And sometimes it’s that sweet hug and kiss on the cheek that remind me that she's there and loves me.
Just the other morning my wife told me how much my little text to her meant to her. She said it made her feel loved. That's part of my job - to make sure she knows that she's loved by me. Everyday.
As husbands and wives, we have to make the effort to remind our spouse how much we cherish them. The world is full of lies telling our spouse that they are not enough, that they are unlovable. Loving our spouses as well is not just something we do on the side after everything else in the day has been accomplished. We don't add it to the list once the other things on the list are completed. It goes to the top of the list. It is the list.
So what are you doing for your spouse today? What little gift are you giving your husband or your wife as they go through this day? Connection isn’t something that happens only when you're physically together. Connection can be maintained all through the day by little notes of encouragement, a quick text reminding your spouse how much you love them, or just a simple thank you for all the things that they do to make you feel loved.
Like I said earlier - it’s just like Jesus.
Suggested Options to Help Live This Out:
1) What can you do today to make your spouse feel loved by you?
2) What are those little things that your spouse does for you that makes you feel loved by them? Take some time today to thank them for those little things and to let them know how much they mean to you.
3) The day can get away from us. Busyness steals our time and attention. Take a moment now and put reminders in your phone to text your spouse.
AUTHOR: David Stephens is a retired school superintendent that has returned to the classroom to teach in a local middle school. He and his wife, Kelly, have been since 2004 and have three children.
Image by Alexa from Pixabay