He loves me.

I remember when I realized that he loved me better than I loved him and when I finally found rest in that fact. I knew that he would love me like Jesus loved the Church. Selfless and beautiful even though my heart was wounded and incomplete. My heart was still tangled with another love. A young love that was strong and real. He loved me knowing that he wasn't my first love. He loved me knowing that the ghosts in this town sometimes bump into my life, catching me off guard and throwing me off kilter. Then there was the breakthrough. The confession that set me free and changed my view of marriage. I shared that I had been, for 5 years, silently mourning the loss of my best friend. The relationship that God called me to lay down and never pick up again broke my heart. He listened to me cry and pulled me even closer. How bold is his love? How is that possible? Since that time we have welcomed more babies and more adventures and still he loves me better. He is kinder and gentler and more generous when he scoops ice cream. He is tender when I am bruised and firm when I am doubtful. He laughs with me and trusts me. So, today when the dog rolled in poop...AGAIN, I thought, "I'll let Mike deal with that when he comes home." It caught me. Really? He's been gone all day, I'm going to dinner with friends and I'm going to leave him with the 4 kids and a poopy dog? After all he has done to love me well? So, I will bathe the dog and something else...everyday he eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and for the most part he makes that himself. He doesn't love packing his own lunch. Neither do I. Couldn't I do that, though? Couldn't that small act of kindness show the man of my life that I'm thinking of him. When he comes home and finds his sandwich made and ready, would that bless his heart? More importantly, would that lead to greater acts of kindness that would preserve my marriage and our love for one another? I bet it could. I bet it will. So, along with other random resolutions I will make one in particular. I will pack his lunch. I will not let go first when he stops me in the kitchen to hug me and tell me that he loves me. I will not believe that anything is more important that the institution of marriage. I will receive his sweet and unconditional love. Have you seen marriages crumble around you? I have. Have you seen the enemy's attach on the Church in this area? We are hardly different than the rest of the world. How about you? Any small acts of kindness that will communicate how thankful you are for the man God gave you? The world is watching us. Waiting to see a difference. Let's give it something to talk about!