You wouldn’t think two eggs and a skillet would make me fall in love with my husband all over again, but they did. It wasn’t a grand, romantic expression that won my heart, but a small, daily gesture of kindness.
I got back from my morning walk and saw those two eggs and the skillet on the counter, ready for me to start making my breakfast. José had set them out before he left the house. In my morning rush, I almost overlooked it: he wanted to help me get one small step ahead on my morning.
“Would you look at what dad did for me?” I said to my daughter. “He’s a keeper.”
“Right?” she said. “You know what he told me? He said, ‘I’d put oil in the pan, but I don’t know how much she uses.”
Be still my heart. And give thanks all over again for this guy.
Extravagant romance isn’t my husband’s strong point, but he shines in daily faithfulness. He rarely buys flowers, but he brings figs home from the market every week in the summer. Just because he knows I love them. José seldom takes me to fancy restaurants, but he does the dishes at home every night. He takes the car to be serviced, and when I talk, he listens. (Most of the time.)
I have so much to learn from him.
Recently we celebrated our 22nd anniversary, and if my husband has taught me one thing, it’s this:
Small, daily investments in your marriage add up over time.
When life gets busy, it’s easy to let our marriages slide to the back burner. Our kids, our jobs, and our ministries take most of our energy and focus. If we’re not careful, we drift apart until we might as well be co-parents or co-laborers instead of husband and wife.
Small, daily investments in your #marriage add up over time.
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Romans 12:10 describes what love should look like in the body of Christ, but it offers us a good word for marriage as well:
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
“Be devoted to one another.” I love the sound of that, but how do we cultivate devotion in the middle of our daily crazy?
Scripture tells us real love acts instead of talks:
Maybe small, daily deeds of love add up to devotion over the years.
How about making a small investment in your marriage today? It could look something like one of these:
- Listen when he talks.
- Turn from what you’re doing and make eye contact when he walks in the room.
- Pray for him. Pray with him.
- Ask him what he’d like for dinner.
- Make his favorite dessert.
- Ask his opinion on your plans.
- Send him a text.
- Express thanks for what he does for you.
- Buy him a treat.
- Kiss him every day.
- Offer to help him with something.
- Overlook that small thing that drives you crazy. (Let’s rise above it. I know we can do it!)
Small, daily deeds of love add up to devotion over the years. #marriagetips
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Even one small step can make a difference in our marriages today. If your marriage is struggling, a small gesture can improve things a tiny bit. If your marriage is in a good place, daily demonstrations of love make it even better. And over time, that adds up to devotion.
Now it’s your turn: Do you have an idea for a small gesture that communicates love? I’d like to hear it.
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Linking up with Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Holley Gerth’s Coffee for your Heart, Crystal Storms’ #HeartEncouragement, Salt and Light with Alisa Nicaud, Lyli Dunbar’s #FaithonFire, and Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
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