“You Make Me Glow”

“I love you,” he said at the door right before putting his shoes on to take the kids to school.

Normally I say “I love you too!” with varying degrees of emotion, based on what else is going on in my busy brain, and how time-crunched I am before my next thing.

I’m a little sick today, and although I was planning on taking the kids myself, David took over so I can stay at home as long as possible before heading to work. He is making a simple but very practical sacrifice for me. I didn’t want to receive the offer because I wanted him to maximize his morning (since he has to pick up the kids at lunch time). I love him too, and sacrificing for HIM was the way I wanted to show it!

But at some point I realized the loving thing to do was LET HIM show love to me this way.

Something happens to a man when the woman he loves fully receives what he has to offer. No guilt, no apologies, just sheer gratefulness and more love that overflows back to him. He rises up in love, protection, and care of his beloved.  David’s sacrifice for me, however small it may appear to be, was a genuine demonstration of true manhood.

I’m so thankful I was able to enter into that this morning. Letting go of the feeling that it’s my job to manage his emotions and gauge how much I think he can handle at any given time.

The evidence was in my response to his farewell “I love you” at the door.

Big smile. Big hug. And out of nowhere I heard myself confessing new words to him, somewhat drenched with a mysterious emotion rooted in love.

“You make me glow.”  Tender embrace.

Fade to black.

It was a little like a scene out of a romance movie, but it wasn’t sappy. It wasn’t sappy because it was real. This moment didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s not just a quotable meme. It is the fruit of two decades of learning to love each other through so many stages of life.

Of course, nothing faded to black. I helped our daughter get her boots on and said goodbye. I have breakfast dishes to clear and plenty of work to do right here.

But first I’m taking a moment to pause and give thanks.

Thank You, God. I receive what You did for us today as Your good gift from above. I acknowledge this is Your grace more than our deeds and I humbly bask in all You are doing and pray for MORE, not only in our marriage but in the present and future marriages of our children, our loved ones, our nation, and even this age.