Six years ago today I walked down my parents driveway and took my place beside my best friend … and I’ve been there every since. Six years ago we kissed for the first time, beneath the scorching sun, pledging our vows to love each other above all others for as long as we both shall live. I’m so glad I did.
Today we went and visited that same spot, otherwise known as my parents’ house. It might seem odd to spend one’s anniversary at your parents house, but when you have a toddler and a nursing baby, this is perfect–babysitter, crib, and endless children entertainment all wrapped up on one. Though we didn’t go out for an expensive dinner, take a grand excursion to some exotic locale, or splurge on diamonds or pearls, we did what we enjoy best–spend time together. It reminded me of this thought on love, taken from that article I posted recently on a father’s love for his son with down syndrome:
I am writing of love not as a matter of grand passions … I am writing about love as the stuff that makes the processes of human life happen: the love that moves the sun and other stars, which is also the love that makes the toast and other snacks. Love is the most humdrum thing in life, the only thing that matters, the thing that is forever beyond the reach of human imagination.
Love that makes the toast. Yes. I also indulged this weekend and read a novel, just for fun, from one of my favorite series, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. In it the main character, Mma Ramotswe, says “there is plenty of work for love to do.” Yes. There is. There is always plenty of work for love to do. These are the things that love does (a few I borrowed from a reliable source 🙂 ):
1. Love gets up in the middle of the night and sleeps with toddler when he gets scared (last night). (I didn’t even know until I found our quilt on Dutch’s bed this morning.)
2. Love volunteers to change diapers.
3. Love is patient. (1 Cor. 13:4)
4. Love makes special playlists on the ipod so I can listen to my favorite songs when I run.
5. Love boils water for my tea before I get up.
6. Love is kind. (1 Cor. 13:4)
7. Love takes no offense, believes the best.
8. Love takes you to Old Navy for $5 t-shirts and doesn’t even balk when you buy two of the same color.
9. Love holds Heidi after an early-morning feeding so I can sleep in.
10. Love was faithful to only use flattering pictures of his wifey, when he used our wedding as a sermon illustration this morning. 🙂
11. Love plays scrabble in bed at night.
12. Love wears his shoes until he has holes in the soles (true!), but lets his wifey get the sequined flip flops.
13. Love works hard to devote himself to pastoring without neglecting his family.
14. Love always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Cor. 13:7)
15. Love shares his thoughts, ideas, hopes, fears, dreams, without reservation.
16. Love prays.
17. Love fiercely guards his purity.
18. Love speaks softly, calmly, gently.
19. Love takes out the garbage and cleans that gross area at the base of the toilet.
19 1/2. Love calmly takes over and saves the day when I thought this post got deleted and was ranting and raving and frustrated (when really I just posted it to the wrong spot).
20. Love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:8)
I’m thankful today for the things that love does. Happy Anniversary, hon. I love you.
2 thoughts on “The Things Love Does”
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Laughed out loud at 19.5. I am SO thankful for how the love between you and Jeff makes you, my dear friend, better. I didn’t think you could be any better of a person than you already were, that is, until you and Jeff got together. He makes the best even better.
Yay! Happy anniversary yesterday! 🙂 I remember that hot day… What a great day it was.