10 Things That Prove I Belong to Him

1.       When I fall asleep, he is there.

2.       When I wake up, he is still there.

3.       He provides for me.

4.       He protects me.

5.       He showers me with gifts.

6.       He corrects me when I screw up.

7.       He has a special smile just for me.

8.       He is always available to me.

9.       He gave me his name, and the power to use it.

10.   When he tells me he loves me…I believe him.

When I started this list in my head-a love note especially for Valentine’s Day- I couldn’t stop thinking about my sister Joy. She went to be with Jesus a year and a half ago, and she HATED Valentine’s Day. She said it was just a day to remind the girls without boyfriends that they didn’t have boyfriends. I can see how that’s true. So I decided not to post my 10 things list, because I didn’t want all the other “Joys” out there to be ticked off at me…

But the list continued to run through my head, and as it did, I realized something. This wasn’t only about my husband. In fact, I could apply this list to THREE different loves in my life.

Of course, my husband fits all these. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful to him for how he takes care of me, for how he is strong when I fall apart, for the use of his name and social security number when I need to take one of our kids to the doctor, for how he makes me laugh. He is constant, he is solid, and after nearly 13 years of marriage, I love him more than the day we said “I do.”

Don’t go yet, the mushy part is over.

This list also applies to the very first man in my life. He tells the story of looking into my eyes for the first time and how he cried, feeling so amazed and overcome with love. Just hearing that story makes me feel his love. He is the man who could never do any wrong in my eyes from that first moment they met his, who told me I would look beautiful in a burlap sack, who protected me fiercely, even when I didn’t want him to. Walking through life with his name is an honor, because everyone who knows him wants to be like him, and I am cool just by association. He is my daddy. Every year on Valentine’s Day he bought 5 roses (which was a big deal because roses are expensive on this holiday, and we didn’t have extra money lying around) One rose was red, for my mom, and the other 4 were pink, for me and my three sisters. Lucky me, I have always gotten flowers on Valentine’s Day.

And the third and certainly most important Valentine I have is my Lord. Walking through life with HIS name is an even greater privilege and responsibility than carrying those of my husband and father. Knowing that when He sees me he sees His daughter, but also His bride, that He will protect me fiercely, correct me gently, shower me with gifts extravagantly, ALWAYS be available to me…and WITH me…this knowledge, this list, makes enjoying all the other things in my life so much sweeter. And when my world is falling apart, these things make surviving it possible.

So, Happy Valentine’s Day to my wonderful father. I have never, ever doubted your love, and I have never, ever been more proud to call you my dad.

And Happy Valentine’s Day to my handsome husband. It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? Even if it sounds silly, I want you to know one thing. I have a really big crush on you. (insert suggestive wink here)

Happy Valentine’s Day, Lord, my Peace, my Rock, my Fortress, my Glory, my One True Friend. Every breath I take is for you, every smile on my face is for the honor of your name, and every tear I shed is caught by you. I want to be more in love with you next year than I am today.