It has come to my attention that today is the 13th of February. For some reason Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on me this year. I have a feeling there are many reasons that this year, this holiday is kind of going to get lost in the shuffle.
Years ago, when my husband and I were dating (waaaay back) we used to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I am never sure if we celebrated it just because it was the thing to do? Perhaps we didn’t want to be left out? (As I type those words, it brings to mind my folk’s age-old question, “If everyone else jumped off the cliff would you jump too?”)
If I think back; I don’t remember my husband, even when he was my boyfriend, ever purchasing cut flowers. His mind set was that purchasing “dead” flowers (his opinion of cut flowers) made no sense….you only enjoyed them for a short time and then tossed them out. (Perhaps this is the farmer in him? Things should be growing?)
Once we were married he began to purchase live plants and bushes that I could plant in my flower garden. He, rightly, assumed I would have a lot longer to enjoy his gift than I would have with “dead” flowers. .
It used to bother me that I did not get the cards and flowers that other women received on this holiday. I used to joke that once we were married I thought perhaps all the card and flower shops had burned to the ground. It took a long time for me to become aware that those cards and flowers were not really my husband’s particular love language.
In all seriousness, his love language is evident in what he does for me rather than what he purchases for me. The way he helps with my projects and encourages me speaks love to me way more than cut flowers ever would. The fact that he “gets” my sense of humor and can laugh with me is something I cherish.
I love it when he invites me to share in his world. Sometimes the invitation involves looking at IH tractors and sometimes it is enjoying a beautiful sunset with him. I am grateful beyond words that God placed this man in my life.
He (and I) are not perfect. There are times we look at each other and kind of wonder what we were thinking those many years ago when we said “I do”. I suspect all married people wonder that occasionally…..at least if they are honest they would admit to that. Maybe, just maybe, that is what keeps a marriage interesting. There is still that element of surprise.
I am not sure what we will do tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day. I think it won’t be too much different than what we do most days. I always wonder what others do to celebrate special days. I wonder if there are more people like us who choose to see the everyday as special because of who you spend it with.
May this Valentine’s Day find you sharing the day with someone you love and who loves you back. May you be blessed with the person and/or people that God has placed in your life. May every day be a special day.
Dear children,
let us not love with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18
(NIV)
we’re quite laid back with holidays. this year i had actually bought him some cards about a month ago when they first put valentine’s stuff in the stores. my girls and i were walking through the store, saw an end display of funny cards, and 3 of them were so perfect i had to buy them. i put them away and totally forgot i had them till one of my daughter’s reminded me 🙂 … so, this year my husband will get 3 cards 🙂
he has a gift for picking out the perfect cards for people. it’s always fun to get cards from him b/c they’re so perfect! i was never a ‘card’ person, and it’s still the last thing i think about, if i even do, when getting a gift. but it’s the first thing my husband thinks about 🙂
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It is awesome when you can find that perfect card. I laughed about you giving him 3 of them. That sounds like something I would do!
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Lovely post and I love the idea of buying flower plants and bushes, we do that too as that way you get to enjoy them for so much longer 🙂
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I love my flowers growing here and there on our farm. And I DO get to enjoy them so much longer.
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I have never received flowers or gifts on Valentine’s Day as it is not a day we celebrate in our culture. People back home are shy to demonstrate their love to their loves in terms of flowers, or candy or a trip or a new car or whatever. But like you said it is the everyday things that show me how much my husband loves me.
For example, he is in Singapore now and I am about 7 hours away by flight. He calls me at least 3 times a day. He worries about me driving here alone as he thinks I may get involved in an accident. He reminds me to lock the doors before I go to sleep – I am forgetful and can sleep with the doors unlocked. He is constantly watching over me and making sure others watch over me so that I have no problem while he is not there. Those are my gifts and they are gifts of caring, well beyond gifts bought with money or diamonds.
I think your Valentine’s Day gift will be that your husband will be home with you on this day and eating the food you cooked and looking in on you, through the day.
Susie
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It is such a gift to just be together. You are so right. I love hearing about your culture Susie. I have so much to learn about this big world of our and the people and traditions in it.
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Faye this was lovely to read. I am a brand new blogger and have soooo much to learn!
I have kind of just thrown myself on here and am hoping to learn along the way. I love the look and feel of you page xxx
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Thank you so much! I have only been at this a year and it has been so much fun. You will meet so many wonderful people. I am going to head over and visit your blog.
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I should tell you that my daughter-in-law set my blog up for me. I have to thank her for it looking nice! I call her the web guru lol.
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I need to get me one of those!!!!!!
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lol. I keep telling my son that he made a great choice!
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Yes, the ongoing element of surprise…. that’s it. Maybe?
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I am sticking with that logic lol.
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Such a beautiful post! I love your statement … his love language is evident in what he does for me rather than what he purchases for me.
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
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Thank you so much Carmela! Over the years I have come to appreciate our differences. (though I must confess we probably drive each a little crazy once in a while lol.)
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Love this! God’s continued blessings on your differences and your union. I am reblogging. Great encouragement. Great love story. Happy Marriage!
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Thank you so much! I am not sure if I ever asked you….but do you go by Michelle?
I really think it is neat the way God makes everyone’s love story different than the next persons.
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Yes ma’am I am Michelle. 🙂 He is extraordinary and excellent in all His ways!
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Reblogged this on Me,Intimately worded and commented:
I am a great fan of her words, her writing. I hope you enjoy the read and are encouraged! Happy Valentine’s Day! #CarryHope
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Thank you so much! I had just been sitting here thinking about the Valentine Day hype and realized for me love was more about the “everyday” living than one day.
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It is indeed! 🙂
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Your words describe my husband and I – perfectly. No cards, no flowers. The flower and candy shops all went out of business years ago. Ha My husband has no time for nonsense – but I know he loves me and that is all that matters. I prefer a live plant over flowers. Very nice post Faye. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
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So good to hear there are others like us! Hallmark would definitely go out of business if we were their sole support. Have a great day Peggy!
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Amen to that! Beautiful post Faye. My Husband and I are are very similar to the words you wrote here! xxx
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I think my husband and I were made for the “everyday”. :).
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What a wonderful message of love! I agree with Lar about dead flowers. John knows I don’t care for cut flowers or commercial cards, so he bought me a plant and a helium balloon. We are retired and in the house together most of the time, usually in adjoining rooms on our computers. One of the things I appreciate the most is our spending time chatting during and after meals.
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Someone asked me once if we drove each other nuts because we were together most of the day. We really don’t. I think we just have learned when we each need a little space and when we don’t.
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Now this fits perfectly into a post I am working on about Valentine’s day! My husband and I are equally everyday people:-) As I write, he is watching his favorite football game and I am about my blog rounds. Today was another day in our lives, nothing special and we do not feel the need for anything out of the ordinary, is love not supposed to be daily? Thanks so much for yet another great post
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Yes, I am with you on that. Love is for the daily living….not just the “special” days. I spent tonite at Bible Study with a group of ladies and my husband watched old movies at home :).
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My husband and I shared a lovely cup of coffee and a few quite moments of kidless conversation. My cup is full. ❤
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I love the kiddoes….but how well I remember what a treat it was to have kidless conversations. am so glad you had a great Valentine’s Day!
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Thank you! ❤
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What lovely sentiments. 😊 we don’t celebrate with extravagant gifts, but I try to make an extra nice meal and he buys me flowers (dead ones, but my track record with keeping plants alive isn’t great, despite having an allotment!) Hope you had a lovely day.
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I always try to make a nicer meal also. You made me laugh about your track record with plants! My indoor live plants are usually things like cactus that I can forget about for a long time.
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💐happy Valentine’s Day to you Faye.
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Happy Valentine’s Day to you also! Now if I could just figure out how to put the little flowers on this reply……. I will have to try push some more buttons!
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you have a valentine always and the story is pure and beautiful-I too ask for some thing to plant every year-and I have never been sorry about that,
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I love the live plants. They just keep on blooming!
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yes-and we can have cut flowers when ever we want! I have roses that have moved with me and will again!
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I love roses! And it is a treat to be able to cut some for the house when you want to.
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and they are like living memories!
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I love this! My husband’s love language is action too. I would try to make him conform to the “everybody else” world, and he did for a awhile. I found over the years that I am missing out on his uniqueness that he brings to this marriage by making him do what I want. I’ve decided not to be so controlling (that is still so controlling – I’ve decided) and let him be and do what he wants to do on those special occasions. The world I have been missing! He is much more thoughtful than what I ask for…
I’ve learned to let him be him and let me be me…that makes the best “we.” KTH
What did y’all do for Vday? We exchanged cards and will celebrate this weekend.
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We actually just had a regular day. I made a nice evening meal and then I had Bible Study with a group of ladies. We didn’t plan much anyway due to my husband having just had hip replacement surgery the week before. We have been spending lots of quality time together. :).
Have a great time celebrating this weekend! And I am so glad you stopped by.
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You hit the nail on the head Faye! You are so right, it’s not about the card and the dead flowers and all about the thoughtfulness. I love that he gives you live flowers and bushes and it is the farmer in him…it speaks him and that’s who you love!! All of the things you mentioned are what really matter and isn’t it wonderful that every day is a special day. Now I have one question…who was the original sayer of “If everyone else jumped off the cliff would you jump too?” as I think we’ve all heard that from our parents…ha! Happy February 15!! xo
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LOL on the original sayer. I wonder who it actually was and when it really started? I know I said it to my kids.
Happy Feb. 15th to you also!
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Perfect. Understanding each other’s love languages has really blessed my husband and me. He has learned to speak my love language fluently and keep my love tank full. I do my best to do the same for him!
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it does make such a difference when you understand each other!
I am so glad you stopped by. I will have to come your way for a visit.
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At school, I would make the biggest deal ever about Valentine’s Day…because the children enjoyed it so much…plus, the cupcakes and cookies were so good and pretty and totally messy! At home, we just go about our regular activities. Mike (surprisingly) likes to buy cards. And…he always goes to the same Hallmark store down by the closest mall. He will read every single card and reads the cards carefully! This is most likely the only way that he differs from your husband!!!!! A few years ago…we were out shopping and we stopped at the same Hallmark shop that we still visit…to buy a birthday card for one of my nephews. It took 45 minutes for him to choose the right card! I finally had to leave and visit Bed, Bath & Beyond (a few stores down) for a while!! He had no idea that I was gone for 10 minutes!!!
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I am with Mike on the cards. I love to read them. I really like the funny ones (imaging that!). If my grandkids were closer I would be making Valentine cookies, cupcakes etc.
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When we have grandchildren, I will go totally crazy making cookies and cupcakes and who knows what else! Yes… I will be totally out of control and intend to be! And that is all there is to it. I like the funny cards too and so does Mike. He also likes the musical cards and listens to every one of them. Honestly…he is a disaster in a card shop! What can I say though…I am a disaster in a shoe store. I will try on everything!
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My two grandbabies have come to expect this Grandma to have “Sim Rows” which translates to Cinnamon Rolls.
They love to help make them. They also love cleaning the frosting bowl!
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