Random: Spoiled

I have to say that I constantly feel spoiled by my husby (to steal a word from my dear friend). John is so good to me all of the time. He makes me laugh constantly. He's patient with me even when I'm over-dramatic about something or when he's being neglected. He makes the things I worry about seem smaller or insignificant (which, most of the time, they are quite meaningless... I'm just a worrier).

And then there's the way he takes care of me. We've been married 8 1/2 years and he still opens doors (including my car door) for me. Not because I can't, but because, as he says, he "wants to show that he honors me" by doing so. He provides for our little family of 2... which will hopefully expand one of these days. He encourages me and holds me on those rare occasions where I actually cry. He puts my needs above his, which constantly makes me strive to do the same for him.

More than anything, the thing I think I appreciate the most about John is that he's taught me what love really is. Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." I don't think I ever would have understood this verse and the following verses had I not married John. He's told me over and over (in our 'newly' years of marriage, especially) that love is not just a word, but an action. After I realized that, though we may speak different love languages, he was loving me in his own way, it made me appreciate him all the more. The poor guy just kept trying to make me happy, even though what would make me happy would constantly change!

Love is a two-way street. When I finally learned to love him the ways he needed to be loved, our relationship grew dramatically. It was no longer me trying to do things this way while he was trying things another way... we kind of... met in the middle (just as any good marriage does). Part of my transformation was in realizing everything he does for me. It may not be what I think will help at the moment, but he was genuinely trying... and that's all that mattered! He loved me and he was doing everything he could to make our relationship work!

The spoiling part that I mentioned previously involves his giving nature. Example(s):
1) He's always helping me in one way or another with theatre stuff. Building sets, going over lines, doing whatever anyone asks him to do (if he can)... and all with a good attitude. He doesn't let me know how much he might be hating it at the moment, he just does what needs to be done, cracking jokes all along the way.
2) The first 2 times we went camping, I froze. Last year, on our vacation, we had planned on doing some camping in the Rockies. John made sure I had any and everything I might even possibly need. He got me a 0-degree sleeping bag and the mat to go underneath it. He spent a lot of money on just a pair of pants that would keep me warm. He even bought a heater for the tent, just in case! How sweet is that?!
3) I have now been through 2 cars since we got married and am newly on my 3rd. He does love his truck, I'll admit. But he's also drooled over newer ones over the years, but always puts my safety/needs over his.

One final example involves something that happened last night. We were talking about how our families bonded when we were growing up. His bonded at the lake. Mine, I felt, mostly seemed to bond around a piano. We'd sing together all of the time. Mom would play as we'd all sing various songs, pulling music books with favorites off of the shelves. We'd harmonize, sometimes singing the same notes and yelling at each other "Get off my note!" before breaking into laughter. It was fun. Christmastime would usually involve even more singing until recent years. Now... I miss it. My old home is no longer home. It's filled with practically empty rooms... and no piano. Nothing to really remind us of those times except the dining room table we still gather around occasionally.

Anyway... as I was reminiscing about this and the "home" feel, John started scanning around the living room. I knew immediately what he was thinking before he said it. "We don't really have a place for a piano in here," he said with a disappointed tone. And that's so like him. He wants to give me that 'home' feel as much as possible. I told him it that I knew that. He bought me a keyboard a few years back and I can't even find a place to keep it set up... therefore, I don't play. But his concern and desire to see me that much happier, was like a kiss to heal my heart. Regardless of where we live or what's going on in our lives, I am at "home" when I'm with John... and I praise God for that.