Loving Your Husband Well By Lisa JacobsonSampel

Day Five

Quiet Joy 

Scripture: Matthew 6:11

It’s crazy to think that after so many years of marriage we’d still have one of those “moments.” The kind of moment when you look at each other and wonder what the other person possibly could have been thinking. 

Because there I was looking for a kiss, while he was looking for a snowplow. And we nearly missed each other’s hearts in the process. 

He’d been gone for nearly a week, and all I wanted was for him to come home and sweep me into his arms. 

He’d been gone, and all he could think about was getting our road cleared so we wouldn’t be snowed in. 

Two different ideas of love.

Man. Woman.

If you’ve ever had one (or more!) of those moments, here’s what I’d suggest: Open your eyes to see that he’s genuinely trying. That even if he’s not following the “script,” it still counts as love. Acknowledge the many—even if different—ways he shows his love for you. 

The thing is, sometimes marriage can be rather mundane—just making the next necessary decision and figuring out who needs to be where and when. “How about if I go to the grocery store and you pick up the boys from basketball practice?” “What night are the Smiths coming for dinner?” “Were you able to take care of that electricity bill?” 

But then again, I’ve been considering lately the comfort and quiet joy that comes with merely doing life together. The two of us side by side. Enjoying the “daily bread” God provides—all that we need for right now, right where we are.

Sometimes the ways your husband is trying to show his love might look very ordinary. But it’s sweeter than you might first think. Tell your husband you appreciate his partnership through even the most routine days. 

What’s your favorite kind of “ordinary” day with your husband? What routines do you enjoy doing together? What’s something mundane that he does out of love for you that you could thank him for today?