Some Progress or: Maybe I’ll Take Up Sailing

Last night, you told me this (unprompted by me):

“I feel like we’re friends again. Happy friends. Not just roommates . . . It’s clear you’ve been thinking about me during the day. Like how you gave me that coffee card . . .You’ve been so romantic lately. That’s exactly what I’ve wanted from you this entire time. That’s exactly what I’ve been talking about” (see “My Resolution” and day 42).

Wow! I guess I’ve accomplished what I set out to do with 365 Acts of Love, so I’m done with it. Maybe I’ll take up sailing . . . Just kidding (as you clearly know since you’re reading the finished project). I’m glad we’re seeing good changes in our marriage as a result of 365. I’ll keep working hard daily and praying that God continues to change our hearts.

By the way, yesterday we went out for a walk to our favorite coffee house and guess what you bought with your coffee card? A dark chocolate mocha!

By the bye, yesterday was the end of my week of cleaning the living room. Can you say ‘epic failure’? I probably cleaned it four of the seven days and you did the rest. This failure reminds me of day 28 when I gave you that coupon. You’re free to redeem that any time, you know. From here on out, there will be no more promissory notes, just accomplished acts.

Day 75: Coffee Card

For yesterday’s act of love, I slipped a $5 coffee card into your purse (see #38 at this link).  Actually, I meant to slip it in last night, but forgot. So I did it this morning. I bought this card a while ago and kept it around in case a day came when I didn’t know what to do for my act of love. Yesterday was just such a day. Perhaps it would be wise for me to build up a store of little gifts and such in case similar days come.

When you find your coffee card, I know exactly what you’ll use it for: a dark chocolate mocha from our favorite local coffee house. This is your current favorite coffee; but really, you like a bunch of different kinds, all of them sugary. There is one, though, that you don’t like (rather, that you don’t prefer)–the homemade kind. So when you say you need coffee, you really mean that you want an overpriced cup of sugary delight. Here’s how the conversation typically goes: “I could really use some coffee.” “Oh, yeah? Here, I’ll make us some.” “Actually . . . I’d rather have a ________” (where ‘________’ can be filled in with any of various kinds of overpriced cups of sugary delight). Don’t get me wrong–I’m not complaining. I want you to buy those coffees for yourself (at least occasionally), which is why I gave you the card.

On a related note, I need to be careful about the money I spend on these acts of love. We’re on a strict budget, one that we worked out and agreed upon together. Yet, I’ve spent money on some of the acts of love that wasn’t in our budget (see here, for example). I shouldn’t do that. Although we both like it when I spend money on you, neither of us would like to go into debt. On top of that, it’s not loving of me to spend money that we don’t have, even if it’s on you. In light of this, I hereby commit to never spend money that we don’t have on any act of love. This makes my work here at 365 Acts of Love a little more difficult, but it’s necessary for our financial well-being. In the future, I’ll try to work money into our budget that’s designated for spending on you.

Day 33: Dark Chocolate Mocha

On the way to our Halloween festivities, I took you to our favorite local coffee shop to buy your favorite drink–a dark chocolate mocha. Your reaction to this act of love was strange. You looked at me with big, affectionate eyes, held my hand, and said I’m the best husband in the world. Then you drank your coffee with a big smile on your face, acting a bit giddy. By your reaction, you’d think I just risked my life for you. When I sent you a love letter through the mail or brought you roses after searching ten different stores in the middle of the night or washed and massaged your feet, you smiled, thanked me, and went on your way. But I buy you a coffee and suddenly I’m the best husband in the world? Hold on, because you’re getting dark chocolate mochas for 332 days straight.