My husband knows what’s doing. And I highly suggest all men everywhere take notes on this post.

I called Cody yesterday on my way home from work. He had the day off so I asked him how his day was. He watched lots of episodes of Dexter thanks to Netflix, played around on the computer, etc. But THEN he proceded to tell me that he cleaned the garage, the kitchen, the dining room, and the guest bathroom…he vacuumed…AND he did the laundry.

I truly didn’t believe him when we were on the phone. Not that he wouldn’t ever help me with those things, because he does. But the laundry put me over the top. There was no way.

Sure enough, I got home, and the house looked awesome. The laundry was totally done…from the hamper of cleaning rags and dishtowels in the laundry room to our heaping basket of clothes in our closet. The lines in the carpet were fresh from the vacuum, and everything looked great. He had even bought a small bag of those tiny pumpkins I love and decorated the house, using our leaf plates we got for our wedding last year. There was one on the coffee table with purple and orange hershey kisses in them, one with an ‘autumn leaves’ candle on it, and one on our dining room table with our brown napkins and a little pumpkin.

And to top it off, he had written, I LOVE YOU JAMIE in sidewalk chalk on the clean garage floor.

I pray that God would help me love Cody as WELL as he loves me. I had not said anything about these things that needed to be done…hadn’t complained, hadn’t asked for help, hadn’t even made a list anywhere (probably because I had been too busy to even realize how much things were piling up). But he knows me. And he doesn’t want me to be anxious or stressed trying to get the house ready for house church or company.  His joy, the big smile he gives me when I get home and the MILLIONS of times a day he tells me how pretty I am makes it obvious that he delights in loving me.

Just like God does. And what can we do in return? I read it in Philippians 4 this morning:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

REJOICE. Thank God for providing a way to be good even in bad situations, for giving us hope, and for giving us a chance to live. Rejoice in His presence, in His love, in His promises, and in His ever-moving Spirit. Revel in the beauty He has given us…I’m convinced this is never more evident than in the fall…in Indiana. 😉 And what’s interesting is that He does not promise the problems will be fixed or go away. It simply says you will have peace. And you will be loved.