It's Valentine's Day. It's actually the 10th year of sharing gifts to my wife for Valentine's/White Day. (In Japan Valentine's Day girls give gifts to guys, and then 1 month later is 'White Day' where guys give gifts to girls...don't ask me why). I remember sending her a package from Australia for White Day back in 2016, barely 3 months after we had met. Valentine's Day was too soon, we were already messaging everyday, and had made up an excuse to call to talk through what was happening in an Australia/New Zealand cricket match because she happened to be in NZ when the Aussies were there playing, but we hadn't expressed feelings of love for each other yet - we knew it was still very early days for a long-distance built relationship. But by the time it was getting close to White Day, I knew I had to take the chance to take a new step in our relationship.
It actually wasn't the first gift I gave her, the first was a little toy racoon from a UFO catcher, which I didn't even successfully get myself, called Rascal. I gave it to her on the last night in Fukuoka, also the night that I had the "I could do this" thought that changed my life - the thought I believe was God calling me to Japan. I think I'd (from another person in our team here who was successful) gotten that Raccoon during the day at Fukuoka Tower, and wanted to give her something small that could blow a little oxygen on the sparks that had ignited at ramen two nights before. Both of us had been told about our each other from our respective friends before my trip. Both of us had blown those suggestions off. But when seeing each other in action, there was something there. As I said when I shared about first meeting each other in my message on Sunday, I knew I was in danger (cue Ralph Wiggum meme).
And now, somehow, it's been 10 years. I haven't always given her something for Valentine's Day over the years, sometimes I have, other times I've leant on White Day and played the "when in Japan" card. The first Valentine's Day gift was a crystal rose and case from Beauty and the Beast, 9 years ago just after I moved to Japan. With it was an explanation that it will never wilt or die, as I hoped our love never would. This year I have give her a Lego set for us to build together, the Lovebirds set. And with it, I wrote a letter. I didn't really think too much about what I wanted to say, apart from tying in the idea of "love birds", but it was quick to write. A natural flow of words, expressing my thoughts, my love, my intentions to her, because I don't need to think about how I love my wife to express it to her - it's in my heart and it naturally flows out. It really is true what Jesus said, "out of the abundance of the heart our mouths speak".
As I think about my marriage, I hope that this love will always naturally flow out. Because I've made the effort to keep igniting it, keep fanning it, keep it growing. But my greatest hope, is that my wife will always feel that flow. That she'll receive it. That she'll know without a doubt that it is true and for her. That she sees the intention I try to keep in loving her, and that she'll continue to reciprocate that love and intention to me. That we would be like lovebirds growing old together, enjoying each other's company, and our love would be sweet music that is heard and felt by all around and making their lives all the more beautiful because of it. That's my hope, that's my dream, that's where I hope our lives flow.
It actually wasn't the first gift I gave her, the first was a little toy racoon from a UFO catcher, which I didn't even successfully get myself, called Rascal. I gave it to her on the last night in Fukuoka, also the night that I had the "I could do this" thought that changed my life - the thought I believe was God calling me to Japan. I think I'd (from another person in our team here who was successful) gotten that Raccoon during the day at Fukuoka Tower, and wanted to give her something small that could blow a little oxygen on the sparks that had ignited at ramen two nights before. Both of us had been told about our each other from our respective friends before my trip. Both of us had blown those suggestions off. But when seeing each other in action, there was something there. As I said when I shared about first meeting each other in my message on Sunday, I knew I was in danger (cue Ralph Wiggum meme).
And now, somehow, it's been 10 years. I haven't always given her something for Valentine's Day over the years, sometimes I have, other times I've leant on White Day and played the "when in Japan" card. The first Valentine's Day gift was a crystal rose and case from Beauty and the Beast, 9 years ago just after I moved to Japan. With it was an explanation that it will never wilt or die, as I hoped our love never would. This year I have give her a Lego set for us to build together, the Lovebirds set. And with it, I wrote a letter. I didn't really think too much about what I wanted to say, apart from tying in the idea of "love birds", but it was quick to write. A natural flow of words, expressing my thoughts, my love, my intentions to her, because I don't need to think about how I love my wife to express it to her - it's in my heart and it naturally flows out. It really is true what Jesus said, "out of the abundance of the heart our mouths speak".
As I think about my marriage, I hope that this love will always naturally flow out. Because I've made the effort to keep igniting it, keep fanning it, keep it growing. But my greatest hope, is that my wife will always feel that flow. That she'll receive it. That she'll know without a doubt that it is true and for her. That she sees the intention I try to keep in loving her, and that she'll continue to reciprocate that love and intention to me. That we would be like lovebirds growing old together, enjoying each other's company, and our love would be sweet music that is heard and felt by all around and making their lives all the more beautiful because of it. That's my hope, that's my dream, that's where I hope our lives flow.