The Forever Kind of Love

Sometimes words are just not enough to express our feelings. We struggle to find the right ones and they are just not there.

That is true even in our prayer life. Often “we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.” (Romans 8:26)

Sometimes we fumble around trying to say the perfect words. Some of us pray in silence without words. Or sometimes we rely on those rote prayers we have used for years and years.

In the long run, what really matters is what is in our hearts. Even when we use the same old words we have always used, they say what we want them to say. God knows our hearts.

When we fell in love, my husband and I ran out of words to tell each other I love you. I am not sure exactly who started it or how it all began, but as long as we have been married, we have always signed our cards and notes to each other in exactly the same way – Love forever and 2 days.

When our boys were old enough to read, they would look at the cards we gave each other. Sometimes they commented on how we signed them. I often had the feeling that they were checking them out to be sure we didn’t forget. Maybe it was a sign to them that all was well in our little world.

But I never realized just how important those words were to our children until recently when I discovered that my oldest son and his wife sign their cards to each other in almost the same way. The only difference is that they each change the number of days. They might write Love forever and 7 days or Love forever and 150 days … whatever number they decide to pull out of the air.

My husband and I just celebrated our 32^nd wedding anniversary. We have never bought each other an anniversary gift. Not once in 32 years.

There were always other expenses in July. School clothes and school supplies. Family vacations. However, every year we have gone out to some special place for dinner, a place where we would not normally go. We go out to celebrate this special day.

And every year we buy each other a card. My husband always picks out the perfect ones with the perfect words. This year he made sure it was at my place on the kitchen table so I would see it before going to work. It was a beautiful card and my eyes filled with tears when I read these words: I love you more than ever.

Still, I looked to see those old familiar words, written in his familiar handwriting. The simple words that express his love for me the same way they have for 32 years. The simple words that say it all because they are from the heart and I know what they mean.

Love forever and 2 days.

Just in case “forever” isn’t long enough.