“I love doing dishes,” he says. “It’s kind of therapeutic.”  He scrubs the old pan that he used to cook the eggs, rinses it and puts it on the dish rack to let it air dry.

We are in a little cabin for the week-end in the middle of the woods and my husband is telling me that he loves doing the dishes. I don’t know how to respond.

“I love to keep ahead of the mess,“ he continues as he wipes the little breakfast table. “It just feels good.” Everything is put away down to the salt and pepper. “It just feels good,” he says again, looking around, satisfied.

I never knew. Married almost thirty-three years to this man, and I never knew he likes doing dishes.

Three kids grew in my womb, then filled our home with adventures. I took care of the worst diapers and he always dealt with vomit because I could not stomach it. We both spoke the Word to them and over them, we lived the simple everyday life of those cared for by a heavenly Father, believing that He would turn their lives into unique masterpieces.  And He did.

We laughed, cried, tickled, disciplined and had very intense discussions. We listened and we refused to listen. We went to basketball games, stayed awake waiting for the sound of the garage door opening up, prayed lots and lots, cooked together, walked, played, went over budgets and took pictures.

They grew up, left our homes to make homes of their own with the scent of Jesus all over them, these three kids turned productive adults who grew in my womb and grew up in our home. They are indeed unique masterpieces.

So my man and I, we just keep on in our adventure with God.

Going on thirty-three years of investing in each other, putting out the garbage, going on vacation, getting up to go to work, having Saturday morning coffee together. We kind of look alike by now–or so we are told.

We jumped into this marriage with all that we are—no holding back. We both learned to give in a lot. We both learned to give up a lot. Trust has matured and we’ve learned to be transparent; it’s safe, because of this covenant love we have. I will always love him, no matter what. And he has vowed to always love me, come what may. And every day, I see this promise displayed in his life. I see more of Jesus in him then when we first got married. I love him more than ever.

And there isn’t too much I don’t know about him at this point. And there isn’t too much he doesn’t know about me.

Thirty-three years of married, intimate covenant love. And today, I find out he likes doing dishes. Go figure.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#503 Time away with my husband

#504 The Beauty of winter

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home