Hope you have a better day today.

I love you.

Peace out

Love Joe

Several weeks ago he started leaving them for me. It hasn’t cost him one cent. He’s used the letterhead notebooks he had stuffed in my stocking this past Christmas that he’d received from a customer. Underneath Upholstery Limited, LLC and its contact info he scrawls his love. Surprisingly, they’re never the same. Sometimes he includes Scripture. Always, his love.

It’s not that he’s never written a note to me before. He’s always carefully handpicked greeting cards. But through the years the love notes tend to fade away. The consistently written notes of late couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

Our marriage hasn’t been immune to difficulty. No marriage is. But we’d hit a rocky place. Rocks in uncharted waters forced us to dig deep. And I’m forever grateful for those rocks. In the most difficult of places you can find an intimacy rare. Romantic newlyweds cannot know it. It requires a clinging together as if you’re holding on for your very life.

In the Christian walk, when we encounter difficulties we’re given the opportunity to walk our talk. And why is it that after years of learning the Scriptures and quoting them to others so quickly we find ourselves taken back when reality hits and we must walk those Scriptures out? We’ve been given the instruction manual yet we refuse to use it. And around the mountain we go, wandering in the wilderness like the children of Israel.

But what happens when we become doers of the Word? When we let the Lover of our souls draw us close during those times of struggle? When we cling to Him in desperation knowing that we need Him more than the very air we breathe we find intimacy more beautiful than any artist could paint, than the most romantic lover could portray.

We’re given the perfect picture of marriage through Christ and His love for His Church. His love letters keep us breathing, keep us alive. And this is what a man does for His wife when he pours out his love with ink. It doesn’t have to be ink. It could be in the ways he knows her spilling out into her cup of coffee just the way she likes it. It doesn’t have to be the price of a dozen red roses. Just his time.

Husbands, what she’s really crying out for is a simple act of love. An intentional act of letting her know you see her, you hear her, you love her. And it could be written down on a scrap of paper. Because, really, is there a better way to let her know?

I’ve kept the letters I’ve received over the past few weeks. I’ll cherish them forever. They’re building a stronger marriage. They’re stepping stones, a mosaic of unity and intimacy. It’s a two way street, I well know. Give and take. Not at all 50 – 50 as Ann Says. It’s an intentional giving when it’s needed, not necessarily when deserved.

And men, I’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s worth the payoff!

So here’s a suggestion for this Valentine’s Day. DaySpring has a collection of Mr. & Mrs. gifts including this Two in One Inspirational Journal:

This had our names on it!!! Well, really, it does. Mr. & Mrs. 

But you can start today. Even if it’s written on an Upholstery Limited, LLC notepad, your words can be just the thing that sparks a dying flame in your marriage. Even if they’re corny.

Especially if they’re corny.

If we want better marriages it’s time we follow the instructions written in the greatest Love Letter of all times. And isn’t that the best way to love—to write our love letter down?

Love is always hard because dying to self is, but I want to do it—because I want you.

We don’t have to try to arrive anywhere or climb anything or try to figure out how to make it—

Just make our lives a living sacrifice and let the days makes us like gold, to arrive before His throne.

~ Ann Voskamp

**I’ve received no compensation for my shout out to Day Spring for their amazing Valentine’s gifts. But I certainly wouldn’t refuse them.

This is Ginger, Rena’s little sister, dropping in with a way cool message for you. Have you noticed anything different on the blog lately? Look closer. Anything? How about the message in a bottle button located at the bottom of the page? I am sure you know what that’s for, right? I mean really. How long did it take us??

For those of you who do not prefer RSS, you can now subscribe to Insert Grace Here.com via email. Yes. I know. Overwhelming. Just click the button below, brought to you by my wonderful husband—our blog designer. Or, if you’d like, here’s a list of all the different ways to keep in touch with us.

• Subscribe via Email
• Subscribe via RSS
• Friend Rena on Facebook
• Follow Rena on Twitter
• Follow Rena on Pinterest 

What could be better than having my sister’s witty banter delivered to your inbox? Doing any of the above, of course. Hope to see you pinning soon . . . 

Dear Brandon,

For your birthday, the Joedaddy and I would like to take the time to share a few things with you. {You can hardly contain the excitement, right?}

Buckle up, you’re going for a ride!!! Just kidding.

Although it is not commonly practiced today even among Christians, when seeking courtship with a young woman, a gentleman or “suitor” would ask the permission and seek the advice of the young woman’s father. While we certainly don’t want to imply the level of seriousness of your relationship, we do want you to know that in the short time that we’ve come to know you, you’ve gained the trust of the Joedaddy. This is not given freely.

So, Happy Birthday! Go on and celebrate!!

Seriously. . .

Your parents have done well and should be proud. What we’ve observed foremost about you is your determination to seek the heart of God. Nothing is more important. It is apparent that you will not settle for less than God’s best. Maintaining a 4.0 grade point average in college while working does not come easy for a young man. {Not that I would know firsthand. I mean, I’m not even a man.}

As a parent, I want nothing less than God’s best for my girls. This requires a dedication and determination that many Christians lack today. I’m grateful for your drive to succeed and I pray you’ll never settle. But before your head explodes, I’ll add that we’ve also had the opportunity to learn a little about your weaknesses. And that’s not such a bad thing. Time reveals these things in all relationships. I’ve taught the girls to know their weaknesses because we can be certain the enemy knows them. It’s apparent that you are well aware of yours and for that, I am so grateful. And I should probably add that we are also well aware that you’ve learned one or four of Courtney’s. You don’t have to answer that. Just a little observation. {wink}

You should also know that I’ve taught Courtney to watch how a man treats his mother. A lot can be said for that. So just so you know—she’s watching. And I think you’re safe there. You’d better be.

We want to thank you for taking the time to get to know us, for playing Apples to Apples with us in spite of Courtney’s poor sportsmanship and for paying extra attention to Sophie. It’s been our pleasure. It truly has.

Now. . .

having said that, I’d like to remind you that Courtney is of utmost importance to us. If you hurt her in any way, Joedaddy will cut you.

I’m just kidding.

Well, only a little.

I pray this year is your very best yet and that you grow richly in Christ. Our expectations lie only within His plans for both of you.

Happy Birthday!!!

We love you,

the Joedaddy and Mrs. Rena

P.S.

I’ve considered doing a blog series on “Courting Courtney.” It has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it? So if you happen to notice cameras or the taking of notes, just carry on, as you were. . .

There under to today’s date I find the words recorded from two anonymous listeners who longed for Manna from Heaven to share with this world of hurting people. Under the title—The Way of Happiness:

COMPLETE surrender of every moment to God is the foundation of happiness, the superstructure is the joy of Communion with Him.

COMPLETE surrender of every moment to God . . . I can’t help but think of Ann. I’m still stumbling my way through it but it is the most simple yet profound thing I’ve learned over the past year.

The giving of thanks is beyond necessary. It is crucial to the very quality of our lives. And that’s what surrender is all about. It’s the realization that we just cannot control the moments but we can trust the One who does. And the giving of the thanks in the midst of the moment is the sure sign that we’ve surrendered.

It’s tried and true. I’m slow to learn but even in the not surrendering or giving thanks the lesson is crystal clear.

Determined, I will march on and look for grace and continue thanking Him.

Thank you for . . .

• letting it go at the altar
• unpaid bills
• messy stacks of papers
• achy muscles
• fussy kids
• quiet moments in the midst of the chaos
• those who continue to point the way to Him

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ~

For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him.

~ 1 Samuel 1:27 ~

***Some of our favorite highlights over the past nineteen years of watching you grow***

• Your begging me to let you {five} and Cammie {eight} be in the VFW beauty pageant that you insisted you were going to win but would be happy for the winner  if you didn’t. Your parting words to me when you did not win—”You should’ve told them people your little girl wanted to win a TRO-PHY!”
• Princess dress that you and Poppy insisted I let you wear to the store with him and the sweet lady that stopped him in the store because she was speechless over your beauty.
• Embracing your lack of cooking skills even if it results in a broken bowl, huge mess and a kitchen that smells like burnt popcorn from your attempt at Easy Mac minus water.
• Lessons from Nana: “Courtney, you can’t always be first and you can’t always win. And unless you accept that you won’t be happy.” Your response: “You’re right. I’m just not happy.”
• Watching you as little sister and big sister, sandwiched in between. Knowing your role even when you’re in the middle. Embracing, though it’s sometimes hard, the little sister who takes up so much of our time as well as your nephew who takes up so much of your big sister’s time.
• Trading the Princess dresses for Prom dresses.
• Learning even through heartache that He will never break your heart.
• Your laugh and your practical joke sense of humor and even greater—your smile and your ability to light up the room with it.
• License to drive in spite of . . .
• Garage damage from lessons learned in parking too close. Repeat.
• Driving off with the gas pump stuck in your gas tank, slamming on breaks, jumping out of car freaking out because the car “might blow up.”
• Your amazing ability to be the only person we know who could get stuck in a car wash.
• Your ability to remain calm in the worst of circumstances.  Oops! Wrong person!
• Hitting your big sister’s car then being livid with her because her car was parked behind yours.
• Paying your own car insurance!!! {Dear State Farm Agent, This would make an awesome commercial!}
• Acceptance at LSU.
• Your determination to push through when life isn’t going according to your five year plan.
• Your heart of repentance when you realize you’re wrong even if it takes a while. {wink}
• Your love and compassion for your family.
• Your heart that follows hard after God. Never stop!!!
• Watching you grow in grace, learning from all of the above life lessons that… sometimes being second can be just as hard as being last but that’s okay. His plans are far greater than any plan any of us could imagine for you. And paying your own car insurance greatly improves driving skills.

We love you more than chocolate, Diet Coke and low insurance premiums!!!

Always,

your biggest fan!

Keep on shining…

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

~ Matthew 5:16 ~

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