Unexpected and Cherished

I'm a celebrator. And I love Valentines Day. If we were at home, be that in Juba or the States, we would have had heart shaped pancakes and pink scrabbled eggs for breakfast, there would have been heart garlands strung from every corner of the house, Grant would have found little love notes all throughout his day, and we would have shared a candlelight dinner. I love celebrating little things and making them big, and I love a day set apart to love on the people who God has blessed us with to love.

Being away from home and staying at a guesthouse/compound where we have one little room to ourselves, my master plan for Valentines Day wasn't really possible. I spent the afternoon making one string's worth of heart garlands - high five to my mom for sending the supplies!, and spent many moments throughout my day surrendering my expectations for a grand Valentines celebration.

But why did I doubt? God loves His children so specifically, even in the tiny little details.

Grant had so sweetly planned to take me on a surprise date to one of the two restaurants in town. But right before we were about to leave, the director of the place we are staying insisted we go out to eat with everyone. A tiny bit bummed and frustrated at what seemed to be a group night instead of a date night, we went with him. But as we got out of the car we realized that JP (the director) had set up a table off to the side set with a bottle of wine he had bought for us, and two roses. Yes, roses. I've never been much of a store-bought rose girl, but these two flowers are the most beautiful flowers ever because of what they stand for. JP went out of his way to set up a sweet and personal, COMPLETELY unexpected, and most cherished date for us -- no one even asked him to do that! God loves so specifically. Even in the details.

Not only did God use JP to remind me of HIS love for us, but God blessed me with an amazing husband, who though he is not as much of a celebrator as me by gifting, he knows what is a big deal the little details are to me and chooses to love me in really detailed ways. He snuck a bottle of wine into the place we are staying, found the only chocolate in this little town, and picked out a movie for us to watch that night -- gift on gift on gift!

God is so detailed. I am blown away.