the kind of man who will steal you away

Two weeks ago I felt alone and weary, distant from the heart I love most in life. I texted him:

“We need to go away. Alone. Soon.”

So off we go. Not on the faraway dream trip. Just to a quiet corner of the city where we won’t need our phones or our cars, and where we can slow down and steal away a little time for each other.

Our dear friends will keep the precious little ragamuffins. It’s like Christmas for them, three days of uninterrupted play with best friends.

Boy 3 asked if they could pop over to the hotel to visit.

“No,” I gently broke it down. “Mama and Daddy need to be alone.”

The next seven weeks have ministry meetings on almost every day and night of the week. Flag football practice and ballet will fill in the cracks..

We need to breathe in deep and rest up.

Because loving God first shines light on the truth: we only have so much to give. Some seasons are for filling up the reserves, so we will be able to go the full distance without breaking into pieces.

The Eagles sang it well:

We can handle some resistance,
if our love, is a strong one
People talkin’ about us,
they got nothin’ else to do
when it all comes down we will
still come through.
In the long run.
Ooh, I want to tell you, it’s a long run.

After all, how can we love God, whom we can’t see, if we can’t love our spouse standing right in front of us?

And who else on God’s earth is ever going to give us this love we need except the person who made vows about death being the only thing that can part this union?

It isn’t selfish to sneak off and just love one another. It is simply this: wise and wonderful.

My heart has been stolen away by this brilliant, fantastic man. But long days and a tired mind can forget the way it feels to be loved most, first, and best.

So he will steal me away. so our hearts can be secure and sure of the most important thing:

Our love will be strong, and we will make it in the long run.

Yes, we will.