Romantic Gift Ideas Like a Dead Goat & Key Lime Pie

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“Oh, by the way,” as I kissed his cheek hello, “you bought me a slice of key lime pie and a coffee for Mother’s Day. Thank you,” I grinned. 

My man smirked at me, slightly quizzically, as I walked in the door from studying at a bookstore coffee shop last night. 

Now I have a very romantic husband. He woos me in roses, avocados, cheeses, books and baskets. This blue eyed man also takes turns cooking meals and helping with laundry and dishes. 

This week, though, as we had been waiting with bated breath to see if we’d get the house we put an offer on, and already presumptuously researching repair costs for the new place, we had been holding off spending money on other items. Mother’s Day was relaxing, sunny, celebrated with special cards, and savored by time with extended family. 

The key lime tart had looked so good through the glass at the coffee shop, though, that I knew he wouldn’t mind.  “Thank you,” I smiled again and kissed him. “You also bought me a birthday present of a book. See?”  

Don’t worry. Mark had already said that I could get a book with my birthday money. I had just been biding my time, and choosing a title. (Mary De Muth’s  memoir “Thin Places” waits for me even now in a white plastic bag.) 

Gift ideas. 

In finishing Ezekiel this week, I grinned when I came across God giving his people gift ideas. “This is the special gift you are to offer…”  Fractions of wheat, barley, oil, and one sheep from every two hundred are what he asked for in Ezekiel 45:13. Later, bulls and goats are talked about. Different occasions warranted different gift ideas, different sacrifices. 

God whispers his gift ideas to us also.

 “He has shown you, o man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

In the book of Acts we hear that God set up the ocean currents, artistically created the diverse and beautiful range of ethnic groups, and created minutes, hours, days, years. 

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, although he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27, 28)

God writes: Here’s a gift idea. I want to connect with you… Here’s what I made for YOU. Do you like the oceans, waterfalls, bottomless caves? Did you see my mountain ranges, coral reefs, floating ice bergs, and still-unexplored jungles? Did you hear of the polka-dotted snake, and the black flower scientists are even now just finding…? Love, God. 

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I’m humbled and floored, and silently love him more. Nature screams his artist heart, and his ancient words speak of love and relationship with me, with you.