Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

THE ULTIMATE GIFT - PRAYER

submitted by: Katrina N. Sams

My husband and I were recently married (November 16, 2004) and he was unexpectedly diagnosed with throat cancer on January 3, 2005. The doctors anticipate that this will hopefully be a treatable cancer. So, along with wanting our "First Valentine's Day" to be special, I wanted it to be even more special given the cancer diagnosis.

I have thought for weeks now about what to do. Then it came to me through one simple comment he made one Sunday after leaving church--our Sunday School teacher had asked him to lead the prayer to close our class, and he prayed a beautiful, heartfelt prayer.

When we left church, I made the comment to him that although I can pray just fine in my alone time, I find it difficult to keep my thoughts straight and to find the words I need if I'm in a situation of having to pray "out loud", especially in a group of people. He was silent for a brief moment and then said, "I want to hear you, just one time, I'd like to hear you. I'd like to hear you say a prayer for me, even if you have to write it first and then read it, I don't care. I just want to hear you pray."

Of course, the wheels in my head started turning. I immediately thought of writing a special prayer to read to him on Valentine's Day as one of my "gifts" to him. But as I thought about it, I've decided to carry it one step further. Yes, I still plan to share a special prayer with him, but I don't want to stop there.

The traditional gift for the first year anniversary is "paper" -- a few days ago I purchased a journal with lined pages and I plan to continue to note my prayers in the journal and then present him with it on our first anniversary. I often tell him that I pray for him a lot, and I do -- but wouldn't it be a blessing to actually see/hear the prayers coming from your partner's heart and soul asking for your own safety, health, endurance and strength?