How do I say, “I love you…?”

I did something unpredictable today…I made breakfast for my family on a weekday. That is unusual. We normally do “serve yourself” cereal and toast during the week, but on this particular morning my family woke up to the smell of baked oatmeal and enjoyed it as an additional choice. Though this was a small effort for me, perhaps an additional 5-6 minutes from mixing bowl to oven, it was a huge deal to my family. And I’ve been pondering why. I think that even more significant than what I did is the fact that I surprised them with something, and it communicated “I love you” in a special way—more special than mere words.


As wives and mothers, we can get so caught up in the routines and busy-ness of our lives that we forget how important it is to communicate our affections to our families. Words are important—we should never cease telling our families just how much we love them. But how much more effective when we demonstrate that love in a special way! If you think about it, that’s how God expresses his love for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” (John 3:16). He demonstrated his love in a tangible way by sending Christ. And daily, his mercies, his grace, his presence, and his help serve as tangible reminders of his love.


Our husbands and children need tangible reminders of our love and affection for them. And these reminders don’t need to be big or expensive. It’s quite often the little “surprises” in daily life mean the most! I am always looking for fresh ideas. Here are some things I’ve tried…ways to break the routine with a special surprise that says, “I love you” …

• Make breakfast for dinner (“second breakfast” hobbit style!)
• Serve dessert first at dinner.
• Include an “I love you” sentiment in a packed lunch.
• Hide a little encouragement note in folded laundry.
• Instead of serving dessert, make it together as a family.
• Make pizza together instead of buying it. Let your children choose the toppings.
• Eat a normal weekday dinner on fine china in the dining room. Let your kids dress for dinner!
• Make a holiday dessert for a regular day.
• Take a surprise trip out for ice cream…kids in pjs!
• Make a sign that says, “Good morning, I love you” backwards and tape it on the wall opposite the bathroom mirror. It will read correctly in the mirror! (I can’t take credit for this one…my husband recently did this for me—it works!)

Expressing our love for our husbands and children in tangible ways leaves tangible fingerprints of our love on their hearts. It strengthens our family ties and builds a storehouse of precious memories of just how much mom loves them!