Little Notes

My husband doesn’t leave the house early every day—only on mornings when he’s heading to our cabin by the river or going fishing. On those days, he slips quietly out of bed and moves through the house with the care of someone who knows my best sleep comes just before daylight. He never wakes me, but he always leaves something behind—a little note.

They’re never long. Maybe “Love you,” or “See you this afternoon,” or “Enjoy your day.” And every one is signed with his familiar R. What makes them even more special is that he writes them by hand—often on whatever scrap of paper he can find. Sometimes it’s a torn-off corner of an envelope, a piece of notebook paper, or even a paper towel. And most often, they’re written with a black permanent marker that we keep in the drawer. I love that, because it reminds me that his affection for me is just that—permanent, just like mine for him.

I keep every note tucked inside a Ziploc bag in the cabinet near the coffee pot. Over the years, that little bag has filled with reminders of love—written in ink that doesn’t fade, wrapped in thoughtfulness, and sealed in the ordinary moments of life.

To anyone else, they might look like nothing—just scraps of paper. But to me, they are gentle proof of care. It’s the little gestures like that—the ones done faithfully, quietly, and without announcement—that strengthen a marriage. Those notes are a love story written one line at a time.

The Bible says in Proverbs 3:3 (NIV):
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”

God calls us to make love a permanent part of who we are—not just spoken, but written on our hearts. Every note, every act of kindness, every word of encouragement becomes a lasting mark that shapes the story of our lives together.

And when I think about that little bag of notes, I can picture our children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren sitting around a table one day—maybe with their own cups of coffee—pulling those notes out and passing them around. I can see them smiling, remembering, and talking about the love their great-grandparents shared. My prayer is that what my husband and I share will live on through them—that they will see in us an example of marriage done God’s way, love done right, and faith lived daily.

Because love is love—whether it’s for a spouse or for a Savior—and when it’s written on the heart, it becomes a legacy that never fades.