Sappy, Romantic, Movie-Like Love

I read an amazing post yesterday called 20 Things I Want to Tell Engaged and Newlywed Women.  It is a list of all the Biblically true things that I heard while in marriage counseling and while speaking to married Christian women who I look up to.  Many of the statements discuss topics related to expectations as to what "true love" or "romance" really looks like.

True love is not what you see in the latest romance novel or chick-flick.

True love is not about finding the "perfect" person, because Romans 3:23 tells us otherwise.

True love shows the Gospel (Ephesians 5:22-33).

True love involves sacrifice, commitment, grace, and forgiveness.

Number 11 of the post says that "Real romance is finding that one spot in the crook of his arm to snuggle into, that shared look over the dinner table when the kids are acting crazy, and the way he fixes the leaky sink when he is dog-tired after work."

I couldn't help but smile and remember this quote when I saw the "real romance" in my own marriage yesterday.

Mr. Ketchup went to dinner with a friend of ours who is moving next week.  When he came home, he brought in a cardboard box and told me that he had a surprise.  He opened the box with a big smile on his face to reveal 6 cupcakes from a local gourmet cupcake shop.  He then said, "They are gluten free!"

I am thankful that my marriage is not based on sappy, romantic, movie-like love.  My marriage is based on sappy, romantic, Christ-like love that reflects the Gospel through selflessness, grace, and forgiveness.

I am one lucky woman.

**Just ignore the fact that we ate two cupcakes each.**