Before the evening my dear sister-in-law, LD, had asked if I would lead the children in our traditional bell-ringing Christmas carols. LD has some colored bells and several years ago made color-coded Christmas carol charts that we can follow and play. It's one of the things we all look forward to and everyone, young and not, loves to have a turn.
The trick is to corral the youngest bell-carolers in learning how to ring the right-colored bell, at the right time, without pulling on the spring-suspended clappers and not just ringing them continuously. It's sort of like … well, … like giving a child a bell and telling her not to ring it.
We all had a grand, noisy time and, being that all the children, grandchildren and cousins are above average, they did an amazing job … and we even could hear bits of Christmas melodies ringing amidst the noise.
On the way home Jana and I were alone in the car. "That was fun. You did a really great job in controlling the kids and letting them have fun at the same time." I thanked her. It WAS fun.
After many years of marriage there is a tendency to become so comfortable with your spouse that you don't always acknowledge his or her efforts or deeds or actions (at least not the positive ones). It is no small thing to keep recognizing your spouse's contributions without keeping a "compliment score". I am so grateful for Jana's kindness in letting me know when I do things good – or do good things. It lifts my confidence and makes me even more appreciative of the many "loving things" she constantly does that keep our marriage growing. She rings my chimes.
(Thanks Lexie for sharing the photos.)
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