Let’s go back a month or so. It is December and Christmas is closing in on me – fast. I knew that a team would be here serving just before Christmas, so I couldn’t do my usual shopping spree two days before Christmas. I had to actually plan ahead. What was I to do? How do I buy a gift for my wife and hide it from her – we only have 25 feet to work with here. Plus I wanted to save all of the good hiding spots for Anouk to hide my gifts.

To solve my dilemma, I started thinking gift cards. Whoever invented gift cards was a genius! They don’t take up much space (I hid it in my wallet), they are good for a long time, and they meet the individual wants of the beneficiary. But, now came the hard part – from where do I get the gift card? I thought about Chili’s, but I knew that my selfishness would be too obvious at that point. So, I vaguely remembered Anouk saying something about a trip to a day spa. I think the context was something like, “I would never go on my own, but I think it would be neat to go one day.” Hint taken.

So, I find myself in a place where no man was ever intended to be. As I walk up to the front door, my palms get sweaty, the nerves kick in, and I am the only man in sight. A lady approached the door at the same time as I did, so being the gentleman that I am, I open the door for her. Walking in behind her, I am unknowingly mistaken to be her husband. The workers, thinking I am with the lady in front of me, ignore me – leaving me to stand there with sweaty palms and no idea what to do.

Finally, I muster up the courage to ask about gift cards. The workers who previously ignored me, now cheerfully hand me a brochure. I am sure the confused look on my face sounded off an alarm that said, “This man has no idea what he is doing! Go for the gold!” After looking over their brochure, I decided on a package that I though Anouk would like. Now, I had one budget in mind when I walked into the place and another one when I walked out.

Leaving the place as quickly as I could, I climbed into my car feeling pretty proud of myself. I had done it! I had gone behind enemy lines and purchased something I just knew my wife was going to love. But then I started to think about what I had done. She was going to get her hair cut . . . oh, no. Was it going to be too short? Would she come back from those evil people with scissors looking like another woman? My palms got sweaty, the nerves kicked in, and now there is a knot in my stomach.

Well, yesterday was the appointed day when Anouk cashed in her gift card. I dropped her off wondering what I had done. The results? After 4 ½ hours, a gorgeous wife! She was that way when she walked in and she was that way when she walked out. Only now she had painted nails and a different haircut – a really different haircut. She had fun and that’s what I really wanted. I wanted her to relax and have a good time. She said she had so much fun that she would like to do it again sometime. Palms sweaty, nerves kicking in . . .

Anouk before . . . Anouk after . . . Another before . . . Another after . . .

All satire aside, I love my wife and think she is the most beautiful woman in the world. God was very gracious to me when He gave her to me (Proverbs 18:22; 19:14).