Y’all know I’m not good at telling short stories, but you won’t understand or appreciate the full magnitude of what I’m about to share with you unless I tell you what happened first.

On Saturday evening, our youngest son, Cameron, proposed to his most precious girlfriend, Ashley. We are absolutely thrilled to have Ashley join our family, and Ashley’s mom and I had a blast planning a little secret engagement party for them .You can check out some of the pics from on my Facebook page. Although Ashley is truly answered prayer, and she is definitely a story worth writing about, this story is about cupcakes. And, it all started with the cupcakes we had for their surprise engagement party. Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing and sugar sprinkles from What About Cupcakes. Pure delight. So awesome in fact, that on while Brad and I were at lunch on Sunday, I was still thinking about those cupcakes. So, I say to Brad with the absolute sweetest voice, “You know. With me loving those cupcakes like I do, and with you loving me like you do, and with What About Cupcakes being on your drive home from work, I would think you would bring me a cupcake at least once a week.”  Now you would think those words would be music to a husband’s ears. She doesn’t want flowers or expensive jewelry, she’s just wants a $1.50 cupcake. Heck, it’s even cheaper than Starbucks. I hoped he get the hint.

So you can imagine my delight today when Brad walks in the door with this:

He held out that cute little white box with a bow on it and said, “I brought you a cupcake.” You should’ve seen the big smile on his face. He knew he scored BIG with the cupcake, and of course, he might have even mentioned in a very discreet way how I might show my appreciation for his thoughtfulness. Well, no might to it. He knows cupcakes are my love language.

And, of course, I was just plain giddy! Not just over the cupcake, but over my man. Here’s proof:

I immediately took a picture and bragged for all the world to see. I mean, after all, it was a strawberry cupcake with a “You’re #1” pick in it. And ribbon. And in a cute little box. Oh, yeah. #besthubbyaward. And others seemed to agree with me. 27 likes and one “Sweet!” comment in just a few short hours.

And then I proceeded to go to church and text friends and brag more. I told them all about how I had told Brad on Sunday about wanting a cupcake, and here it was, barely Wednesday, and he had already gone and got me one. Sweet mercy.

Well, I wish I could say the story ended there, and I could sum it up with some quick heartfelt reminder for us to do the unexpected little things for those we love… but that’s not the end of the story. Fast forward a few hours. I come in from church, and I can’t wait to get my hands and my mouth on that cupcake. The conversation goes something like this… but picture me with big bites of cupcake in my mouth and the biggest “I couldn’t love you more” look on my face as I talk to Brad.

T: This cupcake is delicious. What made you decide to get strawberry? Was that today’s flavor?”
B: I don’t know. I didn’t know there were different flavors.
T: (getting a tad suspicious… after all, how do you miss that there are flavors when the cupcakes are clearly different colors?) Well, what did you say when you went in there to get it?
B: (shifting nervously because clearly he’s either going to lie or be busted) Ummm. Well. Ummmm. Well, I didn’t. It was Bosses’ Day today and someone left it on my desk.
T: What? WHAT?!!!! You are so busted. SO. BUSTED. And here I thought I was #1. Well, you’re toast because I’ve already posted a picture on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter for all the world to see, and now everyone knows. EVERYONE. KNOWS. You regifted the cupcake.

Well, you can just imagine the squirming and the rationalizing and justifying. And when all that didn’t work, he tried to turn the blame on me. Can you believe it? He had the audacity to suggest that he never implied he bought the cupcake, merely he said he “brought” the cupcake. Also said he could’ve just left the cupcake on his desk, but instead he was thoughtful enough to bring it to me. Seriously.

And then I got to thinking, not only did he regift the cupcake, but he extorted me with it. Oh, yeah. Busted. Big time. And don’t you know he won’t hear the end of it. I wish I could be a fly on the wall while he tries to do some ‘splainin’ at work tomorrow. Yes. That’s right. I am Facebook friends with some of his coworkers. Probably the one who gave him the cupcake. I was real quick to tell Brad that our Bible study lesson was about repentance tonight, and I think he should’ve been in the women’s class. He obviously needed to hear it.

Ok. I hope you know I’m laughing my head off as I type every word of this. Brad clearly deserves the #besthubbyaward because he puts up with this outrageous, crazy woman every day. And he still brings me cupcakes.

And all that got me to thinking… and obviously the sugar rush from the cupcake has me wide awake…

A truly grateful heart does not look at the gift, but at the giver. That’s why a macaroni necklace can be more priceless than a diamond one and refrigerator art more priceless than Rembrandt or Picasso. And it’s why when our circumstances in life are not as we would want them to be, our eyes remain on God. We look to Him not for what he can give us or do for us, but we look to Him with complete adoration for who He is. Patient. Faithful. Forgiving. Generous. Loving. Powerful. Constant. Merciful.

Father God, I thank you for Brad, my man who is so much more than what I deserve, and I thank you that Brad is a reminder of who YOU are and just how good You are to me. May my heart remain grateful always and my eyes remain only on You. Amen.