And it all started when my husband insisted I wear red
I was on a Zoom call with Sothy when a man in a tuxedo opened my office door and asked, “Can we sing?”
We?
He opened the door wider. Four others were behind him.
I was too startled to say no. Sothy, a friend I write with most Fridays during our lunch break, stayed on the Zoom call, having a front-row seat to the dramatic surprise.
They filed into my office, hit their tuning note, and began singing, “Let me call you sweetheart, I’m in love with you.”
These minutes became a picture of my husband’s love for me—and God’s love for me, too.
My tears started immediately, and one of the singers reached for a tissue from the box on my desk, then mimed “sorry” as he sang and gestured to the empty box.
My tears flowed unhindered.
When they finished singing, they handed me a single red rose and a card and told me Steve must really love me.
Even sight unseen, he was officially the favorite husband of the office.
When my colleagues heard of the singing telegram, they said, “He’s so sweet!” and “I love your husband!”
He is, and I do, too.
Getting the Lady in Red
The night before, after I’d packed my bags for the gym and put them into the car, Steve asked me if I would wear red for Valentine’s Day.
“Oh, I forgot all about it,” I said, shrugging it off. “No, I didn’t choose anything red, but hardly anyone will be in the office anyway.”
Friday morning, before I left for work, Steve again asked me—multiple times—if I was wearing red at work.
“No, I already packed,” I responded, saying it slowly and with emphasis, since he’d missed it the evening before.
“And it’s not a matter of grabbing a red shirt,” I elaborated. “I’d have to change my shoes and jewelry, too. It’s a whole outfit to coordinate.”
Clearly, he didn’t understand the intricacies of the female wardrobe.
“When I worked, all the women dressed up in red for Valentine’s Day,” he said, unrelenting.
“Fine!” I stormed to my closet despite Steve’s “you don’t have to” following me down the hallway. I grabbed a red sequined, spaghetti strap number with a red cardigan—neither of which I’d worn before or even tried on together—and my pair of red Tom’s.
(I decided that if I had to be festive, I would go big. Hence, the sequins.)
I figured I’d try the tops and shoes with the jeans and jewelry I’d packed when getting dressed at the gym, and if they didn’t work, I’d stick with my original outfit.
The red worked—and when my coworkers commented on my festiveness, I gave the blow-by-blow of why I’d appeared in full Valentine regalia.
In short, my husband made me do it.
It was my colleagues who made the connection. After hearing of the lovely surprise singing telegram—which they all missed because they’d left the building for lunch—my coworkers concluded, “So that’s why Steve wanted you to wear red.”
Oh. Duh. He wanted me dressed for the occasion.
How sweet! How could I not love this man?
When the fifth man shot our photo after the serenade, my outfit coordinated with the four BarberGators, dressed in tuxes with red bow ties. They were pitch-perfect; I was perfectly dressed. Not because of me. Because of Steve.
Pitch Perfect and Perfectly Dressed
His concern for my wardrobe reminded me of my heavenly husband—Jesus—who, too, clothed me so I am dressed appropriately for all the surprises (and promises) he’s prepared.
Most notably, he’s provided me the robe of righteousness, the most significant garment of God’s salvation.
The prophet Isaiah looked forward to this wardrobe essential with overwhelming joy, hundreds of years before Jesus’ righteous death became the ultimate sacrifice for my sin. He understood the need for this covering.
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10, ESV).
Because someone else paid my sin debt and exchanged my sinful nakedness for a beautiful robe of his righteousness, I am fully protected from God’s wrath.
And since Isaiah also mentioned “garments of salvation” (plural!), I can only imagine God understands the intricacies of my wardrobe—and provides everything I need. (Matching shoes, perhaps?) A complete salvation outfit.
Not because of me, but because of him.
Like my appropriate attire for Valentine’s Day, but so much better.
I am dressed for a four-part harmony of love: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. And Steve.
I am really loved. (And so are you.)
How about you?
What’s the most creative or thoughtful way someone has shown you love or appreciation? Or what’s your way to show love and appreciation?
All Things Work Together 
It was so wonderful to witness the unfolding surprise via Zoom! Steve does love you and I am so glad he made you wear red. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Thank you for capturing it, Sothy! It was fun sharing the moment with you!
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