One Saturday afternoon in December 1977 my mother was not home, and my father was heading out the door. As he was leaving, he said, " Bren, (what he sometimes called me), I'm heading out to Sears to get your mom a new sewing machine. Want to come with me?" Jumping at the chance to hang out with my dad for a few minutes, I said yes.
My mom got a lot of joy out of sewing, and on the way to Sears my dad told me about his plans. He wanted to surprise her, so he planned to hide the sewing machine on Christmas morning in a place she wouldn't see it. When everyone had opened their presents, he would surprise her with it. He wanted her to believe that all the presents were opened up first. That was a wonderful trip with my father. He took care to ask the salesman what machine he thought was best. The salesman showed my dad all the gadgets and cams that went with the machine. Satisfied that the sewing machine he picked out was the best, and worthy of my mother, dad purchased a beautiful Kenmore sewing machine for Christmas.
Christmas Eve, after everyone went to bed, dad hid the machine in the very back of the Christmas tree. On Christmas morning dad played "Santa Clause" and handed out the presents to everyone in turn. After all the presents were open, everyone sat around talking and thanking each other for their gifts:
It was at that moment that Dad called out, "Wait! Hold on everyone! I think I forgot something behind the Christmas tree! Hang on, let me see what it is!" As he pulled out Mom's new machine, he held it up for everyone to see, then walked it over to my mother and said, "Yep, I think this is yours!"
and back of my father, Gerald Logan.
My mother was thrilled!
(for any family that might be reading this: nativity on
TV is the set Grandma Logan made.)
For the rest of her life mom kept that sewing machine. It was her treasure. When she no longer could sew she handed it down to me. One day, I'll learn how to use it!
Dad put a lot of thought into that machine. He loved her and wanted her to have the best, something that would make her happy. And when I look at that sewing machine I'm reminded of that Christmas and how much it meant to my father to do something special for my mother.
In one of the scriptures that members of my church hold as sacred, the Doctrine and Covenants, there is a verse that reads:
"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."
In my story, it was a sewing machine, but it wasn't just the machine that had meaning. It was my father taking the time to know what my mother needed. He had listened to her. Then, he took time to find what would meet her needs in the best way.
In marriage, (and in any relationship, really) this is called "turning towards one another." Taking the time to listen and consider what the other person needs is vital to strengthening our relationships.
And, it doesn't have to be about something as large as a sewing machine, either!
Remember all my projects that have taken over my dear hubby's garage? (hehehe!) The other day I took a break from my studies to work on this:
I was stripping it, getting it ready to either re-stain or paint. I texted Steve while he was at work. I'm certain my question could have waited until he came home, but I think maybe there was a part of me that wanted him to feel proud of me! I sent him a picture of an area I had stripped and cleaned and asked him what wood he thought it was. Thoughtfully he did reply. It was a little thing, but it made me feel good that he took 5 seconds when he had a second and acknowledged me. It's not that I'm needy, but more that I wanted to share with him something I was doing at that moment.
It's the little things, the smile across a room, the need for a hug that is given. Those are the things that strengthen the bonds of marriage!
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