Wedding Ministry by Design

Foundations for Marriage

The Treasure Hunt

When I was growing up, we lived on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. It was a rare treat to get to go to town, and being the youngest of three boys, my two older brothers were often off working with dad somewhere and I would get to go with mom into town to pick up essentials. If I managed to make the journey without causing my mother grief, the reward was that each of us three boys would get a candy bar. Of course, it was painful having that candy bar and not being able to eat it until my brothers got theirs, but usually by the time we got home, that urge would have subsided a bit, and I could go about setting the stage for an adventure.

My mother would have me work out all the details for a treasure hunt for my brothers to go on when they got home. I would find a good place to hide the candy bars and then would leave clues around which would point them in the right direction, or at least lead them to the next clue, or sometimes the adventure would be a simple map leading to the buried treasure.  These little treasure hunts helped break the monotony of life in the Texas panhandle and also made those candy bars just a little more enjoyable.

Gentlemen, if you want to see sheer pleasure in your bride’s eyes try this little game. And to really add a spark to the whole thing, the next time you have no idea what to buy her, instead of worrying over finding that perfect gift, buy an assortment of smaller items, soaps, perfumes, cards, etc. and strategically place them throughout your home. At each gift, leave a clue to finding the next treasure, and position each one so the next gift is better than the last.

Place the first clue somewhere that she is sure to find it shortly after coming home. For example, if she always changes clothes when coming home from work, tape the first clue to the closet door. Be creative with the clues, too. For example, the clue for a chocolate heart hidden inside the oven might read, “You melt my heart with your kisses, let’s cook up some love!” Attach the next clue to the box with the chocolate heart. It can even be a corny poem, like “Roses are red, grass is green, we’ve got so much laundry to clean”, which would lead her to the clothes hamper where she might find a bottle of her favorite wine or a CD she’s been wanting. Do this and then sit back and watch at just how much joy four or five small gifts will bring to your blushing bride!

Pastor Monty Rainey

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