Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! I hope you and your husbands enjoy a wonderful day celebrating your love for one another! My husband is off at a ministry event tonight, giving a talk to students about true love and the gospel. I am home with the kids and looking forward to his return so we can celebrate together a little bit! It’s a bit non-traditional, but we’re making vegetarian sushi for our celebration. Should be fun!
For today’s Tuesday Topic, what is one thing that you as a couple do or value in order to strengthen your marriage? What has helped you to grow in love for one another?
(If you would like to pose a “Tuesday Topic” question, please email it to formissionarymoms@gmail.com . Provide your blog address if you would like to be linked to, and specify also if you would like to remain anonymous. Thanks!)
Our marriage feels healthiest when we take turns planning dates for each other. We don’t always go out- but on home dates I will let him choose his favorite movie, and make his favorite snack or dinner. And when we go out I’ll plan for us to go bowling (which I don’t like doing), etc. And then when it’s his turn to plan the date he will take me on a picnic, or suggest we dress up for dinner (which he doesn’t like doing). So not only is it a date night, it’s a gift that says I have been thinking about you and what brings you joy. Now that’s true love!
I love your idea, Kelly! What a fun and thoughtful way to do dates. We’ll have to try that sometime! We got out of the habit of date nights last year, and I greatly regret it. I think it is so very important!
One thing that we feel has been central to the health of our marriage is praying together every night. We started this back when we were dating because we were at the point of almost breaking up because we had spontaneously lost feelings for one another. We started praying that if God wanted us to be together (which previous to that we really had believed) that He would be the glue in our relationship. Obviously God restored our relationship and did want for us to be together, and praying together for our marriage and other things each day has probably been the number one thing that has helped our marriage stay healthy. We are both so capable of messing things up, but God has shown Himself to be so very faithful and all-powerful over our significant short comings.
I love our Saturday morning routine – he cooks a big breakfast and then we talk and play games afterwards until we feel like we really should get some work done!
It’s lovely. Of course there are other things too but that’s what it is for me at this season in our lives.
That sounds so wonderful, Shilo! I love it!
Our church is going through a sermon series on marriage and friendship with one’s spouse so it’s been a fruitful season for my husband and me. For us it’s being intentional and honest and communicating! I tend to hold things inside until I explode in anger and frustration, and simultaneously not facing issues because we are so busy with the kids and stuff. So it’s carving out time to talk and just be together without distraction.