Do you remember your dating days? The days you used to spend quality time together, hang out at cool places, and do fun things together. Hopefully you didn’t have to think long, or refer to it as “back in the day.” But if you did, then you are like many married couples today. Date night has become a thing of the past, or at best, something you do occasionally.
Haven’t had a date in years…
My wife and I sat down to talk the other day, and realized there was a period in our marriage where we just didn’t date. And we’re not talking about a period of weeks, or even months. We are talking years. Date night came so few and far between that we can’t really remember any of them.
Now over the past couple years, we have realized how important regular date nights are to our marriage, and how we can never go back to that season in our lives.
I mean, date night was how we fell in love. Date night was how we got to know each other. Date night was something that led to us getting married.
Pre-marital dating…
Dating was the very fabric of our relationship before marriage. Well, that and late night phone calls…”you hang up”…”no you hang up”…”okay, I’m hanging up now”…”you didn’t hang up!”…”were you asleep?”. 🙂
Since we have been dating consistently we are learning new stuff about each other again, and we’re reentering the DiscoveRING stage of the 7 Rings of Marriage.
We are having fun, and realizing that we still “like” each other. If you have been married for a while, you know what I mean by that. Sometimes you don’t really like your spouse, even though you love them. Date night, or a lack of, can contribute to this.
How would you rate your dating life?
I don’t know where you are in your married dating life, but I wrote this today as a reminder, as encouragement, and maybe to some as a warning. Just something to help you not take lightly the importance of dating your spouse in marriage.
Our goal is to have date night, or a date (at any time of the day), at least once per week. I admit we aren’t perfect with it, but we are doing everything we possibly can to reach this goal. We want you to as well. Just think…
How would your marriage change if you dated your spouse every single week for the rest of your life?
I am certain it would result in an amazing connection and growth in your marriage! So I encourage you, I challenge you, to choose to date your spouse regularly, and expect great things!
Great post, Jackie. I would say at this point in our lives it is finding a babysitter.
Baby-sitting, money, tired, not working same shift, stress, etc.