Date Night Right (by Wes & Christa Hardin)
If you are bored with your typical Tuesday twirl at the local movie theatre, try amping up your date night to include some easy and fun ideas that will help your marriage get a recharge. Print this off and bring it on your date, or add this blog to your smartphone, and ask each other a few basic questions, read, enjoy, and make it a night to remember.
Event: The Steakhouse Date
$$ savings tip – Share a meal at your local steakhouse and splurge on a dessert too! Sharing a meal can be a more intimate way to eat, and also a pretty easy way to afford going out more frequently since it’s cheaper!
Type: Problem-Free Zone (Not a night to talk about your issues – use the other 103 waking hours of the week for this)
Assignment: How Can I Love You Well
Read while waiting to be seated or served: “Everyone wants to be loved. That is how we were designed. Try to guess what each of your “love languages” are (to loosely use the term of Gary Chapman) – remember, everyone appreciates all or most of these ways of loving, but if you could choose your favorite, which one is it? Spend a few minutes guessing your partner’s love language or zone and then share them with one another. From now on, try to focus on loving your spouse their favorite way more than any other way.
- Gifts –When you pick our a gift for me or take me to pick one out, just to let me know I am special to you, that makes me feel the most loved by you.
- Quality Time – When you spend one on one time with me on dates, at night, or when you could be doing something else, I feel the most prized by you.
- Sex – When you meet my sexual intimacy desires, I feel the most loved by you.
- Service – When you cook, clean, do chores, honey-do lists, run errands for me, clean my car out, etc. I feel the most prized by you.
- Affection – Hand holding, sitting with your arm around me, kissing me for no reason at all, cuddling, back rubs, etc. make me feel the most loved by you.
Just For Fun
Pick a couple seated nearby and take turns (discreetly!) making up a story about them. Feel free to use your imagination and spice it up with some craziness.
Words of Wisdom
Read this Scripture together and think about a way you can show love this week. If you have any examples, think of a way your partner showed love to you sometime this week and thank them for it.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
How To Keep Things Rolling
Drive around listening to great songs before you go home or enjoy a recreational event such as hiking, taking a walk in the cool night air, or watching the sunset together somewhere. It doesn’t have to be fancy, expensive, or planned ahead. Even star gazing together or visiting a bookstore or coffee shop can be a fun way to round the night off.
Taking It To the Next Level
For Him Only
To score bonus points for true manliness and chivalry, consider adding the following;
- Holding all doors open for your date.
- Standing up when she returns to the table, and before she is seated.
- Complimenting her on her beauty in three different ways tonight.
- Offer a toast to your relationship.
For Her Only
To score bonus points for true respect and support for your man, consider adding the following;
- Letting him know what a great job you think he does in a particular area.
- Asking him about his favorite sports team and showing interest in it.
- Asking him about one of his dreams or goals for himself and encouraging him in it.
- Letting him know that you admire his strength.
