Sometimes we can let our lives become more crowded and busy than we should with kids to shuttle here and responsibilities to do there, eventually putting the priority of dating our mates on the back burner. Then we wonder why our marriage feels so lifeless and our spouse seems distant and uncaring.

If there’s one thing my husband and I always tried to avoid was letting life overtake us to the neglect of building into our relationship and marriage.

When our sons were small we dedicated Friday as our “family day,” as well as designating at least one Friday night per month for a date.  As our boys got older and our income got a little heftier, we gained opportunities to make dating a more frequent priority.

Because I value and appreciate dating and what it’s provided for my marriage, I’m going to be sharing some simple date ideas in the weeks to come that might be that gentle nudge you need to get something like this on your calendar.

Remember a date doesn’t have to be elaborate or take up too much time. If you and your spouse love coffee, then this is a great simple date that only takes up about an hour or so. Surely, you can spare that for your marriage’s sake. And if your mate isn’t crazy about coffee, then maybe s/he would like a smoothie or a cup of tea instead.

Just check for a date and time that works for you and your spouse to chat over a nice drink and get it on your calendar. Easy peasy! 😉

Simple topics for conversation might include . . .

1. Catch up on the highs and lows in your week.
2. Dream about the places you’d like to visit in the year or years to come.
3. Share what your favorite personality characteristic is of each of your kids and why.
4. If you don’t have kids, then share what you just adore about your pet(s) and why.
5. If you don’t have kids or pets, then share about the favorite personality characteristic of one of your extended family members. You get the idea.

The possibilities are endless really. It’s just a matter of getting out there and trying. Just remember . . .

[bctt tweet=”Chatting might feel forced at first, especially if you haven’t dated in a while. Do it anyway! #dates #marriage #reconnect” username=”BethSteffaniak”]

You’ll start to feel more and more comfortable after you go on more than one simple date and conversation will eventually begin to flow without much effort.

One more tip about dating as you make it more of a priority—don’t get snagged by keeping track of who plans each date. If you end up doing all of the date planning, then pat yourself on the back for being proactive and intentional! It should be a badge of honor, and not a scorecard for who pours into the marriage more.

Be sure to check back next week for simple date idea #2, along with more tips that hopefully will get you going in the right dating direction. To read about all the “simple date” ideas and a few extras click here.

What other topics of conversation would you suggest for chatting over a nice beverage?

Accept my challenge to schedule a date this week by letting me know in the comments when you and your mate are going on one! I want to cheer you on!

Linking up with these fine blogs –  Making Your Home Sing, Moments of Hope, Mondays @ Soul Survival, Word of God Speak, Spiritual Sundays, Mama Shares Monday, Sitting Among Friends, Faith ‘n Friends, Fresh Market Friday and DanceWithJesusFriday

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