Sharing Is Caring

“So much to do, so little time.” It’s something we’ve all likely thought or said at one time or another. It would be an understatement to say that life is hectic. Our schedules are full, our time is limited, and our margin seems practically nonexistent. 

As a Christ follower, husband, father of two, and a working professional, I can never seem to find enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do. As a disciple, I want to spend all day and night studying the Word, praying, diving into commentaries and books, journaling, and reflecting on everything God is showing me. As husband and father, I want to spend all day with my family, playing with my kids, going on adventures, and making memories that will last a lifetime. 

But I don’t have the freedom to do whatever I want with 100% of my time. As a working professional, one-third of my time is spent at work. And in order to function properly throughout any given day, another one-third of my time is spent sleeping. That only leaves me with a third of the day to spend with God and my family, not counting commuting and all the other little time-drainers that make up each and every day. On top of that, in order to stay in good physical shape—while still being able to enjoy a constant barrage of burgers, pizza, and tacos—I go to the gym several times a week. 

So, when you add that all up, sadly it doesn’t leave nearly as much time for the things that truly matter: God and family. Do you ever feel this way? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Today, I want to share a little trick that may help you experience more quality time with your spouse: discovering shared hobbies and activities.

So often, when it comes to quality time with our spouse, the chosen activities tend to be enjoyed by one more than the other. For example, my wife wants to go to the zoo. I don’t enjoy the zoo at all. The entire concept of zoos is lost on me, but she really wants to go, so we take the hour-long drive down to Miami and spend half a day looking at animals—mainly watching them sleep. Or I want to do an all-day Friends marathon. She doesn’t really care for the 90s sitcom, but she endures. In both scenarios, we’re spending time together, but the overall experience isn’t the same for both. This seems like a missed opportunity at true memory making.

Instead, I suggest you find things you both love to do. For instance, my wife and I have found a common love of comic book movies, so whenever a new one is released, we make a dinner and movie date out of it. We also both love food, so we spend a lot of time cooking together and going out to eat. Another thing we do together is watch baseball—yes, we both like baseball . . . it’s not just me! 

Over the years, we’ve tried different hobbies that just haven’t stuck for some reason or another. We’ve scrapbooked together, read books together, made art together . . . and while all of them were fun for a time, one—or both—of us eventually lost interest and enjoyment with these activities. This is not a bad thing. It’s good to test the waters and try different things. 

Find what works for you, and stick with it until it doesn’t . . . and then find something else! Make the time you spend together something both of you fully enjoy. 

I hope this little tip will help you experience a deeper, healthier, more rewarding marriage as you share the things you love together. 

Date Night Ideas for July

Challenge 1: You Complete My Puzzle
Looking for a low key, relaxing way to spend some time together? Pick out a puzzle, make a playlist of some of your favorite tunes, and settle in to complete the project together!

Challenge 2: You’re the “Fish in the Sea” for Me!
Get a few other couples together for a friendly fishing tournament! Set up some parameters that work for the group (see questions below to help you determine ground rules) and see which couple will become the champions! 

Some things to consider:

• How long will you fish?

• As a couple, are you trying to catch the most fish, the biggest fish, or a certain type of fish?

• Do you need to stay in a certain area?

• Is there a prize for the winning couple or just bragging rights?

Challenge 3: Row, Row, Row Your Board
Looking for some fun on the surf with your spouse? Then you’re ready for standup paddle boarding! Final a local business that offers a wide variety of lessons and activities, such as sunrise and sunset paddle trips. Enjoy!

Did you take advantage of one of these ideas? We want to hear from you! Share your dates on social media by using the hashtag #SoFloDateNight and tagging @CCFLCouples. You can also e-mail MarriedCouples@CalvaryFTL.org about your date night story! 

Do you want to hear about upcoming events and news from Calvary Couples? Make sure you opt in to receive text messages from us! We want to stay connected with you, so you don’t miss any opportunities for you and your spouse! To sign up, simply text “MARRIAGE” to 91868.