Photo Credit: HGTV.com

Today we offer our final date idea as thought of while reading the most romantic book in the Bible. We hope you’ve enjoyed every one, but please know this list is in no way exhaustive. We are certain we have missed some great ideas, so we invite you to help us add to the list. How fun to practice loving and romancing our spouse in the same way King Solomon obviously loved his bride, and how she in return loved him back in a passionate way.

Date #9 – Build An Outdoor Fire Under The Stars

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very flame of the LORD.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his house,
he would be utterly despised.
(Song of Solomon 8:6-7 ESV)

I don’t know what it is about watching a fire crackle under an open sky that relaxes me, but it always has. I could sit for hours watching the flames, stirring the embers and enjoying quiet conversation at a slower pace. Tom lacked two merit badges from becoming an Eagle Scout–something he regrets to this day–but the knowledge he received as a result of such training is quite impressive. I feel safe with him in so many ways. He cares for me, provides for me, and helps create romantic moments like building an outdoor fire just because he knows how much I enjoy it. He knows how to do most everything well, and if he doesn’t he can usually figure out how to do it. I’m not exaggerating.

We have an outdoor fire pit in our backyard that we purchased at the end of the season one year. We’ve roasted marshmallows, invited friends over for a relaxing evening together, and welcomed many new years while seated around an outdoor fire. We’ve camped under the stars and in the morning cooked a great breakfast of bacon and eggs over the fire in a cast iron skillet. We’ve set up a romantic dinner table outside next to the fire on a cool fall evening to keep us warm. We’ve even built an amazing fire pit at our mountain cabin in Banner Elk, NC.

Barefoot Cabin Fire Pit

A fire provides the perfect backdrop for a romantic time together. One of our favorite times was reserving a fire ring at New Smyrna Beach. Having a blazing fire under the stars on the beach with the waves crashing on shore is nothing less than perfect! We’ve also enjoyed fires at several restaurant patios. This is a great way to make a dinner out even more meaningful. I guess you can tell I really love this idea. It’s why I saved this Song of Solomon date idea for last! 🙂

Building a fire is a lot like stirring the embers of passion in your marriage.

It takes effort, time and most of all a knowledge of what the fire needs to keep burning. Sometimes it’s fresh air, sometimes it’s dry wood, sometimes it simply needs someone to stir the flames. We hope the next time you see a fire burning, you’ll remember King Solomon’s wise counsel and plan to enjoy it with the wife of your youth.

What could you do today to stir the flames of passion in your marriage?