Refuge From The Hurt of Tongues

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Tom Walter

“The gift of speech is one of the noblest that God has given to man. It was meant to be loving, true, wise, enriching, and full of blessing. God gave us our tongues that with them we might speak to Him in praise and prayer—and to our fellow men [spouse] in love, in hope—in all gracious, helpful, encouraging words.”  – J.R. Miller (1912) [emphasis mine]

We live in a world bathed with words.  Everywhere we go we hear words proclaiming, disdaining or disagreeing with someone or something.  It is a noisy, often unkind world.  Yet this is where God has called us to live; in the midst of the trouble and turmoil.  He provides a place of refuge for us – it is buried deep within the love of Christ where we will find safety from the piercing arrow of the cruel words of others.

In his excellent essay, Refuge from the Hurt of Tongues, J.R. Miller talks about the only safe refuge from this world:

In no other way can this lesson he taught so well, as by looking at the example of Christ. Never about any other life, did the strife of tongues wage as it did about Him. Men’s cruelty knew no limit. Poisoned tongues emptied their envenomed bitterness upon Him. But none of this rage and bitterness disturbed Him. You know the secrets. There were two—love and peace. His heart was full of love, and the peace of God guarded Him.

We should understand these secrets. If we truly love men—we will not be affected by cruel words. They will hurt and sting—but they will not embitter us. We will forgive injury and wrong. We will answer back hate—with kindness, rudeness with gentleness. Then if we have love in our heart—we will seek ever to allay bitterness in others. One of our Master’s beatitudes is, ” Blessed are the peacemakers.” We can do much to lessen the strife of tongues, by always speaking gently ourselves.

Parkhurst, in his little book on “The Sunny Side of Christianity,” tells this story: “One day on a trolley car there was a door . . . that squeaked every time it was opened or shut. A man, sitting near it, noticed this. Rising, he took a little can from his pocket, let fall a drop of oil on the offending spot, and sat down, saying, ‘I always carry an oil can in my pocket, for there are so many squeaky things that a drop of oil will set right.’ “

Love carries an oil can and is ready everywhere to lubricate squeaking things. We all know a few men and women who are ever dropping oil to soften friction, and smoothing and quieting strife among others. They have some gentle word, some happy suggestion, some bit of humor, some way of changing the subject, when there is danger of strife. Blessings on the people who carry oil cans in their pockets! Not only do they add immeasurably to the world’s sweetness—but they have found a refuge for themselves from the strife of tongues. Love is the secret. It was Christ’s secret. Amid hate and cruelty—He loved on. If we keep gentle, patient, sweet, forgiving, and loving—the wildest clamor of harsh and angry voices will not disturb us. Our soft answer—will turn away wrath. Your good—will overcome evil.

The Christian way to resist the strife of tongues—is with love. If anyone speaks evil of you—say something good of him in return. If the other person is angry—keep patient and sweet. If another has bitter words to say of an absent person—your task is to say a kind word of him. It was said of Starr King that if anyone did him an unkindness, or said a hard or bitter word of him—that was the very man he loved. His heart went out to him in yearning, and he would find ways to conquer him by love.

Our homes can be a place of refuge from this concert of angry and bitter words – or it can be a place where we add to the noise.  It is a choice we make daily.  We will talk more about the words we use with our spouse and the effect this has on our marriages on Thursday.  In the meantime, set aside some time to read J.R. Miller’s complete essay together with your spouse.  It will help in our discussion.

Posted in Christian Marriage, communication, Growing Strong Marriages | 1 Comment

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Debi Walter

Taken on our walk

Blue Ridge Parkway

We just returned from a wonderfully refreshing, albeit, FREEZING time away!  Tom grew up in upstate New York and has seen his share of snow.  I, on the other hand, was born and raised in Florida.  Snow is something sprayed on your windows from a can at Christmas.  Needless to say, I had the time of my life in North Carolina where they have had more snow this season than they’ve seen in a century!  It was a gift to us from God!  The pictures above say it all!

What a difference a week makes.

Now let’s see what’s happening around Orlando this week, where I’m more grateful than ever not to have to deal with snow plows, shoveling and salting highways simply to go out for dinner.

CENTRAL

  • Ivanhoe Village – Remodeling Seminar hosted by Monarch Kitchen and Bath Design – Saturday, February 27 from 11:30a – 2:30p. FREE
  • Winter Park – Popcorn Flicks In The Park – featured film is Love Story.  Movie begins at 7:00p.  Admission and popcorn are FREE.
  • Winter Park – Friday Nights at the Morse – Friday, February 26th from 4p – 8p.  FREE.
  • Casselberry – Hot Jazz and Cool Blues For You Concert featuring Jeff Golub.  Saturday, February 27th from 6 – 9p.  FREE.
  • Winter Park – Bach Festival Society of Winter Park presents Mendelssohn & Mozart on Saturday, February 27th at 7:30p.  Knowles Memorial Chapel.  Cost is $20 – $50 depending on seat location.
  • Downtown  Orlando – St. Michael’s Performing Art Series presents An Evening of Jazz and Poetry.  Sunday, February 28th at 7:30p.  Cost is FREE with a suggested donation of $10.  Coffee and dessert is provided.
  • Downtown Orlando – First Annual Chillounge Night at Lake Eola Park.  Saturday, February 27th from 6p – 11p.  Cost is $15 in advance and $20 at the gate.

NORTH

  • Eustis – Cruise In – Saturday, February 27th from 5p – 9p.  If you enjoy classic cars, downtown Eustis is the place for you.  A typical Cruise-In will attract over 250 different cars from all over Florida. FREE
  • Uptown Altamonte – Friday Night Live – Bring your chair or blanket and enjoy great live entertainment in a beautiful outdoor setting.  The top local artists perform Jazz, Pop, Big Band, Classic Rock and Contemporary music on a weekly basis.  This week bring an island attitude for the Calypso and Reggae sounds of Deja. Hailing from the Caribbean, Deja plays a unique blend of music including reggae, soca, salsa, R&B and rock.  Their tropical steel drum sound will whisk you away to the cool breezes of the tropics.  Come out and enjoy their high energy performance in the Eddie Rose Amphitheater.  You may bring food and drink but please no pets or glass containers in the event site.  Friday, February 26th 7 – 9p.  FREE.
  • Mt. Dora – An Evening with The New Rascals (formally the Young Rascals).  On Saturday, February 27th at The Christian Home and Bible School, they will perform many of their hits from the 60’s and 70’s.  Tickets are $30.
  • Sanford – Celebrating The Arts: Fourth Fridays.  On Friday, February 26th from 6 – 8:30p.  The cost is FREE.

EAST

SOUTH


WEST

  • Winter Garden – The Garden Theater presents Driving Miss Daisy. Friday and Saturday, February 26 – 27.  Tickets are $22.
Posted in Date Night Ideas, Mark Your Calendars (time sensitive) | 1 Comment

Freebie Friday: Marriage And The Mercy of God

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Tom Walter

We mentioned a couple of weeks ago our privilege to attend a wonderful marriage conference being held at our church.  There were four sessions in all titled:

Actually, the fourth session was given on Sunday morning, but was offered as a follow-up to the marriage retreat.  We encourage you to make the time with your spouse to listen to these messages – they’re all FREE.  We are certain the truths shared by Dave Harvey will challenge you, encourage you, and most importantly change your marriage as you respond to the Lord.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Freebie Friday, Growing Strong Marriages, resources | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Freebie Friday: Marriage And The Mercy of God

A Timely Word…

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Debi Walter

The Romantic Vineyard

It’s so good to have time away together to reconnect as a couple.  It has been a challenging couple of weeks for us, schedule-wise, so we want to share with you something that hopefully will help you in your relationship as well.

I, Debi, was experiencing a tremendous amount of emotional turmoil over a difficult situation.  My mind was elevating the struggle way beyond what was necessary, but I couldn’t help it.  It was as if I was caught up in a tidal wave of emotions and temptations that sent me reeling.  I didn’t know what to do.  It was hard to even clue Tom into my mind and heart.  I asked him to pray for me.

Pray, he did.  And this is what we want to share with you!

Looking back I realize I was under attack from the enemy whispering lies to my fearful heart.  As Tom began to pray for me he would say little things that were very helpful.  I shared with him how much his words were helping to pull me out of the mire of my feelings.  He continued to share with  me thoughts that would come to mind.  Amazingly, his words were the exact opposite of what I was being tempted to believe.  He was speaking the Truth to me in love, but in a way in which I’ve never experienced.

The enemy was whispering lies, my husband was speaking Truth!

And now this week we’re away where we can talk in depth about what happened.  Communication is a necessary means to bring our marriage to a place that glorifies God. What a gift to have a partner in life who helps us in our time of need.

The Holy Spirit is actively at work in your relationship too!  He knows what we need before we ask.  What a gift to have a spouse who listens to that still small voice; and speaks a timely word that changes everything.

Posted by Tom and Debi

Posted in communication, Growing Strong Marriages, Spiritual Intimacy | 1 Comment

Project 52: Favorite Things

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Debi Walter

This week we’re away to celebrate our anniversary.  For our Project 52 Date we decided to have a day of all our favorite things.

For Tom that was easy – being outdoors in the cold and snow, going for a long walk (5 miles up and down the mountain) and enjoying God’s creation.

For me it was taking pictures as we walked, writing love notes in the snow and building my first ever snowman – or should I say snowgirl.

Mrs.Snow

Tom grew up in Rochester, NY, so snow isn’t an event to him, but to me, a Florida girl from birth, I was like a kid in a candy store.  It was the picture perfect date!  I thanked Tom for all the things I get to experience that I never would be able to if it weren’t for him.  He knows so much about so much, and he loves sharing it with me.  I would never venture out traveling in the snow if he weren’t with me.  I wouldn’t know how to begin building a snowman if he didn’t teach me how.  I loved encouraging him as we walked, and I shared with him all the things I appreciate and love about him.

This date is easy to follow – simply make a list of all the things your spouse loves and make plans to do them all on the same date.  It really is a “Wow” factor – and one you’ll both remember for a long time.

It’s not too late to join Project 52 Date Nights.  Simply click on the button below and print out the pledge (mainly for your own benefit).  All we ask is that you share your date night ideas with us by commenting to our weekly post.

Posted in Creative Dates, Project 52, romantic date nights | Tagged | 18 Comments

Freedom To Fail

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Debi Walter

The view from our cabin

Greetings from the high country of North Carolina!  It is snowing “buckets” outside – something I have only seen a few times in my life, and never like this!!!  It is beautiful, but since we don’t have a 4WD vehicle, we’ll be staying in today.  So…we have the time to post.

We were talking this morning about how making romantic plans around special days like Valentines Day can be fun. However, there is always the possibility those plans will not flesh out the way one had hoped.  What do we do with those feelings?  How do we keep from having an argument  when attempting to share with our spouse these thoughts?

Tom says that a lot of the fun is in the planning, which can build up huge expectations.  The whole point of romancing your spouse is to communicate your love and care for them in practical, as well as special ways, on good days and bad days, when you feel like it and when you don’t.

We must make plans, but we mustn’t cling to the plans themselves to make us happy.  Our happiness must be rooted in God’s love for us and our marital love that grows as a result.  Remembering this will give our spouse the freedom to fail in meeting our expectations.  We will be able to pick ourselves up after a great disappointment and move on.

The best of news is – we aren’t dependent on one date to impress or bless our spouse.  We have a lifetime to love and romance each other.  If your Valentines Day didn’t go according to your expectations, the best thing you can do is love your spouse by releasing them to try again!

Posted by Tom and Debi

Posted in communication, Forgiveness, romancing your spouse | 6 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 13, 2010 by Debi Walter

We don’t normally post on the weekend, but since we’re away on vacation in the mountains, and it’s really cold and snowing outside, we have the time and decided to offer a few last minute ideas for those who may still be undecided as to how to romance their spouse tomorrow.

1.  Remember Valentine’s Day is not the only day of the year to do this.  But it can be fun.  If all else fails, at least buy a nice card and add your own sentiments to it.

2.  Wake up a little early and surprise your spouse by fixing their favorite hot beverage.  Make the day full of all their favorites:  candy, dessert, lunch or movies.  If you have taken the time to really study your spouse this should be very easy.

3.  “Make sense of your love” – by telling your spouse all the things you love about their five senses – what do you love about their eyes?  Their hands?  Their nose?  Their lips?  Their ears?  I, (Debi) did this one year for a week.  Each day was a different “sense” to celebrate along with a special massage.

4.  Buy a box of children’s valentines and write special messages in each one.  Hide them all over the house with clues to the next one.  Have a special gift with the final valentine.

5.  Give your spouse the gift of time.  Allow them to spend some alone time to do whatever they want, while you prepare to celebrate your together time afterwards.

6.  Do you have a small tent?  Why not set it up in your bedroom and “camp out” for the night.  You could even play crickets with a sound machine and make your own s’mores with hot cocoa.

The most important thing about Valentine’s Day or any other day that hold special meaning to you is to make a memory. Think of ways to make your spouse say, “Wow!”

Happy Valentine’s Day – we appreciate all of you!

NOTE:  We are away celebrating our 31st anniversary, so we may or may not post every day this next week.  Check back often, but if there isn’t a new post – we’ll leave it at that!  🙂  We have our own romancing to do!

Posted in Celebrations, Cheap Dates, Holidays, romancing your spouse | Tagged | Comments Off on Happy Valentine’s Day

Freebie Friday: Master Bedroom Redux Finale

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Debi Walter

Simple Idea for Valentine's Day

Well, here we are – the final day of our Master Bedroom Redux just in time for Valentine’s Day.  I hope you have found our assignments helpful and manageable.  Let’s look back at what we’ve accomplished so far:

  1. We practiced making our beds daily, and we’ve cleaned out the cluttered piles.
  2. We’ve deep cleaned our space.
  3. We cleaned and organized all the hidden places i.e. closets, under beds, etc…
  4. We’ve decorated our space.

And finally it’s time to “Make Sense” of our rooms.  God has given each of us 5 senses to help us fully enjoy His creation.  We see His beauty; We hear His praises; We shout of His mercy; and We taste and see that He is good!

I have heard it told that whenever someone loses one of their senses the others become that much stronger helping to make up for what’s lacking.  Imagine, if you will, walking into your Master Bedroom with your eyes only, what would you see?  Would it please your sight?  What about your ears?  If you walked in listening – would you be delighted by the sounds?  Continue through all the senses and see what areas need attention, or what new ideas may come to mind.  This is your place, your retreat.  Make it special for the two of you.

Tom and I love music.  I like to regularly have music playing softly in our room even if we’re not there.  That way whenever we walk into our room it immediately calms our hearts.   Mostly I do this right before Tom comes home from work.  When he walks into our clean smelling, eye calming room; he is drawn in by the soft music too.  We have some friends who like to keep a sound machine going of the pounding surf at the beach in their master bathroom – this has the same calming effect.

Our Sitting Area

Lighting is another thing to consider.  Have different options for creating different moods.  Brightly lit lamps to aid in reading.  Candles and dimmer switches for romantic occasions and accent lighting for fun – this could be an unusual lamp or one with a decorative shade.  Let your imagination help with this one.  If you don’t have any special lighting – keep on the lookout for something at a Thrift store or garage sale.  We recently found the most unique lamp at a garage sale that was the final accent needed in our newly redecorated room (see picture above).

Finally – make sure you take an after picture of your bedroom. We would love to see your before and after pictures.  Simple e-mail them to us at Theromanticvineyard at gmail dot com.  We’ll post some to inspire those who have yet to reclaim their Master Bedrooms for romance and to give you a chance to brag at what you’ve accomplished!  We want to be the first to give you the much deserved applause for all the hard work!

**Before we go – it is the 12th and time to draw another name in our monthly drawing. This time the prize is a gift card to Romano’s Macaroni Grill where you can enjoy a date night out together.  As an added touch, request a table by the fire.  A perfect way to stir the embers of romance!

Our winner is:  Jenn Heuslein!

Congratulations Jenn – we hope you’ll enjoy a night out with your husband courtesy of The Romantic Vineyard!  We appreciate you!

(Oh, and Happy Belated Birthday – I saw on your blog you’ve had a wonderful birthday!)

Posted in Contests, Freebie Friday, romanticizing your master bedroom | 2 Comments

Pirates of our Union

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Tom Walter

I know that is a strange title, but you’ll see what we mean.  To continue from our post on Tuesday, we want to explore those things that nip away the romance from our marriage.  We eluded to them then, but today we will go after them at length.

In Song of Solomon 2:15 it says:  “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”

These little foxes are like pirates out to sabotage the romance in our marriage.  We must be on guard against them.

Dennis and Barbara Rainey do an excellent job in identifying the little foxes in their relationship – maybe you’ll see the pirates in yours as well:

If you want to taste the delicious fruit of romantic love in your relationship then you’d better pay close attention to those things that are “nipping your love in the bud.” For Barbara and me, these “foxes” have included:

  • Wrong priorities
  • Young kids who wear you out so you have little energy for romance
  • Teenagers who won’t go to bed
  • Financial pressures
  • Changing seasons of a marriage
  • Poor health
  • Crowded schedules
  • Unrealistic expectations
  • A critical spirit
  • Unresolved conflict

I think the most deadly fox, however, is apathy. If you truly are committed to making your marriage last for a lifetime and to enjoying the type of oneness God intends in a relationship, you need to make a choice to commit some time and energy to keeping romance in your marriage.

To put that spark back into your marriage, I have three suggestions:

First, identify the “foxes” stealing your romance and make plans for how to face them. For example, many couples with young children could find more time together simply by establishing more routine in their homes and putting the kids to bed earlier.

Second, discover how your spouse views romance. Men and women usually see romance through different lenses.

Third, take the time to plan something creative. Do something different, out of the ordinary, something that will capture your spouse’s attention and communicate romance in the language he or she understands.

We hope by identifying the pirates it will make it less likely for them to sneak up on you doing great damage to your marital union.  Stay on guard, keep your vows and glorify God by making your marriage one that accurately reflects Christ’s relationship with His Bride – the church!  What a privilege to sail upon the sea of God’s amazing mercy and grace.  It is full of adventure, excitement and (for husbands and wives) – romance!

There have never been more glorious sunsets than those shared with your spouse by your side.

Posted in Christian Marriage, communication, Growing Strong Marriages, Romance in Marriage | Tagged | 1 Comment

Project 52: My Favorite Valentine

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Debi Walter

This week we are preparing to go away for our 31st anniversary – woo hoo!  I can hardly wait.   As a result we decided to postpone our date night this week to get ready for lots of date nights.  Valentine’s Day is this Sunday, and I thought it would be good to share with you our tradition for Project 52.  (if you would like to join Project 52, you can check out the details and even print off an agreement to sign.  Simply click on the button above!)

Since our anniversary is 10 days after Valentine’s Day, Tom and I have always divided the planning; I plan Valentine’s Day, and he plans our anniversary.  This has worked well for us, and it’s been a lot of fun.

Tom’s favorite Valentine was one year I mailed him an invitation to dinner at “my place”.  I told him the evening was semi-formal and to arrive no later than 6:30p.  In order to get ready for our evening together, he went to a friend’s house to change after work, because he wasn’t allowed home until the set time.  When he rang the doorbell, I didn’t expect him to have a bouquet of flowers for me!  What a sweet gesture.

I set a beautiful table in our bedroom using flowers from our azalea bushes (always blooming on Valentine’s Day), along with a couple of candles and our nicest place settings.  My children helped me clean and decorate our room.  (I think it’s important for them to see how I love to romance their Dad, and it’s nice to have the extra help!)

I made sure there was soft music playing and a wonderful meal we could enjoy together.  After dinner, I told Tom it was time for the concert.  “Concert? What concert at this time of night?” he asked.  I told him just to wait and see.  Dessert and coffee would be served at the concert.  🙂

I left him in our room while I set up the living room with our dessert tray and coffee.  I moved the love seat right in front of the TV where I had Jim Brickman’s, My Romance DVD ready to play.  My teenaged daughter had a mirrored ball from one of her parties that I set up with a flashlight on the fireplace mantel.  I started a fire and then called Tom to come out of our room.

His face lit up when he saw the way I had rearranged the living room to suit our needs.  He loved every detail.  The music was very romantic and on our favorite song, we danced together to the glistening lights.

This is one night we always talk about as being the most romantic.  And it was one of the easiest nights to plan.  Here is the video of our favorite song:

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Free Dates, Holidays, Project 52, romancing your husband, romantic date nights | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Drifting

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Tom Walter

Valentine’s Day is Sunday, but as Christians we should celebrate the love we share as husbands and wives regularly, not annually.  If we are not pursuing our spouse with the same purpose and intent as when we first met, then it’s most likely we’ve begun to drift.  Drifting can be relaxing – it takes no effort.  However, boats that drift are led along by whichever current is the strongest.  It could be children, career, hormones – you name it; you’re certainly heading “somewhere”, but not necessarily where you want to go.

How do we avoid drifting along year after year?  By purposing to romance our spouse because it’s the right thing to do – even if our feelings aren’t on board.

Dennis and Barbara Rainey with Family Life, have a new book titled, Recapturing Romance, that esteems this practice.

Dennis says, “To ensure that we don’t miss the importance of romance, God dedicated an entire book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, to the subject. Reading this poetic book is like eavesdropping on a romantic dialogue between a man and his wife. Solomon describes his love as a hot fire. “Even much water,” he declares, “cannot put out the flame of love” (Song of Solomon 8:7, Contemporary English Version).We need that fire in our marriages. The problem is that within the first year or two after the wedding ceremony, something happens in most marriages. Those romantic flames which burned so brightly during engagement seem to crumble into faint, glowing embers.

What is it about marriage that seems to douse our romantic creativity? At some point in almost every marriage, a couple realizes that they just don’t experience the same romantic feelings they once enjoyed. As one person cynically observed, “The period of engagement is like an exciting introduction to a dull book.”

How sad – comparing marriage to a dull book!  What can we do to prevent this from happening?

Communication is the rudder that steers our ship; Romance is what makes the voyage a joy, and God is the One who controls the currents we face.  Beware!  There are fierce pirates (the Bible calls them “little foxes”) that would love nothing more than to sabotage our marriage.  We’ll talk about that in another post!

In the meantime, let’s practice purposeful communication and romance with our spouse on a regular basis.  This will not only improve the quality of our relationship, but it will make Valentine’s Day one day on the calendar to celebrate gloriously what God has been doing all year long!

Posted in communication, Growing Strong Marriages, Holidays, Romance in Marriage | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Debi Walter

This is one of our favorite weeks of the year – Valentine’s.  Have you made plans?  Or do you prefer to forgo celebrating this day because of the crowds and commercialism.  May we encourage you to celebrate the day, but in a way that you both enjoy.  For us that has been with a quiet romantic evening at home.  We’ll post this Wednesday one of our favorite Valentine’s Days of the 30+ we’ve celebrated as husband and wife.  But please, don’t miss this once a year chance to go all out in expressing your love for the closest friend, other than Christ, you’ll have in this life.  It really is a great opportunity to be creative and have fun!

If you would like to venture out on the town this week – here’s what’s happening in Orlando:

CENTRAL

  • Downtown – Ivanhoe Village – Tuesday, February 9th is the Gallery Walk from 6:30p – 9p.  Located on Virginia Drive; the event is FREE.
  • Loch Haven Park – Mennello Museum of American Art – 8th Annual Orlando Folk Festival – Saturday and Sunday, February 13th and 14th. 10a – 5p.  Adults $4.
  • Harry P. Leu Gardens – A Night of Swing – Sunday, February 14th from 6p – 9p.  Gardens close at 3p. and reopen for this special event.  Bring your chairs and coolers for a romantic evening of great music under the stars.  Cost is $25 nonmembers and $20 for members.
  • Winter Park – Popcorn Flicks in the Park – Saturday, February 13th in Central Park.  Featured movie is Love Story and begins at 7p.  Movie and popcorn are FREE.
  • Winter Park – Big Band Bach – Saturday, February 13th at 3:30p enjoy this FREE concert in the heart of Central Park.

NORTH

  • Uptown Altamonte – Friday Night Live on February 12th from 7p – 9p.  Enjoy live music by Ashley Locheed Quartet.  FREE.
  • Casselberry – Date Nights: Arts Amore.  On Friday, February 12th from 7p – 10p.  Cost is $20 per couple for residents and $25 per couple for non-residents.  Bring someone special and enjoy a romantic night out creating original watercolor paintings. Bring your dinner & favorite beverage. Register online at www.casselberry.org/register.
  • Sanford – Thursday, February 11th – Party Gras – located in the historic district of Downtown Sanford – the cost is $7 and includes food and drink samples plus a chance to win a $100 door prize.

EAST

  • Avalon Park – Dancing In The Moonlight on Saturday, February 13th from 8p – 11p.  Cost is $5 in advance, $7 at the door.
  • Orlando Valentine Swing  Dance – Saturday, February 13th. from 8p – 12a.  Cost is $12 with a free beginner swing dance lesson from 8 – 9.
  • Daytona Beach – Daytona 500 is Sunday, February 14th.  43 Of the Best Stock Car racers in the world take center stage in the Daytona 500. Nascar’s biggest, richest and most prestigous race.  For information and tickets: 386.947.6800

SOUTH

WEST

Posted in Holidays, Mark Your Calendars (time sensitive), Orlando Date Ideas | Tagged | Comments Off on Mark Your Calendar

Freebie Friday: Master Bedroom Redux Quatre

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Debi Walter

French Country Cottage

I love France, and I love the french language – it’s so….romantic!  🙂  This is why from time to time I look up the french word for different words and insert them into a post.  It adds a touch of the French Countryside to our Vineyard – and I learn something new.  Our Vineyard Logo is a picture Tom and I took while visiting Southern France.  This was the view as we took our daily walks down a one lane,  dirt road. The picture above is another favorite – A happy memory for us and a beautiful picture for our place on the web.  It’s decorating with a purpose – displaying special memories of places we’ve been.

Today is my favorite part of our Master Bedroom Redux; when we decorate our space.  Something I’ve done for years is rotate knick knacks and pictures on the walls.  Take a fresh look at what you currently have in your room.  Remove all pictures of other family members.  Your bedroom is to be a place that celebrates your relationship as husband and wife.  Instead, bring in pictures of places you’ve been and pictures of each other.  Each item should be a favorite and something that represents a special memory.

Don’t be afraid to take things off your living room walls and use it in your room.  Moving something you love from one room to another makes you appreciate it as if it were new again!  Try it!  I guarantee you’ll see and enjoy it, and it will make your space look new too!

When Tom and I were living in our first apartment, Tom had lived there for over a year before we were married.  Once I moved in, I took an accent table and moved it to a new corner of the living room.  Tom noticed it as soon as he walked in the door saying, “I like that table over there!”  He had never considered moving it from the place it has always been.  When we did, he noticed it everytime he walked in the room!  In fact, it has become a long standing joke between us.  Any time we make a change in our home we say, “I like that table over there!”

Our Master Bedroom

So, Assignment #4 is simple – decorate your walls and tables with things from other parts of your home that you love.  You may also want to print pictures from places you’ve been together or wall hangings of places you dream of going.  Tom and I have a picture of Venice, Italy, hanging over our bed because it’s a place we have dreamed of visiting one day.  Make your room a haven of memories and dreams, and we are sure you’ll find it a place you both look forward to retreating to at the end of a hard day.

Posted in Freebie Friday, romanticizing your master bedroom | 5 Comments

National Marriage Week

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Tom Walter

Beginning Sunday, February 7th is National Marriage Week.  It’s a week designated to draw attention to the importance of strengthening marriage in all cultures.  Strong marriages strengthen the society in which we live.  Take some time to evaluate your own marriage – what is one area in need of attention?  Don’t wait until the rope completely unravels – tend the problem now and prevent a whole lot more damage in the future.

Our blog offers a room specifically for those wanting help!  It’s called The Wine Press room, and it’s completely FREE.   In it you’ll find various topics offering biblical counsel and help.  Sure, it takes purposeful time to go after areas of weakness, but the benefits will not only add years to your marriage, but life to those years!

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Project 52: Meet Jeff and Vicki Taulbee

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Debi Walter

The first Wednesday of each month this year we are going to have a guest writer.  Many of you know Jeff and Vicki Taulbee.  They are dear friends, and when we learned that Vicki gave Jeff the gift of 12 Passport Dates around the world for Christmas – we knew it was something that had to be shared on The Romantic Vineyard.  Today you’re in for a real treat!  Vicki not only loves her husband, but she is full of creativity and enthusiasm when it comes to romancing him.  In addition, she’s humble, so she’d be the last one to say the above things about herself.  We’ll let you judge for yourself:

Hello!  My name is Vicki Taulbee.  I’ve been married to my husband, who is the most kind and gentle man that I know, for a little over 4 years.  In that time we have had the privilege of welcoming 3 children into our family!  Needless to say, life can be a little crazy at times.  In the whirlwind of diaper changing, potty training, meal planning, and home making, sadly, romancing my husband tends to take a back seat.

So, this year, I decided, as a gift to my husband, I would plan one special date night on the 22nd of each month.  I chose the 22nd because it’s our Anniversary day.  My hope and prayer is that not only would it bless and serve my husband but it would also stir my affections for him as well.

To make these times even more special I informed him that over the course of the next year, we would be going on a “Trip around the World” with each date night taking on a different theme related to a particular country or region.  I’m excited about this year long adventure and trust that God will give lots of creative and special  ways for Jeff and I  to spend time together.

I’m looking forward to planning our “travels”.  Some evenings we will go out and sometimes we’ll stay in but whatever we do, my God use it to draw us closer to one another and enjoy the gift of marriage that He has graciously given.

Well, with all of that in mind, we begin our journey!

Our first destinations………….Japan, China and Taiwan!

International travel requires a passport! So, I was excited to find a miniature passport at Michaels craft store! It will be a perfect and fun way to chronicle our “travels” over the course of the year.   I filled in all the information along with a picture of Jeff and placed three clip art pictures of China, Japan and Taiwan on the first page.

Sushi For 2

Our evening began in the dining room of our home.  I decorated the table with a couple of Asian cups and place mats that we own along with a map book open to continent of Asia.  A plate of Sushi was waiting for Jeff to munch on as I explained the “Travel Itinerary” for the evening which proceeded as follows:

After enjoying our sushi (that I picked up from Publix earlier that day) we hoped in the car and headed to our first destination. Our journey would take us to a small area of town just Northeast of Downtown Orlando where within a couple of blocks there are several Asian markets and restaurants.    While in the car we listened to an Asian inspired Jazz CD that I borrowed from the library.  The music was really good, by the way! We arrived at Martial Arts World in time to take a 45 minute martial arts class.  This was a first for both of us!  We had so much fun and boy did I sweat!!!   Thankfully we had on comfortable clothes, per the advice given to me by the instructor when I called to make the initial arrangements.  The gentleman who led the class was very good, and he really enjoyed the fact that we were there on a date!

After cooling down we headed to our next destination.  Dong-A Oriental Market.  If you have never been to an Asian supermarketbefore, it’s an experience all on its own.  So many aisles filled with (from our perspective) many different and unusual products.  Unfortunately the store was closing soon so we didn’t get to stay as long as we hoped but we were there long enough to pick up a jar of minced ginger (which, I really enjoy using to cook with these days!).

Upon leaving the market, we headed up the street to Anh Hong Vietnamese restaurant for dinner.  I had previously purchased a coupon from Restaurant.com for this establishment.  We both ordered dishes that were new to us and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner as we chatted about what muscles might ache tomorrow as a result of our class. J  I love spending time with my husband and I love that we were able to experience something new together.  It’s the stuff that makes great memories!

I’ll let you know where our adventure takes us next month!  Thanks!

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Dating Your Spouse, Orlando Date Ideas, Project 52, romancing your husband | 9 Comments

Cravings Underlie Conflict

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Tom Walter

It’s bound to occur at some point – a wonderful date night has been planned and greatly anticipated.  Hopes are high for love and unfettered romance, then it happens – a fight ensues, and the evening ends up a far cry away from what you had dreamed.

Why?  Why do we fight when we’re desiring the exact opposite.  C.J. Mahaney offers a 7 minute audio in answer to this question based on a familiar passage of scripture from James 4:1-3.

Take a moment and listen to it.  It will certainly help the next time a date night with your spouse is about to be sabotaged by sin.

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Mark Your Calendar

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Debi Walter

Punxsutawney Phil

It’s hard to believe it’s February!  My favorite month of the year!  🙂  Tom and I will celebrate our 31st anniversary on the 24th, and we usually go away the second week to North Carolina just for us.  We love this week of the year.  It’s our time to unwind from our busy schedules to do basically nothing together.  Tom is by far my favorite person to do nothing with.  Of course, I love all the somethings we do, but even nothing is fun with him by my side.

Here’s what’s going on around town this week:

MISCELLANEOUS

Tuesday, February 2nd is Groundhog’s Day! Will we have 6 more week’s of winter?  Punxsutawney Phil is the only one who knows!  In celebration why not bake some Groundhog Cookies?  They’re served up every year for Groundhog’s Day, and have become an annual tradition.  You can also send your spouse a special E-Card!  A fun way to let them know that winter or spring you love them just the same!

For a full list of Live Jazz Performances this week around town click here!

CENTRAL

  • Uptown Altamonte – Crane’s Roost Ampitheater – Friday, February 5th – Friday Night Live Unplugged.  Bring your chair or blanket and enjoy great live entertainment in a beautiful outdoor setting.  Local solo and duo artists will perform on the first Friday of each month.  This month enjoy an acoustic rock performance by Matt Shenk.
  • Uptown Altamonte – Crane’s Roost presents Coppers and Choppers on Saturday, February 6th from 12p – 6p.  FREE
  • Ivanhoe Village – First Fridays Art Stroll on Friday, February 5th, 6:30p – 10p.  FREE
  • Plaza Theatre – Friday, February 5th, 8p.  Duke Ellington in concert.  Tickets are $45 – $75.

NORTH

  • Mt. Dora – 35th Annual Arts Festival – Saturday, February 6th and Sunday, February 7th from 9a. t0 5p.  Come enjoy over 285 artists’ works.  Call the Mount Dora Center for the Arts for more information 352-383-0880.  FREE
  • Eustis – (Downtown)  First Friday Street Fest on Friday, February 5th from 6p – 10p.  Enjoy live entertainment on 3 stages, Artists’ Row, kids’ venues, food court, soft drinks, water, beer, wine and margaritas.  Visit our local restaurants and shops.  Come by boat or car. FREE

EAST

  • Avalon Park – Father/Daughter Dance on Saturday, February 6th from 6:30 – 8:30p.  Cost is $15 per Father with as many daughters as he has included.   This is a great way to teach your daughter how a young man should treat her on a date.
  • Tuskawilla – St. Stephen Catholic Church – Winterfest 2010, ncludes Midway thrill rides, children’s activities, bingo, live entertainment, auctions, food, pies and cakes. Silent Auction, 2pm – 5pm and Live Auction, 7pm on Saturday, Feb 5th. FREE.

SOUTH

WEST

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Freebie Friday: Master Bedroom Redux Trois

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Debi Walter

How are you doing at keeping up with our weekly assignments?  We hope you’re starting to notice a difference in your special place.

As a review we’ve been (1) practicing making our beds daily; (2) we’ve cleaned out the cluttered piles; (3) we’ve deep cleaned our space.  The challenge is to continue decluttering each day in order to keep the order that’s been achieved so far.  Good job, by the way!

Imagine if you will this scenario:  You’ve been working in the yard all day.  It’s been one of the hottest days of the year, and you’re a dirty mess.  You look at your watch only to realize you need to be at a dinner function in 30 minutes.  Quickly you wash up at the sink the best you can, put on your finest and grab your car keys.  You glance in the mirror one last time before leaving the house amazed how “together” you look, but know how dirty you truly are!  The mirror cannot reveal what’s concealed.  You may look presentable, but the evening won’t be as enjoyable because you know the truth, which keeps you from relaxing.

So, too, we can have a bedroom that looks clean and tidy, but we know what’s hidden from view.  Under the bed, in the drawers and stuffed in the closets can be a total mess!   If we are serious about creating a restful place for the two of us, then these hidden spaces must be conquered as well.  Otherwise, our spouse may rest, but we won’t!

Assignments #3: Make a list of the hidden areas in your bedroom that need to be cleaned and organized.  Start with the smallest spaces first and work your way up to the largest, most challenging.  As you complete the smaller tasks and see the quick results it will provide fuel to keep going until you’ve covered everything on your list.  As a special treat – we have a freebie for you to cash in on once you’ve completed your assignment – it’s something delicious and FREE from Einstein’s Bagels.  Enjoy!
Posted in Freebie Friday, romanticizing your master bedroom | 2 Comments

Take Your Medicine

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Tom Walter

The Bible says in Proverbs, “A merry heart does good, like medicine”.  How true!

It seems to us that life has been quite serious as of late.  We are busy comforting those who have lost loved ones, helping those who are struggling in their walk with the Lord, not to mention the bombardment of bad news regarding the economy.  Left to ourselves the world would seem bleak, but thankfully we are NOT alone.  We have One leading us day by day who ordains each step before one is taken.  What comfort – what assurance.

Debi and I were talking about the last time we had a really good laugh!  Sadly, we couldn’t remember.  The Bible is clear that laughter is good for us – and anyone who has had their cheeks ache from a good, long laugh knows it feels really good!

So, purpose to laugh!  The gift of comedians is their ability to see humor in every day life.  It’s there for all to see, yet we so often miss it.  Let’s purpose to look for it and find one piece of humor to share with our spouse before the day’s end.  Not only will it feel good, but the Bible promises it will be like medicine to our bones.

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Project 52: National Pie Day

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Debi Walter

French Silk Pie

You probably didn’t know it, but this past Saturday was National Pie Day.  It’s become quite the annual event in our family, since we love pie!  We love it so much we usually celebrate birthdays with a Birthday Pie, instead of cake!  So, it was fitting to celebrate our date night with a slice of a homemade French Silk Pie!  Ooo-la-la!  And since French was the apparent theme, we enjoyed our delicious treat while watching one of our all-time favorite musicals set in the most romantic city of all – Paris!  What musical?  You ask.  Why, Phantom of the Opera!

As a side note – the above mentioned date was actually “Plan B”.  “Plan A” was to include me teaching my husband how to make a pie from scratch.  I thought it would be fun to work the dough together and get flour everywhere while clowning around in the kitchen, but he didn’t seem as excited to do this as I thought he would.  So, we came to this idea instead.  The temptation was great to be disappointed and mope, but by God’s grace I was able to change plans and still have a wonderful time with Tom.  The next day he apologized for not going along with “Plan A”.  <sigh>.   It would have been fun, but we learned a valuable lesson; Dates that are fun for one may not be for the other.  Either sacrifice your plans, like I did, or go along for the fun of it, like Tom wished he had done.  Either way would have been memorable!  It’s of most importance to be flexible – plans change, and if we’re holding too tightly to our desires we’re setting ourselves up for much disappointment.


Posted in Date Night Ideas, Free Dates, Movie Dates, Project 52 | Tagged , , | 19 Comments