Know This!

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Debi Walter

Bible-Reading-Guy-782907

One of our favorite resources for Christian marriages is the first edition of the book, Love That Lasts, by Gary and Betsy Ricucci. (It is no longer available, but their new edition is).  In it they make this point:

“A magnificent marriage begins not with knowing one another but with knowing God.  In Him we have the foundation and resources necessary to love one another.  His Word, His ways, and His will must be paramount in our lives.  Unless we are growing in the knowledge of God, we’ll lack the motivation and wisdom to build an effective marriage.

Knowing God gives us the creativity to be romantic; it gives us the grace to lead and follow.  Faith toward God sustains, instructs, and motivates us.  It’s because we are seeking first the Lord and His kingdom that all things — including the tools for a magnificent marriage — shall be added to us.”

How well are you pursuing growth in God?  Are you practicing daily devotions?  Do you take notes during the Sunday message and purpose to talk it over with your spouse sometime during the week?  These are simple ways to grow in our relationship with God.  Make this post the topic of your next date night and devise a plan to grow closer to God this year.

Posted in Growing Strong Marriages, Spiritual Intimacy | Comments Off on Know This!

Ten Commandments for Better Communication

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Debi Walter

communication

Communication is the foundation of all marriage relationships – the key is establishing a good and strong foundation that will support your relationship through all difficulties.  Those who lack good communication skills find their days are full of bumps and bruises.  Use the following Ten Commandments to help strengthen your ability to communicate well.

  1. Learn to express your feelings and frustrations honestly, but without accusing or attacking the other person. (Pro. 11:9)
  2. Choose words, expressions and a tone of voice that are kind and gentle.   Don’t use speech that could easily offend or spark and argument.   (Pro. 15:1)
  3. Do not exaggerate, distor, or stretch the truth.  Avoid extreme words like “never” and “always”. (Eph. 4:25)
  4. Give actual and specific examples — if necessary, make notes before you communicate.  Stay away from generalities.
  5. Commit yourself to seeking solutions rather than merely airing your grievances.  Getting even ins’t the goal — you want to get things resolved.  (Rom. 12:17-21)
  6. Listen to what the other person is saying, feeling and needing.  Try to detect his or her underlying concerns (James 1:19)
  7. Refuse to indulge bitterness, anger, withdrawal, or argument.  Though these emotions are normal, indulging them is sin. (Eph. 4:26)
  8. Be quick to acknowledge your own failure, and don’t hesitate to forgive the other person.  Make sure you don’t still hold a grudge. (Luke 17:3-4)
  9. Keep talking and asking questions until you are sure you both understand clearly what the other is saying and feeling.  Encourage each other as you press toward a solution. (Rom. 14:19)
  10. Train your mouth and heart until you can say the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason!

Date Night Idea:  Take a few minutes to plan a date that would create a good context for communication.  Renting a video is out! Be specific.  Where would you go?  What would you do?  How much will it cost?  Write down the details, then set a time when you can carry it out.

(taken from Love That Lasts, first edition, pg. 46)

Posted in Growing Strong Marriages | Tagged | Comments Off on Ten Commandments for Better Communication

Looking for Culture?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Debi Walter

Heritage Center Museum

Thursday, May 21st starting at 6p to 8p, The Heritage Center Museum located in the heart of old Winter Park will be hosting an Open House that is free to the public.  This event is in conjunction with Third Thursday – a monthly event sponsored by the merchants of Hannible Square.

This museum is currently displaying The Highwaymen Painters, who traveled extensively around the state of Florida in the 50’s and 60’s.  The artists received little compensation for their outstanding work, until recently when they’ve become a favorite of collectors.

highwaymen4

After viewing the museum walk on over to Hannible Square where an outdoor feature film will be shown on the big screen, hosted by Enzian Theatre.   A great date night evening and the cost is FREE!

Posted in Artsy Dates, Date Night Ideas, Free Dates, Movie Dates, Outdoor Dates | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Looking for Culture?

Highland Manor Restaurant

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Debi Walter

IMG_2513

Many of you may remember Townsend’s Plantation in Apopka.  It closed years ago and reopened as The Captain and The Cowboy.  After this restaurant was forced to close by the city of Apopka, a new favorite has arrived – The Highland Manor Restaurant.  Restored to its former glory the dining area is beautiful in decor and charming in ambiance.  There are private rooms available for small groups at no extra charge.

This Saturday, May 23rd,  you have an opportunity to explore this beautiful mansion yourself and at little or no cost.  They’re hosting “Summer Movie on the Lawn” nights, and this week’s double feature will be Princess Bride at 8p and Smokey and The Bandit at 10p.  There will be hot dogs and hamburgers cooked outdoors on a grill available for purchase, as well as snacks and drinks.  Bring your own seating and plan to spend a romantic evening under the stars in the shadow of this Victorian Mansion.

IMG_2516

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Dinner Dates, Free Dates, Movie Dates, Outdoor Dates | Tagged , | Comments Off on Highland Manor Restaurant

Romantic Technology

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Debi Walter

beeper_0

We literally have the world at our fingertips!  There are hundreds of ways to harness this power to cultivate romance with your spouse.

I remember back when beepers were what every working man carried on his hip to stay connected.  I had the idea to send my husband a message in code, but decided at the last minute not to tell him who it was from.   (For those of you too young to remember how beepers work – a phone number was typed in, so the recipient would return the call).  For as long as I can remember we’ve written “ILY” to each other on napkins, in the sand, on church bulletins and personal journals.  It’s a small way we remind each other that we truly love each other.  Naturally, I had the idea to send Tom an “ILY”, which on a dial pad translates to “459”.

I sent it a couple of times in one afternoon.  When he came home he commented that someone was sending him a strange number, and he had no idea how to get in touch with them because it was only three numbers.  I kept quiet.  The next day I did it two more times throughout the day.  It was driving Tom crazy because he didn’t know who was doing it.  This went on for a week until our date night – I gave him a card and signed it,  “459 – ILY!”  The look on his face was priceless, “So it was you!?!”  🙂

This was a fun and inexpensive way to communicate to him (using technology) how much I think about him during the day.

We’ve all sent e-cards and e-mails, but have you ever sent a private e-vite to your spouse inviting them to his/her own private party?  What are some ideas that have worked for you?  We’d love to hear them!

Posted in Romantic Ideas | Tagged | Comments Off on Romantic Technology

New Fireproof Page

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Debi Walter

new

We want to highlight a new page we’ve added to our Vineyard.  It’s called “Fireproof Your Marriage”, and includes the 40 Day Love Dare Challenge.  (Look for the tab above).  We offered this challenge to our readers in February 2009, and it proved to be the most popular series we have had thus far on our blog.  As a result, we have decided to make it a permanent “room” at The Romantic Vineyard.

Check it out – maybe you’ll find your marriage needs some fireproofing!

Posted in Growing Strong Marriages, Love Dare | Comments Off on New Fireproof Page

Boredom Breakers

Posted on May 12, 2009 by Debi Walter

IMG_9822

Last night Tom and I went to a new restaurant.  We both commented it felt as if we were far away from home because of the new surroundings and cozy atmosphere.  So it can be with our dates.  We find places that are familiar, and we go there over and over.  This isn’t wrong, per se – we love routines, but routines can also lend themselves to boredom.  One reason we often go to the same place is its safety factor.  We only have one night/day out a week, and we don’t want to chance going somewhere we might not enjoy.  But what are we missing?  We need to break up the boring routines and see what exciting places lie ahead.

Summer is still over a month away, officially that is, but we Floridians know that summer arrives long before Memorial Day!  May is the perfect time to venture over to the beach before the afternoon thunderstorms kick in.  Having lived in Florida my entire life, I have one beach in particular that I always go to.  However, I recently came across an article in Orlando Sentinel that lists several beaches only a short distance from Orlando.  It got me thinking about the last time I went to a different beach.  I can’t remember actually!  So, now I’m excited to think of the possibility that there may be a new “familiar” that we have yet to discover.

What are your familiar places?  When was the last time you ventured from your comfort zone?  Why not plan a surprise for your spouse and visit a new restaurant, beach or park?  But, do the research first to find out what to expect.  With the world literally at our fingertips through the internet, we are no longer left to discover places “Sight – Unseen”.  If you don’t live in Central Florida, don’t let this stop you from exploring your area to find those hidden places worth discovering.  It’s really up to us to keep our dates from becoming boring and familiar.

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Daytime Dates, Outdoor Dates | 2 Comments

What Is Biblical Fellowship?

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Debi Walter

couple_silouette

We recently heard it said that Christian married couples who have been happily married for many years usually have one thing in common — they share biblical fellowship regularly.  What is biblical fellowship?  It is communicating with your spouse openly and honestly all that concerns you, including your sin and temptations in light of the Truth found in Scripture.  This sounds wonderful on one’s wedding day when both Bride and Groom are filled with great expectations of what God will do.  But there comes a time in every marriage when reality shows up, and suddenly marriage isn’t as fun as you thought it was going to be.

What happened?  Did you miss God’s will?  No – the truth is you’re right in the middle of God’s will.  This is the place where Truth meets Reality and we must comply.  Gary Thomas calls it “Falling Forward”; this is when we face difficulties, trials, heartaches and conflicts we are committed to work out our differences towards each other – not away.  It sounds easy as I type this on the computer, but doing it when emotions are full blown is another thing all together.

Gary and Betsy Ricucci noted, “One of the best wedding gifts God gave you was a full-length mirror called your spouse.  Had there been a card attached, it would have said, ‘Here’s to helping you discover what you’re really like!'”

So, what does this have to do with romance in marriage?  Everything!  In order to enjoy deep, satisfying romantic love together as husband and wife, there has to be biblical fellowship taking place day in and day out.  It sounds counterproductive that we must confess sin and endure conflict in order to experience deep and lasting romance, but this is because we’ve accepted a faulty view of romantic love.  True romance in marriage is multi-faceted.  It includes conflict and resolution, sin and forgiveness of sin, speaking the truth and accepting the truth.  It involves a willingness to openly expose the sinful motives of our hearts through confession of sin and repentance of sin, even when we don’t want to!

Biblical Fellowship between a husband and wife doesn’t happen naturally – it takes practice.  This is why we have provided some excellent questions (See Date Night Questions on the menu bar) to use when you have time to talk.   Make sure the time is sufficient and distractions limited.  We have a lifetime to get it right – and God will help us in our weakness; that’s a promise!

Posted in Growing Strong Marriages, Spiritual Intimacy | Comments Off on What Is Biblical Fellowship?

Contest Winner!

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Debi Walter

We are pleased to announce the winner of our Romanticize Your Bedroom Contest.  Drum roll, please….

Congratulations to Danny and Nikki Roberts who did an outstanding job making their bedroom a romantic oasis where they can relax and unwind.   Below is the paragraph they sent in with their before and after pics:

Danny & Nikki beforeBEFORE

We enjoyed being able to make our room more romantic. I couldn’t believe that we scored a 44% on the Romantic Value Quiz. We really haven’t taken a lot of time to make our bedroom a romantic haven. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard. I tend to be a clutter bug, so I cleared out all the things that didn’t have a place or needed to be out of the room. There isn’t a place for a desk and computer in our house, therefore it is in our room and accumlates the most clutter. I re-organized the drawers and made a home for everything. Next, we moved our dresser and mirror in front of the bed, for obvious reasons, another plus was it didn’t stick out near as much as the keyboard.
I brought a couple of things from around the house to decorate the room with; like a fountain and candles. I did make a canopy for our bed and some silhouettes for the wall. Thankfully, the store I went to had all the stuff I needed 50% off and I had a bolt of tulle already, so the cost was minimal. All together we spent $25! I got 4 picture frames, scrapbook paper and two iron sconces. We love our new space and the canopy makes the bed the center of attention!
Danny & Nikki after
AFTER
Danny and Nikki, you’ll be happy to know that your prize is on its way to you and should arrive at your front door via UPS today!  Again, thank you for setting such a great example of how easy and inexpensive it can be to make your bedroom a romantic haven.  May God richly bless your marriage – Great job!!
Posted in Contests | 1 Comment

Cultivating Romance

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Debi Walter

garden

A beautiful garden doesn’t come together and look great all by itself.  It takes planning, plowing, digging and planting.  It takes watering, weeding and pruning.  And it takes harvesting and reseeding to keep the crops coming back year after year.  This is the cycle God has set in motion and farmers know it well.

Marriage is like a garden. We go through cycles that we must understand in order to keep our love fresh and fruitful.

Song Of Solomon 4:16b says, “Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits.” When we said “I do,” we were committing to keep our love alive no matter what life brought our way; in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer. How is your garden?  Are you in a season that requires plowing up dry and hardened ground?  Or maybe you’re in a dormant season and all you see is dirt!  Is romance a thing of the past because of difficult circumstances?  No matter the condition of our garden, we are called to till the soil of romance in our marriages.  At times this is easy – like walking outside and picking a ripe, juicy tangerine off the tree.  Other times pursuing romance will require us to pull a few weeds in order to discover the beauty that was once there.  Wherever you find yourself we must make romance a priority, so when others see our Garden they will glorify God for what He has done.

Posted in Purpose | Comments Off on Cultivating Romance

Contest Is Closed!

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Debi Walter

bed

We hope our Romanticize Your Bedroom Contest inspired you to look differently at how you keep your bedroom safe from the clutter of everyday life.  This must become a daily habit, not an annual project in order for romance to flourish in our marriages.

In talking with a friend recently who was asking for help with her master bedroom, I realized that many get tripped up by their lack of money to buy something new.  Here are a few tips to help you make your space romantic without spending much, if any.

  • Raise Your Bed frame.  Does your bed sit low to the ground?  Does your dust ruffle drag the floor?  Consider propping your bed up on wood planks, bricks, or if you have the cash – you can buy Bed Lifts made specifically for this purpose.  This will dramatically add to your room.
  • Make your bed like they do in hotels.  Here are detailed instructions on how to do it right!
  • Make your bed everyday – don’t like this daily chore?  Here are 8 tips to help make this a habit!
  • Look around your home for pictures, plaques, candles and holders, or anything that you enjoy.  Consider rotating them to your bedroom.  This is something I do often – move pictures around, change out displays on dressers, move a centerpiece from its original place to a strategic dresser or shelf, or take a table runner and use it on the dresser.  Why?  When we leave things in the place they have always been they become invisible to us.  By moving them, suddenly we take notice and appreciate it as if it were new.
  • Move an area rug to your bedroom.
  • Keep your room clean.  Here’s a step by step guide for how to do it in only 10 minutes!  And now is the perfect weather for airing your pillows in the fresh dry air!  Click here for details!

Even though our contest is over (look for our winner to be announced next Friday, May 8th), we hope you’ll continue to work on romanticizing your bedroom.  But make sure you take pictures as you go – you never know when we’ll have another contest!  Have a great weekend!

Don’t forget Orlando Restaurant Week begins today!

Posted in Contests, Romantic Ideas | Tagged | Comments Off on Contest Is Closed!

The Letter “A”

Posted on April 30, 2009 by Debi Walter

A

Since I was the first one to plan one of our Alphabet Dates, I really wanted to do something unique and special.  I got the unique part fine, but it wasn’t so special.  I took Tom to the Exotic Car Gallery located in front of the Mall at Millenia.  They said the gallery held a variety of high end sports cars that allowed visitors to get close and take great photos.  What they didn’t tell us was about the “Do Not Touch” signs posted all over each vehicle!  And the cars were locked!  I was very disappointed.  I thought Tom would have a chance to sit inside a Maserati or pretend to drive the huge Bentley.  Instead we spent most of our time playing the elaborate race car video games located just off the lobby.  All in all it was fun, but certainly not worth the money!

After playing for about an hour, we headed to Antonio’s Cafe & Deli located in the heart of Maitland across from Lake Lilly.  This is a favorite of ours for great Italian food and conversation.  There’s always a unique item that catches my attention for sale in their imported grocery store.  Tonight it was Marrons Glace imported from Italy.  Tom had to look it up on Google – they are glazed chestnuts in liquor.  Hmmm – I learned something I didn’t know before!

The best part was sharing with Tom all that I APPRECIATE about him.  I think I get an “A” for this one, but that’s a given!

Below are a variety of “A” ideas that you can choose from in planning your own “A” Date:

“A” Activities:

Aiguille Rock Climbing Center – spending an evening working together to ascend the heights of these indoor rock walls.

After Hours – plan to pick up your spouse after work and go out for Appetizers together.

Aquatica – Sea World’s premiere water park.  Don’t live near one?  Visit any “Agua” park without the kids.  Very relaxing and fun!

Air Show – watch for local air shows at regional airports.

Airplane watching – drive to your local airport at night, park under the stars and watch the planes come in.

Ala Mode – go out for dessert that comes with ice cream!

Alma Mater – if possible visit your spouse’s or your alma mater.

Aquarium – visit one close to you.

Archery

Amphitheater – check out events happening at a local outdoor theater.  In Orlando check out Lake Eola’s Amphitheater.

“A” Food:

Asian

American – at home or visit an A & W Restaurant.

Apple Pie (ala mode)  🙂

Australian – The Outback Steakhouse is a classic favorite!

Applebee’s Restaurant

Artichokes, stuffed Italian style – a fun dish to share

“A” Special Touches:

Antiques – browse through local antique stores

Flowers – Amaryllis

Affection – talk about ways your spouse shows affection to you that are meaningful.

Appreciate – share specific things you appreciate about your spouse.  If you must, write them down in a letter so you don’t forget any.

Posted in Alphabet Dates, Date Night Ideas | 3 Comments

Orlando Restaurant Week

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Debi Walter

dining

Prix Fixe Menu Specials

Starting May 1st (Friday) and running until May 7th is an annual event called Orlando Restaurant Week.

This is one week set apart for locals to try out new venues for one set price.   The costs vary ($10, $15, $25 or $35) depending on the restaurant.   There are offerings for lunch and dinner and usually include 3 courses: appetizer, entree and dessert.   This is great way to try a more expensive restaurant at a much lower cost.  Click here to see a list of participating restaurants!

Bon Appetit!

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Dinner Dates | Tagged | 2 Comments

Winter Park Paint Out

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Debi Walter

Starting today the city of Winter Park will be hosting a Paint Out to benefit the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden.

winter-park-paint-out-poster

What is a Paint Out?  It’s where 24 professional artists have been commissioned to paint original art work capturing the beauty of Winter Park on canvas.  Plein Air is a French term meaning “in the open air”  and describes art works painted outdoors with the subject directly in view rather than in a studio. Plein air artists capture the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject by incorporating natural light, color and movement into their works.

You can watch these artists work from April 28th until May 3rd all around downtown Winter Park.  The finished pieces will be on display in the Museum until May 17th, and will be available for purchase.
For more information visit their website.  This sounds like a very worthwhile exhibit that allows you to enjoy a romantic walk through the streets of Winter Park – one of my favorite places in the world!

Posted in Artsy Dates, Date Night Ideas, Daytime Dates | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Winter Park Paint Out

Alphabet Dates

Posted on April 27, 2009 by Debi Walter

alphabet-light-writing

This is an idea I just heard about that I have to share with you!  The idea is to start at the beginning of the alphabet and take turns planning a date around that letter.  There are obviously 26 letters in the alphabet, so this is a good half a year (or more) of creative date nights.   Who’s up for the challenge?  I plan on posting the ideas we come up with as we go!  Here are the rules according to my source:

  • it has to be something that we wouldn’t usually do
  • it has to be something that we would both enjoy
  • it cannot be too expensive
  • no swapping letters
  • the letter owner has to organize all of the arrangements
  • activities are to remain a secret until the day of the date

Of course, the above rules are only a guideline.  Feel free to change them to what works for you!  I’m really excited about this new challenge.  Tonight is our first night – and I have the letter “A”.  I’ll post later in the week and let you know what we did.

Update: Now that we’re finished with the Alphabet Date challenge, we wanted to share a list of all the letters with the link to each one. Happy Dating!

A     B     C     D     E     F     G     H     I     J     K     L    M     N     O     P     Q     R     S     T     U     V    W    X      Y     Z

_______________________________________________

Reminder – the deadline for our Romanticize Your Bedroom contest is fast approaching!  Please let us know if you’re planning to enter and send us your before and after pics by midnight, April 30th!  We can’t wait to see how you’ve made your bedroom a more inviting retreat for romance to bloom.  Happy Dating!

Posted in Alphabet Dates, Contests, Creative Dates, Date Night Ideas | 5 Comments

Blues at the Winery

Posted on April 23, 2009 by Debi Walter

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”  – Berthold Auerbach

lakeridge-winery-florida-picture

This weekend The Lakeridge Winery in Clermont will be hosting it’s Blues at the Winery event.  The cost is only $2 per person.  What better way to spend a romantic afternoon than together listening to great music while enjoying this great Florida weather?  The forecast for this weekend is highs in the low 80’s with very low humidity!  A perfect combination for a great date!  The hours for the event are Saturday – 10a – 5p; Sunday – 11a – 5p.  Visit their website for more information.

Posted in Artsy Dates, Date Night Ideas, Daytime Dates, Music, Outdoor Dates | Tagged , | Comments Off on Blues at the Winery

Are You Listening?

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Debi Walter

recliner

How often do we tune out the voices of those around us?  We get so caught up in our duties and schedules that we miss wonderful opportunities to bless our spouse.

Recently Tom mentioned briefly on the phone that he couldn’t wait to come home.  He obviously had had a difficult day, and our home is the place he comes to for retreat.  When he walked in the door I took his hand and led him to his favorite chair in our room.  Waiting on the table for him was a plate of his favorite munchies, a cold drink and the book he’s currently reading.  I left him alone until dinner giving him time to relax and unwind.

More times than not, I miss these opportunities.  It’s not because I don’t care for or love my husband.  It’s because I’m not listening on a regular basis for ways to bless, encourage and romance the man of my life.  It can be tempting to react with thoughts like, “I’m just as busy as he is…I need a break too!”  But the Bible tells us to treat others, not in the same way they treat us, but the way that we would like to be treated.  Someone has to go first – why not you?

Let’s purpose to listen for hints as to the needs and wants of our spouses.  This is one small way to communicate our love for them that is sure to have a lasting impact.

Are you listening?

Posted in Romantic Ideas | 1 Comment

My “Fair” Lady

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Debi Walter

fair-2Do you have fond memories of the fair?  Funnel cakes, deep fried corn on the cob, steaming-hot corn dogs on a stick, or a huge swirl of pastel-colored cotton candy?  Who can forget the candied or caramel apples or the sounds of the carousel spinning endlessly through the night? Taking a ride on the ferris wheel lifting you high above the midway can be a romantic experience.  Are you thinking that was then?  So much has changed – life is too serious!

When a relationship first begins it’s moments like these that are irresistible.  Just having uninterrupted time together is not only greatly anticipated, but joyfully planned.  We want to encourage you to look for these opportunities and plan them in advance, so your relationship is encouraged and strengthened.   It may feel awkward at first, if you have neglected spending this kind of time together, but we assure you the love and excitement you had when your relationship first began can be rediscovered – one romantic date at a time.

What a great way to enjoy each other’s company – The 98th Central Florida Fair arrives Thursday, April 16th and runs until 26th.   This year there are lots of exhibits to stroll through as well as great midway rides and games.  Tickets are only $5 for adults, if purchased in advance.  Once the fair begins the ticket price increases to $8 per adult.  In addition, advanced unlimited ride bands can be purchased for $15 – adult, but increase to $20 after tomorrow.

So take your lady by the hand and rediscover the child-like fun The Central Florida Fair provides.

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Fun Dates | Tagged | Comments Off on My “Fair” Lady

A New Venue

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Debi Walter

wedding-cake-topperThere’s a new theatre or should we say “old” theatre that has been restored to it’s former glory!  It’s called the Garden Theatre, and it is located in the heart of downtown Winter Garden.  This weekend they are featuring live performances of the musical “I Do, I Do” about the celebration of 50 years of marriage.  We have not seen this production before, but the premise sounds intriguing.  Here’s what they have to say:

Michael and Agnes have taken that most important step – marriage, and they live happily ever after, right?  Well…not exactly.  Follow Michael and Agnes through 50 years of laughter, sorrow, hopes and disappointments as they discover what makes a marriage work.  An intimate and nostalgic musical by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, authors of “The Fantasticks,” I Do, I Do features a charming blend of story songs including favorites such as “Love Isn’t Everything,” “I Love My Wife,” and the heartfelt ballad, “My Cup Runneth Over.” Starring Laura Hodos and David Kelly and directed by Janet Watson (Tom Jones’ wife), you won’t want to miss this intimate musical that explores the eternal truths of the ups and downs of love and marriage.  For tickets CLICK HERE!

Also, this weekend, they are offering a matinee showing of the classic Steve Martin movie, Father Of The Bride.  Tickets are only $5.  Showtime is at 2p.

Have a Blessed Easter celebrating the reason married love works – because He first loved us!

Posted in Artsy Dates, Date Night Ideas, Movie Dates | Comments Off on A New Venue

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Debi Walter

easter1This is the week traditionally called “Holy week”;  Christians celebrate the greatest gift of all – Christ’s death and resurrection all year long, but especially so this week leading up to Easter Sunday.  What a great time to reflect on what Christ has done for us and how it effects our marriages.  Christ has shown us mercy when we deserved judgment!

In his excellent book, When Sinners Say “I Do”, Dave Harvey speaks of the effect mercy has on our marriages.

‘ “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Scripture assumes we each have weaknesses, and Christ is aware of and extends mercy toward every single one.  He can relate to our struggles and calls us to do the same for our spouses.

Would your spouse say you sympathize with weakness?  That you extend to him or her the mercy Christ has lavished on you in light of your weaknesses?  Or do you sit in judgment?

The good news for self-righteous, judgmental people (all of us from time to time) is that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).  When I grasp the mercy of God expressed to me, it opens my eyes to the bankruptcy of my own righteousness and sends me to the cross for the righteousness of Christ.  I can then sympathize with my spouse’s weaknesses and rejoice in my own, for they reveal God’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).  As John Stott has said, “God’s power operates best in human weakness.  Weakness is the arena in which God can most effectively manifest his power.” ‘

Does mercy triumph over judgment?  What do you think?  I came across these words from Shakespeare which speak a better answer than I could ever give.

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

Mercy is never strained because it is able to cover all it touches.  It sweetens all it touches because it comes from heaven — from the very throne of the merciful Savior.  Mercy is a blessing to those who receive and those who give.  Take all you can get.  And don’t forget to pass it on.                                                         (pages 93 & 96)

Posted in Growing Strong Marriages | Comments Off on Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment