Doubling Our Joy

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Debi Walter

Last week Tom was weeding my flower garden, while he let me float in the pool.  I know, he is an amazing man!  🙂  However, his helping hand ended up accidentally breaking off the top half of my beautiful pink dahlia plant.  He didn’t mean to, it was an accident, but I was sad.  I figured it was the end of this plant for this year, and grateful I still had a purple and yellow dahlia to provide me many more beautiful flowers.

But just the other day, while I was watering my thirsty garden I noticed an amazing thing – new growth on the broken dahlia plant.  There was hope after all!

How like marriage this metaphor is – we offer to help our spouse, but somehow end up making things worse.  At times it would appear we’ve gone too far, yet as the days, weeks and months pass, amazing things happen – new growth appears.  We realize what we thought was devastating was only an opportunity for growth to occur in an area we didn’t know needed growth.

I have carefully pruned my roses knowing exactly where and how to cut the stem in order to prevent damage. This time, however, Tom wasn’t pruning at all.  He was simply trying to help.

Marriage is filled with such moments.  We live closely connected to someone very much not like us.  We say things and do things that cause pain.  Sometimes it’s not intentional, just insensitive.  Sometimes we may use cutting words on purpose in the heat of the moment causing a break in our communication.  It would seem at times there is no hope.  But we are not alone in the conflict; God is present and uses such times to help us see what we’ve done – the damage our careless words have left behind.

As Christians the Lord in His kindness and faithfulness provides conviction of heart.  We see the damage we’ve caused and ask forgiveness.  As the rains of repentance come, new growth appears.  Surprisingly, instead of one branch producing beautiful flowers there are now two branches – doubling our joy.  What looked hopeless for a season has become more fruitful than we imagined.  This is love; this is grace, and it is beautiful!

Through The Grapevine: How have you discovered new growth in your marriage?  Did it take days or months?  Did you experience unexpected joy in the process?  Share your story with us – we’d love to hear from you.

Posted in Christian Marriage, Difficulty, Growing Strong Marriages | 3 Comments

Project 52: The Taulbees visit Greece

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Tom and Debi

This month I decided to take my husband to Greece for our date night.  Earlier in the month, I had spotted the cutest little Greek restaurant near downtown and noticed a fairly decent crowd enjoying the place each time I had the occasion to pass.  This was a good sign to me so….Greece here we come!

I decided that dinner and a walk around the lake was the plan!  However, I also had a desire to do something a little extra special for our evening, but I couldn’t come up with an idea that seemed to fit;  A Greek trivia game during dinner?  No.   Try to incorporate an Olympic theme?  I don’t think so.  Maybe learn some Greek phrases? Not this time.

Then, the day before our date I had an idea; Make a T-shirt for Jeff to wear that says, “I love my wife” in Greek.  Then, I can make one for myself that says, “I love my husband”.  It sounded easy enough because I’ve seen special iron-on paper that enables you to print your desired wording or picture from your computer and iron it on to a T-shirt.  So, with the help of an on-line translator, I was ready to go.    Sure!  This seems simple enough.

Well………….the only thing SIMPLE about this project was the IDEA!!  Upon further examination of the paper, I discovered that printing required an ink-jet printer.  Well, in this age of laser printers, ink-jets can be a bit difficult to find.  Not one copy center in town had one.  So, after several calls to friends, I was able to track one down!  Okay, problem solved.  I’ll just email it to her, she’ll print it out and I’ll make the shirts in the morning!

Well, the morning presented some more challenges!  After printing we realized that he text had to be reversed so that when it’s ironed on to the shirt, it can be read correctly.  Oh my goodness!  I was ready to give up on the idea and just write the message in a note to Jeff that evening!  But……thankfully I have a very tenacious friend who was not so willing to give up easily!  So after SEVERAL frustrating and unsuccessful attempts to figure out how to reverse the text my friends “graphic designer” sister came to our rescue.  With an effortless click of her finger, she was able to do what we needed on her computer and send it to us.  WOW!  I think I was making T-shirts an hour before we left for our date.  It was an exhausting and hilarious day!

To reveal our destination for the evening I set out some hummus, flat bread and olives while a slide show of pictures from Greece played on the computer.  We changed into our T-shirts, and when the babysitter arrived we left for the restaurant.

The restaurant was great!  A real authentic Greek restaurant with wonderful decor and friendly service.  I think the payoff came when our waiter, who was from Greece, confirmed that the wording on our t-shirts was indeed accurate!!  Yes!!

We had a wonderful meal and felt like kids in our matching shirts!  It was fun telling Jeff all about the t-shirt saga of the last day and a half.  I really had to laugh thinking of the “comedy of errors” that took place, and I was grateful that my friend who was helping me was such a good sport about the whole thing!

After dinner we had the most relaxing evening walking around the lake and enjoying a beautiful summer sunset!  What a gift!

Wow!  We’re half way though our world travels!  I cant believe how quickly time seems to pass.  It really causes me to be thankful for the time and effort it often takes to make time with my husband.  It helps to get that “breath of fresh air” in our busy schedules and take time to enjoy the gift he is to me.  Something that can so easily be taken for granted or forgotten in the hustle and bustle of life and all its demands.

Until next month……………..

Vicki

Project 52 was started by Tiffany Bird at Simply Modern Moms.  They are celebrating their 1st anniversary and are giving away lots of gifts to celebrate.  If you click HERE it will take you to their page for all the details to sign up for a chance to win.  If you click the button below it will take you to all the information needed to join Project 52, and begin romancing your spouse – one date at a time!

Posted in Creative Dates, Date Night Ideas, Dinner Dates, Fun Dates, Project 52 | 2 Comments

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Tom and Debi

As you know – this week marks our nation’s birthday celebration, so there will be lots of activities from which to choose.  However, you may want to plan your own 4th of July party once the kids go to bed.  Here are a few to consider:

  • Finger paint on wax paper with vanilla pudding you’ve colored red and blue.  Have fun licking the gooey mess from each others’ fingers.
  • Plan a midnight picnic under the stars.  Don’t forget the sparklers.  Here are some more ideas for planning a romantic picnic!
  • Buy or rent a John Phillips Sousa CD and make love to the patriotic beat!  You may end up laughing the night away!
  • Buy some body paint and have fun painting red, white and blue on your spouse.

Who knew the 4th of July could be so hot!  🙂

Now for the more traditional offerings in Orlando this week:

CENTRAL

NORTH

  • Altamonte Springs – Uptown Altamonte presents Red, Hot and Boom on July 3rd from 4p – 11p.  FREE.
  • Mt. Dora – 2010 Centennial Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 3rd. Parade begins at 10a.  The day is full of activities with a fireworks show at dusk.  FREE.  For more info call 352-383-2165.

EAST

SOUTH

  • Celebration – A Flashback 4th of July on Sunday, July 4th beginning at 5:30p.  Fireworks display starts at 9:30p.  FREE.
  • International Drive  – Now through July 11 – Bass Pro Family Summer Camp at Festival Bay Mall:
    Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday between June 5th-July 11th! Free events include shooting gallery, shooting range, casting pond, crafts, smores and a free photo! Plus free family workshops that are open to all! Please call 407-563-5200 for more information.

WEST

  • Winter Garden – Party in the Park on Saturday, July 3rd. Event takes place in Newton Park and begins at 5p – 9p.  Fireworks display starts at 9:15p.  FREE.
Posted in Date Night Ideas, Holidays, Mark Your Calendars (time sensitive) | Comments Off on Mark Your Calendar

Slices

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Debi Walter

Praying that the hands of the little ones we hold today will one day give their hands and hearts to Christ!


Posted in Slices | 2 Comments

It’s Grape Stompin’ Time

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Tom and Debi

It’s the time of year when vineyards take to stomping the grapes in order to extract the yearly harvest of wine.

In marriage, the grape stompin’ time is whenever we’re feeling hard pressed.  In these moments we discover exactly what our fruit is producing.  It may be bitter or it may be sweet depending on what we’re currently facing. Whatever comes out God has promised He’ll finish the work to make the wine what He desires it to be.  Remember, He was known to take water and make it the best variety of wine for the wedding guests.  What makes us think He’ll treat us or our marriages any differently?  He takes what we have and makes it into something worthwhile, something beautiful!

Can you imagine the freedom a vine keeper would feel if he knew the winemaker could produce whatever he wished no matter the quality of the grapes?  The wine that is pressed out is dependent solely on His skill, not on the ability of the farmer.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

Certainly the farmer has his responsibilities, but he is limited.  Certainly the grapes must reach maturity, but the quality is limited by the environment.  So, too, with all the work we put into our marriages, we have limitations.

  • We will disappoint our spouse.
  • We will sin against them.
  • We will fail them.

But we must realize it is God who is joining two different people into one flesh for His glory.  It is a miracle we never tire of witnessing at weddings and one for which we love pouring out our lives, in order to help other marriages produce the richest harvest of wine possible.  Why? So they can go and do likewise!

God produces in us a drink offering that provides nourishment for others and great pleasure for Him.  And there’s nothing better than pouring your life out for Him – That’s something which makes the stompin’ worthwhile, no matter how messy it gets.

Through The Grapevine: How is your marriage being squeezed right now?  Are you feeling the weight of disappointments or failure?  Have you thought of taking this to the Lord in prayer?  We’d love to hear from you!  What wine is being produced in and through you as you face another harvest as husband and wife?

Posted in Christian Marriage, Difficulty, Growing Strong Marriages | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Project 52: A Home Run!

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Debi Walter

This week’s date was a home run.

Since Tom has been sick with pneumonia he’s had his fill of medications.  The Bible says that laughter does a soul good – like medicine, so this week we planned for laughter and lots of it!  (BTW, Tom has completely recovered – something for which we are very grateful to God.)

First, we headed to our good friend’s brand new restaurant called Line Drive Burgers in Lake Mary.

It’s only been opened for 3 weeks, but with the food offered and the variety of toppings we really liked it and believe it’s sure to be a hit – pun intended!

Tom had a Mexican burger with guacamole and jalapeno peppers.  I had a more classy version – bleu cheese, tomatoes, spinach and bacon.

Both were amazing, and the Shake-A-Sack of Fries with all the topping choices was great!  We were a bit less daring on those choosing the typical light salt and pepper, even though they had every kind of sprinkled spice imaginable and some I would never have considered on French Fries, like cinnamon sugar.  The manager insisted it was surprisingly good.  To top it off for dessert we had a bag of none other than – Cracker Jacks.  Tom even let me keep the prize – although it wasn’t as good as I remembered.

After this we ventured to the movie theater, a place we usually reject for a date night, but with Toy Story 3 opening this past weekend, we couldn’t refuse with the high ratings and all.

Get it? We've been married 31 years!

We were not disappointed.  We laughed, cried and enjoyed every minute of the brilliant story line as well as the amazing computer animation.

The short film at the beginning titled, Day and Night was worth the price of the ticket alone.

It reminded us of what it’s like to marry someone so completely opposite of you.  At first it seems strange, but soon becomes strangely wonderful!  Celebrating our differences is what adds spice to our marriage – kind of like the Shake-A-Sack of Fries.  Only God is the One who chooses which spices to add or omit.  All we have to do is shake around in the sack! Now that’s a Home Run!  🙂

Project 52 is the brilliant idea found on Simply Modern Moms website.  There you can find out all the details as well as sign up to join this amazingly fun challenge – simply click the button below:

Posted in Date Night Ideas, humor, Movie Dates, Project 52 | 2 Comments

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Debi Walter

It’s 10a., and I just finished breakfast!  Needless to say, I’m off to a very slow start this week.  I’m sure most of you enjoyed a full weekend, like we did – celebrating the wonderful Dad’s in our lives.  On top of this – Tom had a difficult time getting home from a business trip the end of last week.  He felt as if he were stuck in a combination of two movies: Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Terminal.  We won’t bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say, it’s sometimes best just to keep things the way they’re planned.  🙂 It keeps one from so many unnecessary stresses.

Today is Summer Solstice – the day when the sun is at it’s highest in the sky!  A great time to plan a Sizzlin’ Summer Date.  Or you can choose from what’s happening around Central Florida this week:

CENTRAL

  • Downtown – Rockin’ Lake Eola on Friday, June 25th from 3p – 11p.  FREE.  This event runs every Friday through Sept. 3rd.
  • Winter Park – Music at the Casa on Sunday, June 27th from 12p – 3p.  FREE.

NORTH

  • Uptown Altamonte presents Friday Night Live on June 25th from 8p – 10p.  FREE.
  • Mt. Dora – Renningers Chili Cook-Off – Sunday, June 27th 8a. to 5p.  Cost is $2, or $10 if you would like to be a judge in the People’s Choice Award. This is sure to be a tasty event!

EAST

SOUTH

WEST

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Freebie Friday: A Soul Filled With God

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Tom and Debi

Gary Thomas has written a devotional book for couples titled, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage.  Today we want to share with you one devotion that has had a profound effect on us.  The amazing thing is – this is what we have experienced in our own marriage and what fuels our desire to help others cross over into a relationship that gives instead of expects to receive.  This is work God desires to do!  We pray you’ll find some time this weekend to talk about it and implement changes as needed.

And to all our fathers – Happy Father’s Day!  Enjoy the blessings God has given to you!

A Soul Filled with God
from Devotions for a Sacred Marriage
by Gary Thomas

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

Personal worship is an absolute necessity for a strong marriage.  It comes down to this:  If I stop receiving from God, I start demanding from others.  Instead of appreciating and loving and serving others, I become disappointed in them.  Instead of cherishing my wife, I become aware of her shortcomings.  I take out my frustrations with a less-than-perfect life and somehow blame her for my lack of fulfillment.
But when my heart gets filled with God’s love and acceptance, I’m set free to love instead of worrying about being loved.  I’m motivated to serve instead of becoming obsessed about whether I’m being served.  I’m moved to cherish instead of feeling unappreciated.
Madeleine complains about a lack of spiritual intimacy in her relationship with her husband, Martin.  “He’s never been what you might call her a spiritual leader,” she says, and this has become almost an obsession for her – as though her own spiritual health depends on her husband suddenly becoming mature.
“Did Teresa of Avila have a spiritual leader?”  I asked her. “Madame Guyon?  Mother Teresa of Calcutta?  What about the countless widows who now pursue God on their own?  Were – and are – their lives empty simply because they aren’t married to a spiritually mature man?”
Tim is upset because his wife never initiates physical intimacy.  Like Madeleine, he’s become fixated on one issue in his marriage, so that he can hardly even pray – which makes him feel more emotionally dependent on the sexual intimacy he’s not getting.  “Tim,” I said, “I remember praying with a husband whose wife was in the last stages of severe multiple sclerosis.  It had been years since they could enjoy anything even approximating normal sexual relations.  Do you think God has wired this world in such a way that her husband has no chance to be happy and fulfilled because his wife can’t initiate – or even perform?”
Tim had expected me to preach only to his wife, not to him.  “In fact,” I added, “he found great joy in taking care of her – and that meant cleaning out a bedpan on a regular basis.”
Certainly, spiritual intimacy and sexual relations are legitimate desires, but you know what?  Whenever I place my happiness in the hands of another human being, I’m virtually guaranteeing some degree of disappointment.  It can be as frivolous as a barista not getting my chai at Starbucks just the way I like it, or it can be as profound as some pastor I really admire falling into sin.
That’s why worship sets me free.  It meets my most basic need – to rest in the fact that I am known and loved, that I have a purpose, and that my eternal destiny and delight are secure – so that lesser needs (including spiritual companionship and sexual desires) serve the role of an occasional dessert rather than my main meal.
It’s simply not fair to ask your spouse to fulfill you.  No one can.  If you expect your spouse to be God for you, your spouse will fail every day and on every account.  Not only that, should your disappointment lead you to divorce, your second, third, and even fourth spouses will fail you too!
Only one can love you like God, with a perfect, constantly steady, and giving love – and that is God himself.  When the “one thing” we seek is to dwell in God’s house, to gaze upon his beauty, and to seek him in his temple, our soul’s sense of desperate need is met in our heavenly Father’s arms.  Then we leave this temple and find tremendous joy in giving, in loving, and in serving rather than in keeping close accounts as to whether we’re being loved or being served.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve seen a constant formula at work in my life: the less I receive from God, the more I demand from my wife; the more I receive from God, the more I am set free to give to my wife.
The best thing you can do for you for your marriage is to fill your soul with God.  Start defining disappointment with your spouse as spiritual hunger, a cosmic call to worship.  Marriage is a wonderful institution, but it is limited.  It can’t replace God.  Don’t ask it to.

Posted in Christian Marriage, communication, Freebie Friday, Growing Strong Marriages, Spiritual Intimacy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Summer Sizzlin’ Date Ideas

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Tom and Debi

When the heat is on, our dates can be challenging.  We love spending time outdoors, but when the mercury climbs over 90 degrees it certainly puts a damper on those plans.  This is why we’ve come up with a list of Summer Sizzlin’ Date Ideas:

1.  Squirt Gun Challenge. Make two T-Shirts using fabric markers or paints that have several circles with different point values.  Stand outside, 10 ft. apart and each take turns shooting at the others targets.  Keep score…and who knows the loser just might be the winner!  We guarantee the husbands will have more fun seeing where they hit or miss!  This is a cool game that adds heat of a different kind!

2.  Take a cold shower together.

3.  Go out for Ice Cream or share a Banana Split.

4.  Visit a water park together for the afternoon or entire day! Or have a water balloon fight.

5.  Watch a Winter Movie like:  Dr. Zhivago, White Christmas, Happy Feet, Cool Runnings..(can you think of others to add to the list?  Let us know by commenting!)

6.  Go to the beach and build a sand castle together. Afterward jump in the water with your knight in shining armor!  Land locked?  Go to the nearest lake or springs!   If you can’t make it to the waterfront, HERE are directions for making a sand castle at home you can keep.

7.  Take a walk in the rain with an umbrella.

8.  Pack a cold picnic. Think of cold salads, fruit, and desserts – even drinks that are sure to cool you off.  As an added refreshment – pack a hand towel in ice water.  Take it out and wrap it around your spouse’s neck.

9.  Rooftop Date. Have you ever viewed the sky from the top of your roof?  Why not plan an evening, literally “Under The Stars”.  To introduce your date idea, send your spouse this You Tube video of Carole King’s, Up On The Roof.

10.  Go Skinny Dipping. We realize this can only happen in a place where you feel safe, but with a little planning you could make this happen.  It’s a sure way to cool off and heat up at the same time!  The best kind of Summer Sizzlin’ Date!

Posted in Date Night Ideas, Summer Sizzlin' Dates | Tagged | 7 Comments

Project 52: Playing Catch Up

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Debi Walter

No, this isn’t a creative new game to play on your next night out – it’s one of those dates that are necessary from time to time. And one we desperately needed after the past two weeks.

In Europe it is the custom to eat dinner late and linger long at the table talking and enjoying each course as it is served.  Sadly, in America this is literally a foreign concept.  Everything is fast-paced.  Oftentimes one event piggy-backs on the next making our heads spin in a flurry of activity. Our relationship can suffer as a result.

We have electronics to help us keep up with our busy lifestyle;  Calendars that beep reminding us regularly of our to-do list, smart phones that text reminders to us and family members whose phone call requests are only a ring away.  We are connected so much we can easily get tangled in the mess. Add to this the responsibilities that weigh on us of parenthood, church-life, careers and extended family; it’s no wonder we lose sight of what’s most important – each other.

We have a special restaurant we love that is quiet (at least it is on Mondays), serves great food, and allows us to linger at our table all evening.  We have discovered it is the perfect place for us to play catch up. This was our date this week:

We brought our calendars and spent the first part going over any changes making sure we hadn’t missed anything.  Next we talked about life in general – life at work, life at church, life in the news.

Slowly, we came to the best part, what we like to call “the heart of the matter”.

The questions began, “How are YOU doing?” – “How can I help?” – “What are your thoughts?”  The conversation flowed easily as we listened and shared.  Tears welled up and laughter erupted.  Suddenly we realize something wonderful had happened…we had caught up with each other and reconnected.  We were once again walking side by side, united in spirit, ready to continue moving forward in our life together.

Playing catch up is a necessary and very satisfying practice.  It helps us stay grounded in an ever-shifting world.  All couples need a quiet place to reconnect, to catch up – we have found ours.

Where is yours?

_____________________________

Note: Project 52 is a year-long challenge, started by the Simply Modern Moms blog, to date your spouse once a week.  Whether at home our outside the home it doesn’t matter;  the point is purposing to romance each other.  It’s not too late to join the challenge – simply click the button below for all the details!

Posted in communication, Date Night Ideas, Dating Your Spouse, Dinner Dates, Growing Strong Marriages, Project 52 | 4 Comments

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Debi Walter

When Tom and I were about to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, I had no idea what to get him that would match such a momentous event in our lives.  A small gift seemed so insignificant; he had, after all, managed to live with and love me for 25 straight years!  Quite an accomplishment, I must say!  I decided to give him 25 romantic days throughout the coming year.  It sounded easy – on paper, until I realized this was actually a commitment to one day every other week for a year!!  What was I thinking?  How would I pull it off?

It was then when I discovered the many things around town that are available for creative and unique date nights.  I had no idea of all the events we had been missing.  There really was (and is) a world at our fingertips, and I have the feeling this is true in most large cities.  All it requires is taking the time to research.  I managed to complete my year long gift to Tom, and we have so many wonderful memories as a result.

Now, for your convenience, we try to provide you each week with an smorgasbord of what’s happening around town.  Romance is as easy as picking and choosing what will work for you! Kind of like a romantic cafeteria, if you will.  We pray you’ll enjoy your fill of romance whether it’s a night out on the town, or a quiet evening at home.

CENTRAL

NORTH

  • Altamonte Springs – Cranes Roost Park – Friday, June 18th – Jazz Jams Uptown beginning at 8p.  FREE.

EAST

  • The Plaza Theatre on Bumby – Friday, June 18th – Arturo Sandoval performing live.  Concert begins at 8p.  Tickets $25 and up.
  • New Smyrna Beach – Thursday, June 17th – Seaside Fiesta from 5p – 9p. FREE.
  • Avalon Park – Timber Creek High School Performing Arts Center presents The Sound of Music on Friday, June 18th (7:00p), Saturday, June 19th (2:00p & 7:30p) and Sunday, June 20th (3:00p)  Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

SOUTH

  • Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Theater presents A Limousine Scavenger Hunt.  Saturday, June 19th from 5p – ?.  Spend four hours in a five-star luxury stretch limousine for teams of 8 people and stretch SUV’s for teams of 12 – 16. Travel throughout Orlando to visit locations, find objects, and complete tasks. Cost is $75.

WEST

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

Monthly Winner!

Posted on June 12, 2010 by Tom and Debi

We had a great response to our contest and discovered that many of you are celebrating anniversaries this week!  Congratulations!  We love anniversaries because it’s an annual date on the calendar that proves God’s faithfulness to us!  Whether you’re celebrating 5 years or 23 years it’s significant and a day to enjoy to it’s fullest!

Congratulations to Kelly Traugott whose name was chosen via Random.org.  She is married to David, and they have three little girls.  Their favorite restaurant is Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant and a $25 gift card is on its way to her!

She shared our site on Facebook as well as Twitter, which brings up the fact that we are on Twitter for those of you who like to tweet!  You’ll find TheRomanticVine by clicking on the link.

Have a fabulous weekend – Thanks for taking part in our contest, but more importantly for being a part of our Vineyard!  We thank God for you!

Posted in Contests | Comments Off on Monthly Winner!

Freebie Friday: Monthly Giveaway

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Tom and Debi

We love giving away what the Lord has so graciously given to us.  Whether it’s discovering the joy there is in marriage or sharing a bit of prosperity, we are committed to giving away.  This is how the Lord demonstrated His love for us, and it’s how He desires us to live our lives as well.

As you know we began a monthly giveaway on our One Year Anniversary last November 12th.  It has been fun to see who the Lord would choose to bless each time, and we’ve had a variety of gifts.  However, we’ve decided to change it up a bit;  Starting tomorrow we will offer a $25 gift card to a restaurant of the winner’s choice.  The winner will be drawn – not from the long list of our members, but from those who take the time to comment on THIS post.  As a bonus, you’ll be entered twice if you share this post on Facebook. Simply comment once telling us the name of your favorite restaurant and a second time saying you’ve shared this post on FB.

We hope this will increase your chances of winning a date night on us.   We have grown to love the 12th of each month for we love blessing you!  Enjoy this video…a classic from the 70’s:

Posted in Contests, Freebie Friday | 48 Comments

Slices

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Debi Walter

Here is another Slice of married life for you to ponder.  Let us know what this photo triggers in your mind!

Photo by Abba Photogrhy ~ Aisle Runner by Lynette Swanson

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Project 52: Interrupted

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Debi Walter

Life has been different lately.  Our normal routine has been interrupted by unavoidable things;  Some remodeling, a prolonged sickness and a wonderful celebration allowing us to babysit our grandchildren, to mention just a few.  Needless to say, we probably won’t be having our normal date night this week. But, we have a lifetime to have dates.  This is what life is made of – interruptions. And we’ve learned to adjust as needed.

In the midst of all this – we bought a new computer which added another long list of things to my already full To Do List.  One in particular is going through all my old Word files and deleting the ones I no longer need.  In doing so, I happened upon an article I wrote a month after our son was married in 2006.  Since he and his wife just celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary last week – I’ve decided to share with you how that season of change affected me.

One thing is certain in marriage – constant change is here to stay!  We can’t expect life to always go the way we think it should.  If we do, we will be very disappointed or worse – angry and bitter.   Instead, we must embrace life as God wills it. Here is my article where God helped me do just that – embrace change:

Expired

The expiration date said June 25, 2006.

I have never had to notice this part of the orange juice carton, that is, until now.  My 24 year old son, who loves orange juice so much that he drinks a large glass of it every morning on his way to work, married his beautiful bride on June 3, 2006.  That was 4 weeks ago, and I have to throw away something because he no longer lives here; this is no longer the place he calls home.  I couldn’t be more thrilled, yet why am I crying?

I have prayed for years that my children would grow up to love the Lord and to love the local church.  They do!  I have prayed that they would love being a part of our family and call us not only their parents, but their friends.  They do!  I have prayed for the day to see them fall in love and marry their best friend.  Two of them have!

So, why am I crying over spoiled orange juice?

The answer is obvious, because I have loved being a mother of a house full of little children, and those days are over.    I loved being a mom of teenagers full of life and activity, and that season is over.  Now that my three children are in their twenties, I love watching God reveal His plan for their lives.  He will be faithful now as He has been faithful in the past.

I am learning that God has many surprises for me throughout my lifetime.  Some I’ve anticipated and others were unexpected blessings.  Whether I realize it or not, God is at work in every moment of every day.  Change is hard, but change is so good!  It pushes me out of my normal routines and makes me embrace something new.  He used a carton of orange juice to remind me of what used to be.

Suddenly, I have an overwhelming desire to go to Publix and be different – I think I’ll buy some Pomegranate juice I hear it’s good for you, and my youngest daughter really loves it! 🙂

Design by Natalia

Through the Grapevine:

What changes are you facing in your marriage right now?  Were they expected or unexpected?  How have you adjusted your schedule and/or marriage to meet the demands these changes require?  Are you communicating your thoughts and concerns with your spouse?

We would love to hear from you!

Also, Project 52 is a challenge to romance your spouse for 52 weeks beginning whenever you want.  It’s easy and Simply Modern Moms has made it fun – push the button below for all the details!

Posted in Christian Marriage, Date Night Ideas, Difficulty, Growing Strong Marriages, Project 52 | 7 Comments

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on June 7, 2010 by Debi Walter

Photography by: Courtesy of Timberline Lodge

One of the greatest benefits of practicing romance in marriage is the strength it provides when life isn’t going so well.  We’re not talking strength in our ability to love each other, but strength that comes from putting our spouse first in the way we live.  This is modeling Christlike love to each other, and His love is what sustains us when life takes an unexpected turn.

Two weeks ago we were away on what we called Our Second Honeymoon!  It was the first time we’ve been on cruise alone since our first honeymoon 31 years ago.  It was exactly as we hoped it would be, that is until the last night on the ship; Tom came down with a fever and ended up visiting the ship’s doctor.  He has been slowly recovering ever since we returned home.

Because we have practiced romancing each other regularly, this didn’t put a damper on our time away, it only intensified my desire to love and serve him all the more.  Life is full of unexpected turns – knowing God is orchestrating everything we face helps us embrace our journey together with faith whether the sun is shining on a crystal blue sea or the winds are blowing on the window panes of our lives.

Through The Grapevine: What about you?  Do you have plans this week to romance your spouse?  Don’t let your circumstances determine your resolve.  We want to hear! If you’re local – check out what’s happening in our area:

CENTRAL

NORTH

  • Sanford – Alive After Five presents, Blues and Bar Be Q on Thursday, June 10th from 5p – 8p.  Admission is $7.
  • Altamonte Springs – Friday Night Live presents the sounds of DEJA at Crane Roost Park.  The concert is from 8p – 10p. and is FREE.
  • Altamonte Springs – Cranes Roost Sunset Cinema presents Annie on Saturday, June 12th beginning at 8p.  The movie is FREE.

SOUTH

  • St. Cloud – Cajun Crawfish Festival on Friday, June 11th.  Free event, open to the public, live music , kidzone, arts and crafts, cornhole competition and all you can eat crawfish (crawfish is ticketed). This event will be held at 10th Street and Pennsylvania.  More info: 407-498-0008.
Posted in Date Night Ideas, Mark Your Calendars (time sensitive) | Comments Off on Mark Your Calendar

Freebie Friday: “Friendly” Advice

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Tom and Debi

Actually we have three things to offer you today:

The first is in celebration of National Donut Day, which is TODAY. Check out these Freebies:

  • Dunkin Donuts is offering a free donut with a beverage purchase.
  • Krispy Kreme is offering a free donut – no purchase necessary!

The second offer is a free scoop of ice cream from Friendly’s Ice Cream Parlor tomorrow (Saturday, June 5th) from noon to 5p.  You can select from their 26 flavors and enjoy it in a dish or a cone.  Just check with your local Friendly’s to see if they are participating.

Finally, we want to share with you a blog post that is full of sage advice from a marriage that was nearly on the brink of divorce.  The blog is called Marriage Gems and this post shares briefly the contents of a new book titled,  Project: Happily Ever After, by author, Alisa Bowman due to be released in December 2010.  If you are in the midst of difficulty in communicating or relating with your spouse – please – may we encourage you to take a moment and read this post?  You’ll be glad you did!  You’ll also find a place where you can reserve a copy of this book.

Posted in Christian Marriage, communication, Free Dates, Freebie Friday | Tagged , | Comments Off on Freebie Friday: “Friendly” Advice

Project 52: Our Caribbean Cruise Date

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Debi Walter

This past week my husband blessed me with a week long cruise to the western Caribbean.  Words cannot describe the amazing time we had together.  There was a full moon one night and the song, Lucky, by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat was playing softly in the background.  It was one of those moments you know you’ll never forget as it was happening.

Our daughter, Tracy, helped me put this video together that captures just a slice of the incredible week we had together.  I surprised Tom with it tonight, and we wanted to share it with you!

Although you may not be able to go away on a cruise for a week of date nights, why not put together a slide show of a special time you’ve shared together before, and set to your favorite song. Then, surprise your spouse after dinner and the kids have gone to bed. It’s sure to stir the same emotions you felt at the time, and the memories shared as husband and wife are one of the best gifts God gives to us through the years.

Enjoy…

If you would like to join in with the Project 52 Date nights – simply follow the link below.  It’s not too late to join in the fun of romancing your spouse one special date at a time!

Posted in Project 52, romancing your wife, Sunset Dates, Unique Dates | 3 Comments

Mark Your Calendar

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Tom and Debi

We hope you enjoyed a long weekend with family and friends – celebrating the freedom purchased for us by the brave men and women of the armed forces.  We are blessed to live in such a country that not only acknowledges greatness when it happens, but remembers it when the great ones have passed from this life.

Now it’s time to start planning a great date with your spouse.  Here’s what’s happening around town:

CENTRAL

  • Lake Eola presents Rockin’ Lake Eola on Friday, June 4th beginning at 5p.  This week’s features Led Hed with a tribute to Led Zeppelin.
  • Leu Gardens – Date Night in the Garden on Friday, June 4th.  Garden opens at 6p. and this month’s movie: Houseboat begins at 8:30p.  Cost is $7 for nonmembers and FREE for members.

NORTH

  • Sanford – Hot Summer Nights – the annual show and sale featuring all new work from the studio artists of Gallery on First will open Saturday, June 5th. A tropical themed reception is slated from 6 to 9pm.
  • Altamonte Springs – Cranes Roost Park presents Friday Night Live Unplugged on June 4th from 7p – 9p.  Cost is FREE.

EAST

  • New Smyrna Beach – Turtle Watch2010 takes place June 2nd – 30th from 8p to midnight.  You must call to request tickets.  The cost is $14 per person – see link for more details.
  • Casselberry – Country Festival and Concert on Saturday, June 5th beginning at 3p.  Lake Concord Park behind City Hall.  Cost is FREE.

SOUTH

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

Happy Memorial Day!

Posted on May 31, 2010 by Tom and Debi

This is a day to remember our veteran’s and the way they have served us and protected us through the years.  THANK YOU!

Why not thank your spouse today for the way they serve and protect you as well!  Enjoy this day with family and friends!  We’ll post our Mark Your Calendar tomorrow!

Posted in Holidays | 2 Comments