Springtime Marriage for Men

Spring promises new life after the dead of winter.  My neighbor placed a new fire pit in their backyard yesterday.  Flowers are popping up here and there.  I even heard a lawn mower on Sunday afternoon.  With the forecast temps to be in the 70’s this week, I would suspect we will see more new life of spring.

This morning while purchasing my wife’s favorite bagel from Panera, I said to the clerk, “I’m going to take this home to my wife.  She loves cinnamon crunch bagels.”  The dear lady looked at me with a sad look and said, “I wish my husband would do something like that for me.  We’ve been married for 30 years.  I suggest we go out to eat or take a drive, and he declines.  He never wants to do anything with me.”  How sad.  I felt so bad for her.

Men, is your marriage in the dead of winter?  Does it need the spring of new life?  Marriage is a gift from the Lord, and He will give you grace to renew your “winter marriage” no matter what the circumstances may be (2 Peter 1:2-7).  Here’s five suggestions to help you see new life in your marriage.  And men, since you are the leader of your home, you take the initiative in each of these.

1. Leave love notes for your wife.

2. Walk with her. Don’t walk way out in front or way behind.  And, hold hands as you do.

3. Put your cellphone on silent, look her in the eye, and express your love to her while sharing a cup of coffee and your favorite cookie.

4. Have fun together. Laugh.  Go through the car wash and pretend it’s a “tunnel of love” and kiss.  Even if the kids are in the car, you saying a whole bunch to them!

5. Make your next outing an event. For instance, go grocery shopping together and act like you did when you were dating.  On the way home, stop for an ice cream cone to share.

No matter how long you have been married, say goodbye to the dead of winter and hello to the life of spring!

Song of Solomon 2:8-14

The voice of my beloved!

Behold, he comes

Leaping upon the mountains,

Skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

Behold, he stands behind our wall;

He is looking through the windows,

Gazing through the lattice.

10 My beloved spoke, and said to me:

“Rise up, my love, my fair one,

And come away.

11 For lo, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone.

12 The flowers appear on the earth;

The time of singing has come,

And the voice of the turtledove

Is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree puts forth her green figs,

And the vines with the tender grapes

Give a good smell.

Rise up, my love, my fair one,

And come away!

14 “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,

In the secret places of the cliff,

Let me see your face,

Let me hear your voice;

For your voice is sweet,

And your face is lovely.”