How is the month of blessings going for you and your sweetheart? Have you been making the most of each day and shutting out the gloom? If not, it is not too late to start! Life happens and sometimes time gets away from us.
If you have not made the entire month unforgettable, no worries! You still have a handful of days to go! Four amazing days is better than none, and a little extra icing on the cupcake can make all the difference!
Take a look at these guidelines and consider making the next few days extra special for your extra special someone:
- Special Morning Greeting – I briefly dated a man in college who would e-mail me each morning. The relationship was short lived (by God’s grace), but I still remember how much fun it was to sit in front of my computer and read his e-mail each morning. Who does not love to know someone is thinking about him or her first thing in the morning?
- Small Surprise at a Different Time Each Day. This one may take some creativity, but it can be done – a virtual surprise, an e-mailed gift card for coffee, something written, drawn, composed, etc. Before we were married, I commented to Eric that I loved the smell of his t-shirts. Since I could not cuddle with him at night, he put one of his t-shirts on a teddy bear and left it in the passenger’s seat of my car. It made my day and left a lasting impression (obviously, since I am still talking about it eleven years later)!
- Choose to Withhold Negativity – And, be mindful to work on those areas your sweetheart has asked you to address. For example, Eric says I wildly exaggerate what may happen and it drives him crazy. I need to actively resist making exaggerations. Another thing he cannot stand is being interrupted in the middle of a thought. I hate this too, yet somehow I still do it to him. He would be a happy camper if I would eliminate these two “quirks” from my communication style.
- One Hour of Fun! Each day after work or school, enjoy one of his or her favorite activities together. If you are long distance, this may include watching a show together over the phone or FaceTime, or simply enjoying a few specific discussions he or she would like to have with you. If I said, “Honey, can we talk about PreEngaged for the next hour?” Eric would be THRILLED to pieces!
- Special Bedtime Message – We began the day with a special message and now we are ending it the same way. I am not pushing you to be overly sappy here, just sweet. You know your honey bun better than I do. If he or she is the lovey dovey type, sap it up! If not, you can thank him or her for something specific or mention traits you appreciate about him or her.
It would be difficult and somewhat expensive to continue this process every day for a lifetime (though I salute you if you want to try!). Still, most anyone can think outside the box for a few days to lighten a loved one’s heart. These are the memories couples revisit years later when the going gets tough and they long to remember what it was like to be enamored with each other. The teddy bear passenger. Eric coming to my office with three red roses. The time he spent his saved up personal money to buy me a very large Berkey Water Filter. All these moments are continuous reminders that I married a winner who chooses to love me even when I am not acting lovable.
When you invest in these ways, especially when they inconvenience you, you are making a deposit into your relationship’s bank. When you have $10,000 worth of positive interactions, you will not go bankrupt when life stressors and arguments withdrawal a few thousand – and, every now and then, they will.
Keep depositing love money so your relationship does not have to live paycheck to paycheck or suffer when larger expenses arise.
How can you bring a light to your sweetheart’s eyes over the next few days?