Spice Up Your Life and Marriage

Do you look for ways to save money in your family?

Have you tried to be creative on a date and failed?

Do you like to eat good food with your spouse?

Would you like a more meaningful and intimate relationship with your spouse?

My guess is that you at least answered yes to 3 of the 4 questions and more than likely answered YES to all 4.

Here is a few quick steps to create an environment to connect with your spouse, while understanding the importance of intention and actions.

We often become mindless in our relationships to one another and neglect the importance of living with thoughtful actions for one another. Of course we all fall into the category of thinking about doing something meaningful for our significant other and we live our lives with good intentions. However, if there is no follow through on your intentions then you are lacking true connection and spice in your life and marriage.

Our marriages and relationship often become based on a false reality of judging ourselves by our intentions, but we judge others by their actions. So, if this is true then how are others judging you? Yep, that's right they are judging you by your actions or lack thereof.

Spicing up your life and marriage is as simple as moving from thoughtful intentions to meaningful actions.

Here is a sure fire way to start living out your intentions by adding a little spice.

This could happen over the course of two weeks possibly depending on time and varying levels to make if fit for you. (This is a template to get you started not a rule book.)

Go to your local bookstore and spend the evening in the cookbook section with your spouse. The goal and purpose of this first encounter together is to locate a cookbook for your spouse with recipes they would enjoy, but are different from your typical meals or restaurant you may frequent. You will share with one another why you picked the particular book and recipes. You could get very specific at this point and describe how each course of the menu reminds them of your spouse. After sharing the book and recipes together, mutually decide on which cookbook to buy to plan a meal for the following week. This book will serve you for many months and years to come, it is a small investment into your marriage.

During the week depending on schedules, activities, and daily lives plan another evening shopping together for the menu for your special night. This may be an enlightening period for you depending on your shopping habits and routines. Allow flexibility, patience, and understanding to permeate the shopping experience. Remember this is building meaningful and thoughtful action, not just a quick trip to the store together.

At this point hopefully you have already planned the special night that both of you will spend in the kitchen together sizzling up the finest cuisine in town that no money can buy. Lighten up and have fun. If you screw the meal up who cares, it makes a memorable story. Have fun and spice up the night.

Over the course of a two week period of time you have made several meaningful connections with your spouse that engages all the senses and relational needs. Now your intentions have become a reality by following a simple way to a more fulfilling and dynamic marriage.

May these quick tips and education allow you to live out your intentions while fulfilling the needs and desires of your spouse.

(Photo: wmstadler)