38 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Fresh

Thirty-eight years ago today, Terry tenderly rubbed the top of my hands as he said, "I do." Actually, he said it twice, "I do, I do." We were eager to marry and made our promises before family and friends. We dared to dream of a fairytale life as we ran out of the church under a rain of rice.

Some days are messy, but our love has grown profoundly. Honestly, we are just two imperfect individuals who forgive often. We have learned to laugh and to love. We strive to add flirtation and fun to the relationship because this little thing called love is hard work. So today, I added five more fun ways to keep your marriage fresh to the list I shared five years ago.

So, here are thirty-eight random ways to add a little spice to a marriage relationship. Enjoy!

1. Do something each day to make your spouse laugh.

2. Date often and then date again.

3. When you think of something great about your partner, stop immediately and text him/her your thoughts.

4. Put sex on your calendar. Seriously.

5. Praise your spouse in front of others.

6. Go to bed naked and see what happens.

7. Invest in experiences instead of buying more stuff.

8. Spend the weekends together.

9. Find a TV series you both like; make some popcorn and enjoy the show.

10. Try a new restaurant together. Order a new dish and share.

11. Rub his/her back, feet, or whatever you and your partner desire.

12. Wear that outfit he/she likes. Ladies, wear your bright red lipstick.

13. Eat dessert for dinner with no guilt.

14. Relax together with a good book and great coffee.

15. Be his/her biggest cheerleader. Dream together. Set common life goals.

16. Be his/her partner in crime. Bury the body and know he won't tell. (Kidding, but you get the idea)

17. Snuggle.

18. Eat lots of chocolate.

19. Exercise together.

20. Dance in the kitchen.

21. Get away for the weekend . . . just the two of you. Be Spontaneous.

22. Give a meaningful gift, whether it is a power tool or lingerie!

23. Never threaten with divorce. In fact, drop it from your vocabulary.

24. Pray together. Read God's word together. Talk about it. Apply it.

25. Do his hobby together (Such as hunting or playing golf) and then do your hobby together (shopping, relaxing by the pool, etc.)

26. Meet in the middle when there is conflict. Makeup in the middle of your bed.

27. Share the household chores.

28. Tell your spouse what you love about him/her. Start from the top of his head and move to his toes.

29. Truly believe in your mate. Don't give up on him/her. If you don't believe in him, who will?

30. Forgive freely and love tightly.

31. Go to church together - serve together.

32. Drop the excuses.

33. Kiss tenderly.

34. Listen. Just listen.

35. Respect each other's wishes.

36. Have crucial conversations but with tenderness and love.

37. Set expectations and do what you say you will do.

38. If your baby drives you crazy - Read 1 Corinthians 13 and remind yourself what true love is. See below.
    

What about you?

What do you do to keep your marriage alive?

I leave you with 1 Corinthians 13! ENJOY!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love.