For more than a decade, Ralph Mohney Jr. and 9 other men have met together on Friday mornings for fellowship, accountability and study. A number of years ago, one of the more romantic members of the group suggested they do something special for their wives on Valentine’s Day.
“One of our areas of focus as a group was to make sure we were honoring our wives in the way that we should, paying attention to this very important relationship,” said Mr. Mohney. “When this guy suggested we do something special to honor our wives, we all thought that was a good idea.”
Over the years they have done a variety of things from actually cooking dinner themselves and sending a limo to pick up the wives and deliver them to the secret location, to having the meal catered.
“The evening always includes dinner, flowers, chocolates and fellowship,” said Mr. Mohney. “It has been more than 10 years since we started and it has definitely become a tradition. We always try to think up new and creative ways to show love to our wives. I think it has been as much fun for the guys as it has been for the ladies.”
Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to show your love and appreciation to those closest to you, but what about the other 364 days of the year? Some folks struggle with how to express love while others struggle to know how to receive it. Celebrate Marriage, February 20th with relationship coach, Dr. Greg Smalley could provide some helpful insight for those looking for answers.
This is a seminar for people who want to empower themselves and support others in creating a relationship where expressing and receiving love and appreciation are a part of daily living. It is designed for singles, those who are dating, engaged and married couples.
Communities across the nation are celebrating National Marriage Week February 7th through the 14th. This is a collaborative effort to encourage many diverse groups to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a stronger marriage culture.
There are many ways to participate in this celebration. Be creative. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Hand-write a love letter
- Schedule time daily to talk with your spouse
- Meet a friend for lunch
- Encourage other married couples
- Tell the people you love "I love you"
- Flowers and chocolate are always good
- Even if you can't afford a babysitter, plan a creative in-home date
- Take time to play with your children
- Give your spouse the day off
- Schedule a couple's massage
- Take a walk holding hands - research actually shows that a woman's blood pressure goes down when she is holding the hand of her spouse
- Do that thing that your spouse has been asking you to do for months
- Watch the Super Bowl with your spouse even if you don't like football
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