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PLANNED SPONTANEITY By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. -Genesis 2:2 We’re taking a long overdue mini-vacation this week as we head for Washington D.C. from Friday to Monday –four days to do the tourist thing! Normally, whenever we go to D.C. it’s for business; we rarely get to see the sights. So, this week we’re going to see the recently built World War II memorial. (I’m told it’s the only memorial of its kind that has absolutely no references to God or the Bible!) More importantly, it’s time to enjoy some quality time together resting and being refreshed so we can return to the job of saving marriages and families with a renewed vigor. We always emphasize to our clients the importance of taking regular times to get a way for some “planned spontaneity” to maintain a healthy level of intimacy in the relationship. We need to practice what we preach. It’s difficult in today’s hustle and bustle to find time to be spontaneous with one another. There are so many demands on our time. Yes, it is important to have times of romance, but these times shouldn’t have to be scheduled on the calendar. Some couples have actually come to agreements like, “OK, we’ll do it twice a week, on Saturday and Wednesday nights.” Maybe that’s better than nothing, but not much! We want our times of romance to be spontaneous, yet with today’s heavy schedules, that’s almost impossible. That’s why we need to plan times to get away so that during those times we can be spontaneous without the distraction of the regular routines, demands and pressures that are placed on us. At first, it sounds like an oxymoron: “planned spontaneity,” but it really isn’t. We simply need to plan time frames within which we can be spontaneous. That usually means time away from the daily schedules, time to connect, time to have “fun” (remember that word?). For the proper care and maintenance of the gift called “marriage,” we must plan times to get away and have fun so we can at least allow for the possibility of spontaneity. Otherwise the laws of nature apply: neglect schedule maintenance and it will break down when you least expect it –and the repair bill will be more than you bargained for. Question for the Both of Us: When was the last time we can remember having time away for spontaneity? What do we remember most about it? Prayer for the Both of Us: Lord, help us to plan for times of refreshing, for times of rest, for times of just enjoying each other. Help us restore the excitement of spontaneous love! |
© 2007 Marriage & Family Savers Ministries