Love is a Decision

Genuine love is honor put into action regardless of the cost. It comes from a heart overflowing with love for God, freeing us to seek another person's best interests.

Real love means a sacrificial, courageous commitment - especially when the other person may not be able to give back to you.

During courtship, romance is something that seems to overflow naturally. Romance is an essential ingredient of a strong relationship. Romance is an important way we express honor to our spouse, and it provides the basis for a meaningful sex life. Poetically, we could say that romance is the flame which glows on the candle of unconditional love; it's the act of honor that soothes and refreshes a marriage like a gentle spring rain; it's the fertile soil in which passion grows.

Romance is the act of keeping your courtship alive long after the wedding day. Put another way, romance is an intimate friendship celebrated with expressions of love reserved only for each other. In some ways, romance breaks open the deepest feeling of a person.

Romance is a relationship, not an event. It's not something we do occasionally to stoke the fires of passion. Rather, it should be an ongoing, foundational part of our relationship, something that doesn't come and go like the tide, but flows as steadily as a river. An inescapable aspect of romance is being "best friends" with your spouse.

A key to blending friendship with romance is to take the time to explore each other's interests and then share them together. Developing a deep level of friendship through shared interests is the first essential ingredient in a romantic relationship. Those who are wise romantics will realize that some special date or even every year can be used to fan the romantic flame. Birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays can become more than simply a traditional observance. They can be a personal opportunity to let your loved one know they are very special to you - in ways they'll never forget.

The element of surprise has won the hearts of untold lovers. Surprising ways to say "I love you" aren't reserved for restricted air-space. They can be a note put in a lunch-box, a cassette tape with a loving greeting put in the car's tape player in secret, a frozen yogurt that arrives with you at your husband's office on a hot, summer's afternoon. Planning can make sure that romance stays a consistent part of your relationship. But surprises can make the moment a cherished one.

Write love notes to one another and hide them in unusual places like the freezer, a shoe, in the car's glove box, in the bathtub, in a makeup kit, or under the bed covers.

Every area of a woman's life is affected if she's not touched and held by the most important people in her life. Eight to ten meaningful touches a day is really a minimum requirement for a woman to stay emotionally and physicall healthy.

Meaningful touching outside the bedroom can light sparks in a marriage, and meaningful communication can fan the flames. If a couple cares enough to explain their needs, frustrations, and enjoyments to one another, it can help to turn their relationship around.