Love, Dating and Valentine’s Day

Now, I know that Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday. Chocolatiers and florists make a killing February 14. Still, I like this yearly reminder to go above and beyond the call of duty in expressing our love. And so, this Valentine’s Day, I’m gonna dish out some cash on chocolates and flowers and take my wife on a good old-fashioned date.

You may think we’ve been married too long for such strenuous activities. That dating is for younger people who are naive and desperate to make good impressions. Besides, dating is risky. Things can go badly wrong. On one of my first dates, I drove Ramona to a nearby city. Then, after she beat me at bowling, I locked both of us out of my car. Her mother drove an hour at midnight to deliver my spare set of keys. It wasn’t the first date to go badly wrong.

Ed says, “My date was complaining about me on Facebook while at the table. I found out because she accidently tagged me in a post.”
Gabby went on a date with a guy who said, “I need to pay in cash so my mom doesn’t question my bank statement.” Then he asked her to buy his meal.

Grant says, “As I was leaving, I went in for a goodbye hug, tripped on the door mat, and tackled her into the door.”
This from Jules: “I talked to a guy on the internet for almost a month. When we met up for the first time, he gets down on one knee and proposes with his mother’s ring! I said no.”

Well, the awkwardness of those early dating days is over for us. I don’t miss the sweaty palms, the racing heart and trying to beat up other guys who were vying for her attention. After locking us out of my car, I knew she’d never go out with me again. But she did. It’s been amazing, but marriage wasn’t the happily ever after I hoped for. The thrill wore off. The romance grew cold. And then I learned a secret all successfully married guys know: don’t wait for the feelings to show up; love is a verb – choose it. Hard times came. But the worst comes before the better. So put God at the center and keep investing in your marriage. Get all dressed up and go on a date this Valentine’s Day. What’s the worst that could happen?

Chris says, “I reluctantly went on a blind date through a mutual friend. Halfway through the date, we discovered we were related.”