Once upon a time a man and a woman fell in love and married. They might have gone on a honey moon or stayed home and started to build a life together. That man and that woman were you and your spouse. You were both young and you have weathered a lot of problems over the years. You made a good team.

Then somewhere along the way, you lost something. The fire seemed to grow dim. It started to cool down. Oh, nothing major, there just seemed to be little of the old spark. Life became dull and routine. Every once in a while one of you might have done something special for the other and you realized that the embers were still glowing and you only needed to fan the flames. However, things would settle again.

There are times when you wish for that spark, the passion, the infatuation that took your breath away and cleared your sinuses. What was it that attracted you to your partner in the first place? Think back to the times when your kisses were filled with passion, when you couldn’t wait to be with that very special person. What has changed?

Is your spouse older? So are you. Is your spouse not as attentive as they once were? You probably aren’t either. Probably you both are heavier. You’ve got aches and pain in places you never realized could hurt like they do. One partner has to help the other get dressed in the morning and undressed in the evening. He hooks and unhooks her bra, she helps him tuck his shirt in the back of his pants or put on his belt.

The best thing is to realize that your youthful energy and enthusiasm are most likely a thing of the past. But your partner is still very precious. You can fan the flame by planning a romantic evening.

Recently I read this true story.

Susan came home from the store and carried the groceries into the house. When she entered the kitchen, she saw a balloon floating against the ceiling with an envelope attached to it. She pulled the balloon down and read the note inside, "Go up stairs and take a long bubble bath. When you are done, dress casual and meet me at 6:30 at the malt shop. (There was still one in their town, use your ingenuity) The note was signed Peter (Her husband). Susan met Peter at the malt shop, he was dressed casual, but he was wearing his old high school letter jacket. (Some might have a problem with the fit) They had a malt and a hamburger, then they got into the car and he took her to a drive-in theater. He got some pop corn and soda and they snuggled in the back seat and watched the movie. Then he parked on "lover’s lane" and let the sparks fly. Afterward, he took her home. He parked the car out front, walked her to the door just like he did when they were dating. Then he gave her a good night kiss and opened the door for her and she went in. He put the car in the garage and joined his wife for a late night snack. They both had recaptured some of the youthful romance and passion. As for the rest of the evening, use your imagination.

Use your creativity. Surprise your spouse in some way, to show you care, that you are still in love, that you are interested in recapturing the romance. Have fun.

The Bible says in Proverbs 5:18 "Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth." Read on a little farther and realize that God intends for us to enjoy our spouse our entire life.