On the heels of Valentine’s Day, may I ask, how was the romance?

We went to dinner at a restaurant new to us, but not fancy schmancy. We had great food and good conversation. Apparently, we made a good choice to eat early, as the line was out the door with people wanting to get in as we left. After dinner, we walked across the parking lot for a leisurely stroll through Hobby Lobby. Jerry mentioned he hoped I wasn’t disappointed that this was not romantic enough.

I told him to stop right there. Romance, in my humble opinion, is very individualized to the couple. If we had reservations for dinner and dancing, I would feel uncomfortable as I am not a dancer. If we went to a 5-star restaurant where the waiter puts the napkin on my lap, I’d be nervous and giggling all evening. What we did was perfect for us, our budget, and the pace of life. And best of all, he took the time and initiative to make the plan. Now that’s romantic!

To me, romance means we spend time together that is meaningful to us as a couple. It may revolve around a holiday, or it may be around a table playing a game. It might be taking a walk around the neighborhood in the evening as we hold hands and enjoy the sunset. Sometimes it is a quiet evening of reading.

Speaking of reading, I’d like to suggest a book, Lovestruck: Discovering God’s Design for Romance, Marriage, and Sexual Intimacy from the Song of Solomon by Sharon Jaynes. (I do not receive any compensation for this recommendation).

I learned about the book from an author interview on the radio. Part of the appeal for me was this is one of the first, if not the first book written on the Song of Songs by a woman. I told Jerry about it and we have been reading it the last couple of weeks. Our first read-through was each on our own. Now, we want to reread it together.

The author writes with an engaging sitting across the table from you, voice that draws one in. She treats this unique book in God’s Word with great respect and research and helps us understand what the strange language of that culture means. Sharon Jaynes also shares a bounty of tips to help you improve and grow in your marriage, both in day-to-day interactions and in times of intimacy. Jerry and I are each finding ways to improve our communication, romance, and marriage. We are sure you will too. If you’ve read the book, or get it to read now I’d love to hear your thoughts.

What does romance look like in your relationship (G rated comments only please)?