Quantity and Quality
Grace Church MOPS 09/25/12. Speaker: Kathy Brown
- Relationships
are a priority
- F.U.N. - Flexibility,
Understanding, Nourishing vs.
Rigidity and Rushing (Not just leftover-love J )
- Power
of presence!
- Connect
/ Re- Connect
- Margins:
Set aside a little time each day and guard it with your life!
- Explore
interests of hubby, kids, support team – look for common interests; keep
in mind temperaments, love languages (affirmation, gifts, service, time, touch), and birth order.
- Mindset
: Mood begins first thing in the morning and ends at bedtime.
- Be
available…this will not change when kids grow up and the nest is empty!
Signs of Time Crunches:
·
How
aware are you of the current emotional needs of each other?
·
How
often are you engaging in physical or emotional intimacy as a couple?
·
How
aware are you of the frustrations and blessings in each other’s lives? (Skill
of communication)
·
Are
all of your “quality times” together around tough issues with no
“timeout” for fun?! Togetherness!
Ideas:
- Trade
childcare with friends if you don’t have family close.
Kiddos- Best to
get one on one (mommy or daddy dates) to really get to know them.
Ideas: pray
together for things in their life, lots of hugs, fun discussion questions to
draw them out, errands, take to work if possible, road trips, school lunch,
meet-me-at-the-pole prayer at school (even preschool!), play, wrestle, games,
attend their activities (not just drop them off), picnics, lay next to them and
talk ,cloud watch or stargaze, biking, reading a book together, church, craft, walks,
fishing, baking, cooking a meal, service project together, movie, explore
outdoors, drives, hang out night, camp, campfire, work on project together,
coloring.
Couples
Activities: Hiking, cooking, drive ,park, fishing,
sports activity, walks, candlelight dinners, picnic by moonlight, movie, progressive
date, candlelight in yard, stargazing, dreaming together, join him on a
project, camp, sit in garage with door open after kids in bed (or closed!),
wood cutting, hunting, hangout, biking, read
couples devotional or chapter book together, practice physical intimacy
–explore new ideas together, craft, ice cream or Chinese food in bed, office
picnic behind closed doors, meet out of town, coffee, prayer, hugs, discuss fun
list of questions (not hot topics).
· Take note when at a restaurant: Dating couples are talking….married
couples are busy eating!!!!
Group Discussion
Questions:
- What current need do you have for quality
time? Do you have enough close friends/family (support team)?
- How do time crunches affect you? Are you available for one- on -one time and
togetherness?
- Choose 2 one-on-one kiddo ideas and how/when you plan to implement
with EACH child?
- Choose 3 couple ideas and how/when you plan to implement
one?
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