Sunburns and Sparks: Keeping Your Marriage Hotter Than July
Day 1 - Jul 20, 2026
The Roommate Cure (Why Date Night is Non-Negotiable)
Mandy and I have noticed something over the years: when life gets busy, it's incredibly easy for couples to stop acting like lovers and start acting like roommates who just split the bills. The data backs this up. Couples who prioritize getting out together at least once a month are significantly happier and much less likely to drift apart.
If you don't make time for each other, you lose your connection, and the marriage goes on autopilot. That is why we always say, "Date night is a Necessity, Not a Luxuray". It's the ultimate roommate repellent.
You have to protect your time together fiercely. If you just wait for a free evening to magically appear, it never will.
If it's not on the calendar, it's not in the marriage.
Write it down in ink and treat it like the most important meeting of your week.
"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." — Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)
Take Action
Talk It Out:
What is one thing I currently do that makes you feel like my top priority, and what is one thing that makes you feel like an afterthought?
If we had a completely free Saturday with absolutely zero responsibilities, what is your dream way for us to spend it together?
Summer Ideas:
Food Truck Roulette: Skip the traditional sit-down restaurant. Find a local food truck park and buy an appetizer from one, dinner from another, and dessert from a third.
The Penny Date: Let chance decide your night. Flip a coin at every intersection. Heads you turn right, tails you turn left. After 15 flips, you have to find the closest place to grab a drink, coffee, or dessert.
Topgolf or Arcade Night: You don't need to be a pro to have fun hitting some golf balls or playing vintage arcade games. Get a little competitive, order some appetizers, and just laugh at yourselves.