Our Top 10 Things we LOVE to do Together

Spending most of your time with a bunch of teenagers can be taxing, especially on the marriage side of things.

Three night's out of the week my husband and I are at church giving all of our energy to others, and the other four days are usually spent recuperating.

With that being said...for those of you who are in the same boat...remember that it's important to spend time with your spouse outside of youth group and church functions.

The very center of your marriage hinges on spending quality time together and enjoying one another's company.

I know this from experience because when Mr. YM and I don't take time for us...we get cranky and irritated with one another instead of living out 2 Corinthians 13 (you know...the chapter in the Bible about Love...). 

Our Top 10 Things we LOVE to do Together

(These are not in any particular order.)

1.) Movie Night- this could mean going to the movies, renting a movie, or watching a movie on Netflix.

2.) Going to a local park or beach with a homemade packed picnic or fast food you picked up on the way.

3.) Arcade Fun- Find a local arcade where you can both have some friendly competition. (Mr. YM especially likes this one! :)

4.) Try a NEW restaurant every week OR at least once a month! We've recently been trying out all the Sushi restaurants in our area. We are super excited to have found a sushi HAPPY HOUR! Half price on all sushi rolls...why thank you I think I will!

5.) Go on a walk, hike or bike ride together! This can be exhausting sometimes, but sooooo worth it! It's like quality time and "FUN" exercise rolled into one...which I need desperately since I don't usually enjoy exercise.

6.) Figure out the local festivities and GO TRY SOMETHING NEW! Mr. YM and I found a local Rib Fest here in Miami last year and made a point to go to it again this year.  IT...WAS...AWESOME! Finger-lickin' good!

7.) Read a book together- This is something Mr. YM and I do occasionally and it's totally worth it! Although he is usually a much speedier reader and can retain more info than me, when we read together we are learning together. We share common thoughts about a certain subject and can reflect on the subject together. No this isn't something that's ascertainable all the time, but reading the same book together occasionally is pretty beneficial if I do say so myself. Some books we've read together...The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller, In a Pit with  a Lion by Mark Batterson, What's so Amazing about Grace? by Philip Yancey, and Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley.

8.) Plan a weekend trip together- It's fun and needed to just GET AWAY sometimes. Make time to go somewhere together to explore, relax and renew your minds. You'll be glad you did!

9.) Date Night- Pick one day/night a week that you spend together. It doesn't have to be super fancy. It just has to be the two of you. Sometimes Mr. YM and I just like to sit around and do nothing together. Just as long as we're in the same room enjoying each other's company.

10.) Pick a project and work on it together- This could be cleaning or fixing stuff around the house/apartment together...cooking together...making something. 

Now these are just our TOP 10, and I'm sure there are more ideas out there. Let me know if you have any other ideas or things that you and your youth minister spouse like to do together!

Have a blessed day!

Sincerely,

MYM Jessica

Full-time job, full-time ministry, full-time life

Balancing time for my job, time with my husband, time to clean my house, time for youth ministry, time for family, time for friends...and time for ME

Being a wife requires a lot of my time and adding the youth ministry part requires even more. I'd say 80 percent of my time is spent with youth or at church, and while I love spending time with the youth and serving God, sometimes...my heart isn't there because I'm worn out.

I make a 30-minute commute to a 40 to 50 hour-a-week job at a small daily newspaper as a general assignment reporter. This job not only brings me joy, but it's nerve-wracking dealing with people's lives and emotions and making sure everything is correct and almost perfect so that people don't complain...because they will.

I then make a 30-minute drive home to my wonderful husband (WH), who sometimes cooks supper for us, but sometimes not, so I have to cook and then clean and then, honestly most of the time it's time for bed.

WH and I do try to spend as much time as we can together, but sometimes that time is even hard to find.

Then Wednesday, Thursday, sometimes Friday or Saturday, and Sunday, I come home from work and begin my second "job" (I call it this because it's not really a job...it's a joy, but you get what I mean). I love this line of "work" because it's what my husband is called to do and what I feel like I've been called to do as well, or at least help with.

Then in between all of those activities I find time to call my mom, my brother, my friends...and sometimes...only sometimes...do I find time to meet up with them for some bonding time.

So with all of this being said, and after all of that is done, then I have time for ME.

Now, don't take this in a selfish sort of way. It is, but it isn't.

I know we should serve one another (Gal. 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10), but I have also learned whole-heartedly over the past few months and days (after trials and tribulations over the past year)... that unless I make time for ME then I won't be able to server others effectively.

I know what you're thinking..."No, you need to make time for God. That's when you will be able to serve more effectively."

But that is actually what I mean exactly...making time for ME means taking time for Me and Elohim (Hebrew word for God).

I came up with this acronym to remind myself when I'm being selfish and wanting ME time...that what I really need is time alone with Him.

Sometimes time alone with God means spending time in prayer. Sometimes it means spending time reading the Bible, God's word. Sometimes it means time worshiping Him by myself, singing songs of praise. And sometimes it means just being in his presence, meditating on His word, His silence...without thinking about any worries, stress, anxieties, schedules, to-do lists....just thinking about Him and basking in his glorious presence.

Even Jesus took time out of his busy "schedule" to spend time with God (Mark 1:35).

I found out yesterday that I don't do this enough. And you know what...even sometimes...spending time with God means spending time with people...my family...my friends...the Church.

Yesterday I spent the day with my mom and saw my brother, step-brother and step-dad.

Spending time with them was refreshing...away from my dirty house...away from taking care of someone else...and even away from youth ministry...

I was supposed to have to work this weekend, but somehow I was able to come home for a few days.

Now I know it was a Godsend. He knew I needed time away, time with people he put in my life.

And now I know the importance of making time for ME...you should do the same :)

Resting in His Peace,
MYM

P.S. How do you manage your time as a youth minister's wife?