Ben Wilson, LPC

You've seen the scene many times in the movie. A couple goes out to dinner and takes a stroll outdoors afterward. They fall into remembering what happened here and there. It brings smiles to their souls. Remembering is a key reason recreational intimacy is essential in a marriage. 

Fun/recreation is what we typically did when we dated, before marriage. We didn't sit around in sour moods all the time during our dating years. We did things together or even just sitting around the apartment, hanging out, felt like a fun event.  Recreational intimacy takes us back to what first drew us together.

Ann’s cousin Amy is married to Jeff. They started their relationship enjoying fun times together and have continued on with it throughout their marriage and military careers. One activity they both enjoy is scuba diving. They had many underwater adventures while stationed in Okinawa and all over the Southern Pacific.

Howard Markman and Scott Stanley are marriage researchers at Denver University. They wrote, A Lasting Promise. Here is what their research said about recreational intimacy.

 “The amount of fun partners have together is a key factor to overall relational happiness.” 

Fun is a key factor in relational happiness. Key factor. 

Where is your fun level? We aren't talking about irresponsibility or avoidance of real life issues. We are talking about laughing and playing for the sake of laughing and playing because it is part of God's design. We remember God and his character in having fun. Think God doesn't have a sense of fun? Then explain to me the duckbilled platypus. :)

Photo by Nicole Duplaix