Date night

I read yesterday that President Obama was being criticized for going out for an evening date with his wife. Some critics said that did not look very presidential with all of the problems facing our nation. Baloney! Obama has made decisions that I disagree with, and I am perfectly willing to criticize when appropriate, but how can anyone complain about someone's decision to take his wife out for an evening together?

For many years my wife and I have enjoyed a date night. We found that unless we scheduled time to be together it seldom happened. As a bivocational pastor something always came up that would prevent us from enjoying some time together. We decided to schedule an evening or day that would be our date time for the week, and since starting this there have been few weeks that we have not enjoyed a date.

Typically, our date will consist of going out to eat, often in a city about an hour from our home, maybe do a little shopping, often stopping in Barnes and Noble, and grabbing a Starbucks for the trip home. Nothing fancy, but the best part of the date is often that two hour round trip drive when we are all alone and can just talk without fear of interruption.

We protect this time. Her work schedule sometimes changes, so as soon as I find out her day off I schedule that day on my calendar. Her schedule is usually posted three weeks out, so I can schedule this time that far in advance. I simply write her name down for that day, and if anyone calls wanting a meeting or wanting me to do something else I tell them I already have an appointment for that day. The caller is usually satisfied, and I've never been asked what the appointment is for.

It is too easy for busy people to forget the most important people in their lives. We in the ministry do not want to take our families for granted or give them whatever left-overs we might have. Most likely, our churches have had many pastors before us, and if the Lord tarries they will have many pastors after we've left. However, I want to be the only husband my wife ever has and the only father my children ever know which means I have to invest in those relationships.

President Obama has given us a good example. The demands on his time are far greater than most of us will ever experience, but he will still take some time to spend with his family. I hope he and his wife had a great time on their date, and even more I hope you will follow their example.