Summer in Slow Motion | Reclaiming Your Time, Joy, and Connection
Day 1 - May 25, 2026
Remembering the Past to Anchor the Future
Today is Memorial Day, a profound time set aside to reflect, honor, and remember.
Recently, my brother and I spent time clearing out our family home after our mother passed away. Sorting through those decades of memories was incredibly moving. It was a stark reminder of just how quickly time moves. Holding our grandson recently brought that exact same feeling rushing back. Generations move fast, and it is so easy to get wrapped up in high-priority areas and daily stressors, letting the truly special moments pass right by us.
A while back, I felt the Lord give me a very clear message. He said: "Stan, if you will slow down, I will help you stop having the 'I WISH I WOULD HAVE' MOMENTS, and I will help you make the MOST OF THE MOMENTS."That changed everything for me. At Marriage Minute, our mission is to help couples develop healthy habits, and slowing down is where it all begins. If we don’t pause to reflect on where we have been, we will never fully appreciate or prepare for the incredible future God has for our marriage.
"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." — Psalm 90:12 (NLT)
A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that couples who regularly engage in shared nostalgia—reflecting on positive past memories together—experience significantly higher levels of relationship satisfaction and a stronger sense of social connectedness.
Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.
Take Action
Make the Most of Your Summer:
To make the most of your future, you must first be willing to honor your past and consciously choose to slow down your present.
The "Remember When" Dinner: Sometime this week, cook a simple dinner or grab takeout, and look through old photos from your first summer together.
Protect the Margins: Block out one evening a week on your calendar for the rest of the summer where absolutely nothing is scheduled. Treat it as a sacred appointment.
Questions for Connection:
When you look back at our past summers, what is one of your absolute favorite memories we’ve created together, and why?
What is one specific distraction that usually steals our time, and how can we actively limit it this summer?
Day 2 - May 26, 2026
Summer in Slow Motion | Reclaiming Your Time, Joy, & Connection
Escaping the Trap of the "Urgent
I think we can all agree that summer has a completely different rhythm, but if we aren't careful, it can become just as exhausted and cluttered as the rest of the year! Stan and I have noticed that it is incredibly easy to let the "urgent" things—like yard work, overflowing emails, and endless household tasks—completely overshadow the important things, like sitting on our deck together or going for an evening walk by the lake.
If we want to make the most of the moments in life, we have to recognize that busyness is a thief. It steals our energy and leaves us with leftovers for our spouse. Developing healthy habits means intentionally pushing back against the noise. We have to purposefully choose connection over perfection. It’s okay if the house is a little messy if it means your marriage is thriving.
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." — Ephesians 5:15-16 (NLT)
The Study: According to research from the Institute for Family Studies, couples who actively manage and limit their screen time and daily "busywork" in the evenings report a 20% higher rate of marital happiness and intimacy than those who let digital distractions run unchecked.
Take Action
Your marriage will not grow in the leftover fragments of your time; it requires the first fruits of your attention.
Make the Most of Your Summer:
The 15-Minute Buffer: Create a daily habit of spending 15 minutes together right after work (or when the day winds down) with no screens and no chores, just talking.
The "Not-To-Do" List: Sit down and create a list of things you are giving yourselves permission not to worry about this summer to free up more time for each other.
Questions for Connection:
What is one "urgent" but unimportant task that we can agree to let slide this summer so we have more time for fun?
When do you feel the most rested and connected to me during the week?
Day 3 - May 27, 2026
The Power of Intentional Planning
It feels like just yesterday Mandy and I were packing up our Honda Odyssy for summer vacations with our kids in the back. Now we find ourselves being "Empty Nesters".
I cannot overstate how fast the seasons change! When I look back, the summers that stand out the most weren't the ones where we just let life happen; they were the ones where we were deeply intentional.
Here is a truth we all need to embrace: We can't prepare for everything, but we can fail to plan for the things that are most important.
If you want a summer filled with connection, laughter, and romance, you have to actually put it on the calendar.
- Spontaneity is wonderful, but relying on it entirely usually leads to a whole lot of watching TV on the couch.
- Making the most of the moments requires us to purposefully design those moments.
"Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." — Proverbs 21:5 (NLT)
he National Marriage Project revealed that couples who engage in "novel and challenging" shared activities (like planning a new trip or trying a new hobby together) experience a significant surge in dopamine, mimicking the "butterflies" of early romantic love.
Remember this: "A goal without a plan is just a wish."
If you want to experience an extraordinary summer, you must be willing to plan beyond your ordinary routine.
Take Action
Make the Most of Your Summer:
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The Summer Bucket List: Grab a piece of paper and write down three totally new things you want to experience together before September.
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Pre-Pay for a Date: Book a reservation, buy concert tickets, or rent a kayak online today. Once the money is spent, you are committed to the plan!
Questions for Connection:
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If we could only do one incredibly fun thing together before this summer ends, what would you want it to be?
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What is one area of our marriage where we have stopped planning and just started "coasting"?
Day 4 - May 28, 2026
Bringing the Fun Back
Sometimes, as adults, we simply forget how to play! We carry the weight of jobs, bills, and responsibilities, and our conversations can easily turn into nothing but logistical updates. Who is picking up the groceries? Did you pay that bill? But Stan and I firmly believe that joy and laughter are essential healthy habits for a lasting relationship.
Making the most of the moments in life means giving yourselves permission to be silly, lighthearted, and adventurous. Fun isn't a luxury in marriage; it is the glue that holds you together during the stressful seasons. When you laugh together, your walls come down.
When you play together, your bond deepens. Let’s make this the summer where we intentionally inject a massive dose of joy back into our relationships!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." — Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
A study conducted by The Gottman Institute found that couples who regularly weave humor and playful affection into their daily interactions are far more effective at de-escalating conflicts and maintaining long-term stability.
"We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
Laughter is the shortest and most powerful distance between two hearts; make fun a daily habit.
Take Action
Make the Most of Your Summer:
Dessert First: Break the rules one night and go out for ice cream or your favorite dessert before you eat dinner.
Questions for Connection:
What is something quirky or silly that I do that always makes you smile or laugh?
How can we intentionally bring more laughter and "play" into our daily routine this summer?
Day 5 - May 29, 2026
Building a Legacy of Connection
As we wrap up this series, I want you to fast forward in your mind to the end of August. When the weather starts to cool down and the summer is over, what kind of relational legacy do you want to look back on?
Mandy and I want your marriage to be stronger, your communication to be clearer, and your hearts to be closer than they are right now.
To stop the "I wish I would have" moments, we have to take action today.
The healthy habits you build this summer will become the foundation for your fall and winter. Cherish the small things: holding hands in the car, leaving a kind sticky note on the mirror, offering a word of encouragement. Making the most of the moments isn’t just about grand vacations; it is about finding massive significance in the micro-moments of everyday life.
The Bible says, "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." — Colossians 3:14 (NLT)
Research from the Journal of Family Psychology indicates that couples who create and maintain meaningful daily rituals (like a specific way of greeting each other or a unique bedtime routine) report the highest levels of trust and relationship security.
"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
The legacy of your marriage is not built in a single day, but it is built day by day through intentional choices.
Take Action
Make the Most of Your Summer:
Create a Summer Ritual: Establish one simple, recurring habit just for the two of you—like drinking coffee on the patio every Saturday morning or taking a 10-minute walk every Sunday evening.
The "Thank You" Challenge: For the next 7 days, verbally thank your spouse for one specific thing they did that day, no matter how small.
Questions for Connection:
When we look back at the end of this summer, what is the number one feeling you want us to have about our relationship?
What is one simple daily ritual we can start today that will help us stay closely bonded for the rest of our lives?