Summer is a great time for building relationships. Families can take advantage of longer evenings and vacation days to play and have fun together. Making time to develop meaningful relationships is worth the effort. The key relationships to focus on are marriage, family, and friends.

Our family has enjoyed going to the Colorado Rockies for summer vacations for more than twenty years. We enjoyed doing activities like hiking and biking together as a group, but we also made it a priority to connect with each individual family member. The connections of our family were strengthened as we were intentional to do a favorite activity with our spouse and each child, and later each grandchild, during the week we were together.

Marriage

My husband and I enjoy spending time together. We love talking as we walk. A trip to do errands can be boring, but when your spouse is with you, you have a chance to deepen your friendship as you discover new things about each other that breathes life into your relationship.

Family

My husband and I enjoy spending time with our family and extended families. We do things as a group and go on occasional dates with each child and grandchild when we get together. As empty nesters, we really cherish our time with our adult children and their families and try to get together annually and visit by phone, Skype, FaceTime, or Marco Polo weekly. We value our extended families and visit with them in person or by phone regularly.

Friends

My husband and I enjoy spending time with friends. We enjoy sharing a meal or dessert, taking a walk, playing games, or putting together a puzzle as couples. Individually, we also seek out times to visit, explore our nearby parks, or eat with our friends.

Friends are close in proximity. They are the ones we can help when assistance is needed on a project, someone needs a babysitter, or a meal would be a blessing to when someone in the family is sick. They are the ones who listen and pray with us when times are tough.

Health Benefits

Building relationships are important for our health. Being needed is a basic need everyone has. These relationships give a sense of purpose. Family and friends need each another. The positive peer pressure from a friend can help a person stop smoking or doing other habits that lead to poor health. Laughter is good medicine, so we can laugh with our children, family, and friends. People who have relationships can also remind each other to take their medicine after a surgery or choose to eat right so they can become healthier. Another way to be healthy is to reduce stress by sharing the burdens of our lives with our family and friends. Pray together. Studies show that healthy relationships lead to longer lives.

Action

Make plans today to spend time with your spouse, family, and friends. Be intentional about building these important relationships in your life.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. How do you build meaningful relationships?