Five Live Languages:

Quality Time

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Yesterday's post was really long! Sorry about that. Today's will be a little shorter! 

What is quality time?

time spent in giving another person one's undivided attention in order to strengthen a relationship (i.e.without distractions like cellphones or other electronic devices)

To whom can this apply?

• husband and wife
• parent and child
• siblings
• friends
• whole families

I asked some of the people at work yesterday, "If someone we're going to spend quality time with you, what would you do together?" Here is a bit of the response that I got. 

"Go to the movies."
"No, not the movies because you can't talk."
"Go to the movies and then talk about it."
"Talk about it over ice cream."
"But just don't get out your cellphone."
"Yeah, that's right. No cellphone."

So here's a brief list of things to do to spend quality time together:

• Go to the movies (then eat ice cream)
• Sit down together for a meal
• Gather for a cookout
• Go on a road trip 
• Go fishing
• Cook together
• Read books together
• Ride bikes
• Hike
• Hang out at the pool/beach
• Get a pedicure together
• Go someplace quiet so you can talk

Bill and I like to take our dog, Cassie, for a walk each evening. Last night as we walked, my phone buzzed in the middle of Bill's telling me something. I responded to my text and suddenly realized Bill was saying something like, "Cassie, she's not paying any attention to me right now. Or she's mad at me or something." No! I just got destructed. Bad me! He had to start all over again. But I listened the second time!

That could really get old if it happened all the time. Agreed? 

Quality time is just that -- quality. It's giving someone your undivided attention, making eye contact, and truly paying attention to them. Try it out and see what happens. 

Lord, not only should we spend uninterrupted time with our family and friends, I'm pretty sure you would like some quality time as well. Help us be mindful of your desire to fellowship with us. Help us do it. 

 

The Five Love Languages: How to Express 

Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate 

by Gary Chapman (1995)

Mr. Chapman says that just like we have fuel tanks in our cars that require gasoline to work, our hearts have love tanks that need to be fueled. The five "love languages" are the fuel: words of affirmation, quality time, gift giving, acts of service, and physical touch.