Except, at least in terms of our physical stuff, we're pawning it off on other people (garage sale!)! Kind of hard to do that with our emotional and spiritual stuff, eh?
Today is my 14th anniversary of being married to my wife. I could make jokes, or make complaints, but that wouldn't be like our marriage. There are always things that bother each of us, and sometimes we voice them, and sometimes we don't. A lot of people ask folks who have been married 50 years what their secret is. There are lots of cute memes and Pinterest and Facebook posters about it, but really it comes down to this: my love for my wife is a choice. It doesn't matter what I do for her, or what she does for me. It doesn't matter what I give up for her, or her for me. I CHOOSE her, and I chose her. God put us together, but it is up to us to stay that way. We have a beautiful son, who I would give anything in the world for. A lot people (and there's nothing wrong with this) might want to go out and spend an evening together at a fancy restaurant, or a movie, and a nice bottle of wine after. But honestly, spending the day with my wife and son, at a Christian camp, smelling like wood smoke, and eating "camp food" is the best way I can think of to celebrate 14 years of marriage. Have they all been wonderful so far? Depends on how you look at it, I guess. They have definitely been full of wonder. But there have been hard times, difficult decisions, and sad days. But never once have I wondered if this persons was anything but my soulmate, the person wanted to be with for the rest of my life. It sounds cheesy, but "she completes me." I would definitely call her my better half, because she keeps me in check, and provides the yin to my yang. I hope she would say the same. Our interests may not always coincide, but we respect each others dreams, desires, and hopes. And more often than not, they do intersect. So, to close this little section....
Lisa, I love you. 14 years is nothing, and it is everything. My prayer for us today is that our hopes and dreams continue to guide us, and that we can bring some light to the world, and raise our son to be the man God wants him to be.
Now...
Progress on my 15³ challenge is going...well, it's going. Since June 15, I have lost 16 pounds. I have been biking at least 10 miles 3-4 times a week, and have begun a couch-to-5k program. I am currently in week 5 of that. It's been admittedly tough. I am going to try to stick it out, but I don't think that running is part of God's long term plan for me anymore. Or if it is, it's going to be in a totally different way. But who am I to know the plans of The Lord? I think running is great, but I'm not enjoying it like I once was. I feel saddened about this, but perhaps that is due to the fact that I felt like I was helping people by running, especially through our Run for God program in Albion. But perhaps God has some different leaders in mind for that, and different plans for me.
My friend Brian has urged me to see a doctor about my running issues - that maybe there is something else at work besides my EXTREMELY lazy winter and weight gain. And I will see a doctor, but only after I have made the effort to correct it myself first.
Don't get me wrong - I think that doctors are educated, helpful people. But I have to be in charge of my own well-being, and take responsibility for myself. I highly believe in the power of healthy diet and living over medicine, and I don't want a doctor to see me for 5 minutes, and then prescribe a pill. Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food."
So - I have a ways to go in my challenge. Will I make it? I hope so. But lately, I have been trying to make sure that it's not just about me. My God can do more for me than I could possibly imagine.
