Month: October 2023

It has been twenty four years since we said I do before God and to each other. Somedays it is feels like just yesterday and then at times it seems like this is how we have always been. We see the best and the worst, and choose to love anyway. Perfection is not the goal and transformation is possible, we are evidence of both. I see so much grace in this marriage of ours and am daily thankful. My only regret is that I wish I would have believed God had good plans for me sooner and lived accordingly before I saw how it all would play out. I would have trusted Him to fulfill them and not added my own suggestions, but would have simply done the next right thing. Another reason to be thankful for His grace upon grace.

Happy Anniversary Damon, I love you. May the Lord give us a hundred more.

Have you ever heard of a rucksack? It is a weighted backpack that is used for training purposes. The challenge was to put this rucksack on and run a mile. I wondered what this weight could represent? I need something to think about that takes my mind off the physical pain. Ideas came to mind and I settled on other peoples stuff, especially words spoken that hurt. We can carry words, like weighted backpacks, and not even be aware of it. And to be honest, I know I have contributed my fair share of hurtful words. The longer the distance, the heavier the pack became. Then came the relief of being able to throw it to the ground! Could words be that easy?

I’ve thought about that experience several times lately, but have found words to be a bit more challenging to throw off. However, I have experienced the relief that truth offers when I read it or hear it. The collected weight just does not seem true anymore.

I felt my back tighten up and wondered what was causing the pain. Come to think of it, my hips did not feel quite right either. Age perhaps? A specialist offered to take a look at me for free and I gladly accepted. After a few minutes of awkward stretches and observations, my back and hips were back in alignment. Apparently, I had been wearing the wrong shoes to work out this whole time.

This made me think of the scripture verse, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT). The enemy would have us all walking around in shoes of fear and we would be in pain and out of alignment. Anger, complaining, division, escape, guilt, shame, comparison, judgment and selfishness would be the result. Compare that with the shoes of peace that come from knowing the Good News. Our personal circumstances and world events might not change as easily as putting on a new pair of shoes, but we will have peace. And what do you think will draw others to the Good News more, peace or fear? Friends, let’s make sure we are wearing the right shoes.

“…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus..” Hebrews 12:1-2

The instructions did not seem that difficult. Take two kettle bells and carry them for a marked distance. I picked out my weights and began walking. An idea came to mind. These weights could represent my sin, therefore I wanted to feel the weight. In the beginning, walking was not that difficult, but soon became quite challenging. I found if I talked to someone else while walking, the distraction took my mind off of the weight. I did not do that again. At a certain point you could set down the weight, but only for a moment. The relief was instant. I could hardly wait to finish and put them down for good.

I have thought about this physical example many times. The weight of our sin and the amount of energy it takes to live with it is exhausting. The offer of Jesus is to accept what He did on the cross for us because of our sin. God’s perfect Son took the weight of all our sin on Himself and died. How could He physically stand it? I only felt mine, not the whole worlds. What a Savior! The relief turns into gratitude. We become more and more aware of what it means to run our race. We are told to look to Jesus, who by the way, did not stay dead, but rose again on the third day!!

*I gave up blogging and shut the site down. The break was good, but felt the desire to start it back up again.