Next Sunday, the 25th, marks my 7th anniversary! It is hard to believe that we have gotten into these not-so-newlywed-numbers. Sometimes it seems like we are still very much newlyweds, but then when I stop to think about where we have been and what we have done in the past 7 years (10 years total!) it makes me realize we have covered a lot of ground.
We have lived in 2 different states, 6 different cities and 8 different homes since we got married. We have had 10 different jobs together, not including the most honorable job of all... parent. Yeah, thinking of all this really puts into perspective that we really have been married for a long time. And these 7 years of marriage have added so much to our journey.
It seems that from the very beginning we have been working toward a goal of "getting somewhere." For instance, when we were first married we wanted desperately to return to Michigan to be close to my family. That was years of the process. Then God did a work in my heart that I never expected and called us back to South Carolina. (What a process that was! I always said I would NEVER leave Michigan again unless I was perfectly clear that it was in God's plan for me and my family. I praise Him for working in me and showing me gently what His will was.) Once we arrived to SC the journey involved "resting & waiting" for God to direct us to the place, town, home where we should settle. And there's another year in the record books. Finally, as of last summer's relocation to Liberty, it seems we have landed!
Oh, the journey hasn't ended... I guess to make it clear I will use an analogy. (My husband taught me this art of analogy early on in our dating!) I will compare our first 7 years of marriage to an Orlando vacation. We were in one park riding several different rides for a while. Eventually, due to many factors (timeline, goals, priorities), when it was time to move to the next park we were excited to have the unique experiences the next park could offer. After years of park-hopping, it seems that we have landed in one place. We liked the entire Orlando experience, but we have decided upon a favorite park in which we will spend most of our time. There is something very refreshing about choosing a favorite**. It is as if choosing a favorite and speaking it with confidence helps me to know who I am a little better. What a relief to know myself!
It is nice to be settling into a life that I can be confident will remain mostly stable for quite a while. Narrowing down our preferences has helped us to focus on things we haven't been able to focus on in the first several years of marriage. Trying to get to the next place was always such a huge focus that we sacrificed some other things that were also important to us. I am enjoying switching the focus from trying to arrive to living the life. A lot of life was lived while we were trying to arrive, but a lot of life was missed, too. What a journey.
Here is a little extra tidbit that I included mostly just to document some great growth, but I will share it with you because you seem so interested! rofl
**Favorites are something very new to me. For as long as I can remember, I was uncomfortable choosing a favorite drink, meal, color, friend or song/artist. It was very safe not to pick favorites. I didn't have to explain myself or defend my selection, I didn't have to butt heads with someone who liked something opposite, and most of all I wouldn't hurt anyones feelings by not picking the same favorite as them. I have learned that I attempt to earn worth through my choices, behaviors, and attidudes. Realizing that this is not a healthy way of living (because my worth comes through Christ and who He says I am) has released me to be able to be who I am without regard to how others percieve me.
And... just to excercize my use of favorites I changed to my favorite font color! ;o)
I can't tell you how much I love reading my friend's blogs! I think it must be because I am such a relational person and I love to know lots of little tidbits from my friends lives that I may not get to share if it wasn't for their posts. Most of the blogs I read are from friends far away, but even if I lived close to them I think I would still love it! As I mentioned in my first post here, I think it only fair to share a little something back with anyone who cares to read. The only thing is that I have a hard time coming up with a main theme or focus point for my blog. I don't want it to be boring so that no one wants to read it! But, I suppose... if I don't make entries no one will read it either, huh? So... here I am... I am going to try my best to jot something in here a few times a week. I think it will be a good outlet for me. And I think in my though process while typing I just came up with a theme! The journey.
I have really felt in the last few months like God is drawing me closer to Him than I have been in a long time. I have had more clarity of mind to deal with some things that have been on my mind for a while. Because of that clarity I have had more zeal and passion to become healthier in many areas of life. L.C. and I joined the local rec center last month and I have been loving it! I also joined Weight Watchers again (for the 3rd time) and am pretty serious about this being the last time! I asked L.C. his opinion on what I should focus on at the gym to start with. He said cardio to drop the weight first. I am glad I have a smart husband!!! So I have been doing an hour at the gym several times a week. It actually feels good. I have never been an exercise lover, but I guess I discovered a passion for the accomplishment I feel from it now. It feels good knowing that I can run for 20 minutes!!! (I bet it will shock many of the people who know me well that I am loving to run!) Fran even got me on the elliptical twice this week and I am loving that. Thanks, Fran!
That was a long deal about the exercise portion of the journey, but hey... if I don't write you can't read, right? And if you can't read there will be little snippets of my life that you will miss out on, huh? ;o)
Oh... the main thing I wanted to post here is links to my favorite blogs! That would have stunk if I forgot, huh?
Dan's Bike Trip is a definite must! Dan was a great friend in college and a fellow RA (my favorite college job!!). He is currently on a bike trip across the nation to raise money and awareness for an orphanage in Mexico called Tapestries of Life. People in Croswell should recognize this as Steve Brewer's ministry. You can click on the following link to find out more about Dan's bike trip and to read his journal. It is pretty cool!!! http://wesleyanteens.com/dbt/
One of my very best friends, Tammy (Hurley) Williams, is gearing up for a big relocation to China. She and her husband (and their two little ones) are heading to China to learn Chinese at a university there. They have been working with international students at Michigan State University for 4 years and now it is their turn to be international students on someone else's turf. You can follow their journey at http://williamsinqinghai.blogspot.com/.
