WiseWords – Page 11

On Running and Marriage

Running has always given me a sense of accomplishment. It fuels my inner drive to go for just one more mile, one more step… and some more.

I thought marriage would fully unleash the athlete in me but I was mistaken – at least for the past 10 years. Marriage revealed the sloth.

Marriage IS a gift, it is a wonderful thing but it takes hardwork. The thing is, I don’t always like hardwork. However, in completing a marathon and making a marriage last, perseverance is key. Discipline is necessary.

I am skeptical of married couples who say they “don’t fight.” If you don’t fight then how can you and your spouse grow, not just go, through conlict?

You can go through conflict, sweep it under the rug and pretend that it doesn’t exist. You know, keep the peace… then divorce later?

Or you can grow through the conflict, confront your own demons, work together, and keep love aglow until ever after. Or something like that.

Conflict brought about by a married couple’s differences are not meant to be conciliatory. They’re meant to be complementary.
– becomingBubba

My marriage is teaching me (among many other things) that happiness is a choice I can make everyday.

I can choose to be happy regardless of who (or “what”) I’m married to. I can choose to complement and compliment my husband specially when it’s most challenging to do so.

I was single and happy when I completed my first half marathon. I thought if I got married, it’ll double the fun. Thankfully, I am not 100% wrong.

Word to the wise: if you’re not happy being single (or running alone), don’t get married. You won’t get any happier when you tie the knot. Just tie your shoelaces and keep running.

Oneness in marriage is not about codependency. It’s about not losing who you are as you work (should you decide to work) through your differences.

Oneness in marriage is like putting on a pair of marathon shoes that will weather all terrains. I can’t change shoes (or carry an extra pair) when I run a marathon, can I?

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1ti.4.8.NLT

May I persevere as marriage trains me towards godliness.

“Sticks and stones…?”

Have you ever broken a bone?

The bone on my left pinky got broken when I was 9. It got stuck in the hinge of what could’ve been 8 or 10 feet of solid acacia door. My fault. I stifled a cry, the nail died a slow death but I healed fine.

I also have TMD (temporomandibular disorder). My best guess is it’s an injury from the vehicular accident I was in when I was 4. A panicky passenger with leather shoes stepped on my face as I laid partly conscious. It got me pinned between what was either the ceiling or the floor of the bus my pregnant mom and I were in. My mom and I (and my sibling in her tummy) lived through that day.

My left wrist snapped when I was training in MuayThai in my mid 20s. These days, when I spin my wrist, it makes a clicking sound. Pretty cool.

I wasn’t hospitalized for any of those injuries, no casts, no medications whatsoever. So I Googled up to check whether or not it’s true that bones grow back. I found this one from LibreTexts.

Meanwhile, while the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me,” negates the possibility of getting injured by words, I differ.

Words have power. Words can cut deep. Words can spark revolutions. And words…

“…and words are all I have to take your love away…” -BeeGees

On Forgiveness

“Oh, you never really love someone until you learn to forgive…” – Ben&Ben, ‘Leaves’

Have you ever had to forgive someone?

Have you ever needed to be forgiven?

What does forgiveness mean to you?

There is no true, lasting peace without forgiveness.

While forgiveness doesn’t excuse one from the consequences of his or her wrongdoing, forgiveness transforms one’s perspective from victim to victor.

Forgiveness is a gift deeply sought yet not as easily and freely given. Nor is the need for it readily recognized.

It is only when we see the depth of our selfishness and wretchedness can we be truly grateful for another person’s sacrifice on our behalf.

Please bear with me. I do not want to guilt-trip anyone nor sound high and mighty. Figuratively speaking, I’m just as bad as the next criminal on death row.

While the pursuit of holiness, of purity in my inmost being, has become a daily thing for me, it wasn’t always the case.

It wasn’t until my heart understood the depravity of sin that I started taking a U-turn towards God’s design for my life.

I was the woman caught in adultery.

I was the woman at the well, never married but had several husbands.

I was the lame man who missed several opportunities to be healed because nobody helped me get to the water when it stirred.

I was the blind man, who called out His name so I could see.

And, by grace, I’m the Samaritan leper who came back to thank Him.

He forgave me even WHILE I was – and still am – a sinner.

He gave his life as a ransom for mine.

He shed his blood on the Cross to wash my scarlet robes.

He took each whip, each insult, on my behalf.

Oh, how much like heaven would earth be if we each admitted our dire need to receive forgiveness from the One who gave His all, once and for all? And then, just as freely as we receive it, we freely give it away?

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 BSB
https://bible.com/bible/3034/rom.5.8.BSB

Father God, please help me to freely love and forgive others, just as You have loved and forgiven me. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.