Tag: Sacrifice

Marriage Is A Triathlon – Not A Sprint!

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Recently, I was watching a video about training for a triathlon. A triathlon is a race that is split into three different activities: swimming, biking and running. Let me provide my disclaimer that I’m not ready for a triathlon. First, I have to learn how to swim. Learning how to swim is on my 2019 bucket list.

Back to triathlon training. I was curious about the preparation for a triathlon. After watching the video, I realized that preparing for a triathlon is similar to preparing for a lasting marriage. Let me explain.

You can’t just wake up one morning and go complete a triathlon! There’s some preparation involved. That preparation requires commitment. You have to decide to train so many times a week in preparation for the triathlon. Marriage takes commitment. You have to take your vows seriously and be committed to demonstrating your vows by your actions.

A triathlon requires dedication. There will be some days you don’t feel like training. There will be some days you would rather be spending your time doing something else. There will be days you won’t like training. However, you have to train anyway and remain dedicated to being prepared for the triathlon.

Marriage requires dedication. There will be some days that you don’t want to be married. There will be some days you don’t like your spouse. There will be some days you would rather be doing something else. When those days come and trust me they will, you have to remain dedicated to your marriage.

A triathlon requires some essential gear: a bike, helmet, shoes, swimming cap, goggles and a trisuit to name a few. Without the essential gear, you hinder your chances of doing your best. You want to do your best.

There’s some essential marriage gear: love, good communication, good sex, honesty, God and prayer to name a few. If you don’t have the essential marriage gear, it will be difficult to have a lasting marriage. Essential marriage gear is necessary and beneficial to a good marriage.

A good marriage deserves a good foundation. A good foundation begins with commitment, dedication and the essential gear. Are you ready for your triathlon?

Learn How To Sacrifice

thenaturalprofessor2 Comments

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We are told no by our parents because they want us to learn the value of a dollar.  If we were given everything we wanted, we wouldn’t know how to respond in a time of stretched finances.  We have seen the result of children who are never told no.  Words are inadequate to express how we feel, when we accomplish something because of our sacrifice.  I remember earning my first degree.  I still can’t place into words how I felt to earn something that no one could take away from me.  What about when you receive that first car title, after making that last car payment?  How about that feeling of being debt free?  Any of these actions required some kind of sacrifice.

However, the sacrifice was worth it because there was greater on the other side of the sacrifice.  We know how to sacrifice, but have we taught our children how to sacrifice?

Our children are living in some of the best of times.  My generation has been able to provide for our children some of the things that our parents were unable to provide for us.  We have paid college tuition, purchased cars, paid monthly rent and supplied our children with designer clothes and high-end electronics.  We have done all of these things, but have we taught them how to sacrifice?  Have we taught our children how to save money, buy a CD (and I am not talking about a music CD), purchase shares of stock, or just the lesson of delayed gratification.  The last thing we should want is our children living paycheck to paycheck because they are wearing their money on their backs and feet.

Let’s teach them how to sacrifice.  Sacrificing builds good character and productive citizens who don’t mind helping someone else along the way because they know what it’s like to persevere through difficulty; and they recognize that they could be in the same position.  So, what lesson in sacrificing will you be giving this week?