Recently more than 6,000 people ran right in front of my house…I am on the route of a Marathon that starts at Lambeau Field and about a quarter of the way through, goes by my house. I get out front in my driveway and sit in my lawn chair or stand and cheer on the runners. Way to go! Good job! You can do it! The truly talented and people who would be deemed as “athletes” always have the bigger crowds in the beginning…they have the right outfits, the right bodies, and it all comes together. It reminds me of how we often start out in marriage. We’ve worked to have everything just right…the dress, the tux, all the latest wedding attire done to our taste and perfection. The world is our oyster…we only see the upside of everything.
As I continue to watch the Marathon from my driveway the scene starts to change. Less than perfect running bodies begin to appear, people are going slower, they look fatigued and often discouraged. These are the runners who need and appreciate encouragement.
It’s just like that with marriage. When the honeymoon is over, we can start to lag…the crowds aren’t cheering us on anymore, we don’t always have the right body or the right outfit. That’s when we really have to keep our eye on the prize…the finish line.
It reminds me of what we’re doing at thinkmarriage.org. We’re promoting the gold standard, preparing for marriage, protecting the marriage you are in and passing on the legacy of a great marriage. It’s not always easy, there are discouraging moments, but overall we keep putting one foot in front of another spreading the message that healthy marriages are beneficial to the well-being of children and adults. We need them.
We need to value the gold standard, no matter where we are in life. You may be single, engaged, married, divorced, a single parent or and empty-nester…whatever your stage in life…press for the gold standard. Train for healthy relationships like you would train for a marathon. We have classes for people who want to be married someday and people who are currently married. Just like running before the race, taking classes before you get married is important. Working on your marriage is imporant...runners don't quit and those committed to marriage don't quit either. (Of course in the case of abuse and domestic violence...that's a different story)
We can’t all run marathons, but we can all promote healthy relationships.
Are you in? On your mark…get set…GO!
