The Taste of the Mat

The boxer was pushed back by the referee and told to get to the other side of the ring, but his eyes never left his opponent. His opponent had lowered his guard and the boxer, pressing his advantage, came in with a crushing blow to the right side of his jaw; dropping him to the mat like a sack of potatoes. From across the ring, the boxer was intently watching his opponent as the referee started the 10 count. Watching for any movement, the boxer was calculating his next move, should his opponent regain his feet. His opponent pushed himself up to his feet somewhere around count 5, and after a quick check by the referee, the boxer rushed back in. The opponent barely had enough time to catch his breath before the boxer landed a breath expelling body blow; causing him to stagger back and drop to his knee. The referee rushed back in to separate the two fighters, but with rage in his eyes and a consuming desire to ‘end this’, the boxer shoved the referee aside and as his opponent started to turn his face upward, the boxer pummeled his opponent to the mat…

Have you ever felt like this? You’ve weathered the storm, you’re weary and bruised, but you’ve started to recover and before you know it…BAM! You’re knocked down again. Lisa and I sure have! We are quickly closing in on our first year of marriage and we’ve already experienced things a lot of couples never have or never will face. How do you combine two families and have them blend as one and yet still deal with the individuality that makes each family unique? What do you do/say when the kids still yearn for the way things used to be? For awhile, it seemed like a new issue cropped up almost on a daily basis and while I consider myself a strong person, after awhile it just wears you down! But in the midst of this struggling and stress, something…almost imperceptibly…began to happen, bonding and growth. Sure, Kyle and Hope still drive each other crazy, but at the same time, I see them WANT to play together (at times). Nick and Vinny butt heads at times and like the opposite things, but they love to sit and watch TV together and just talk or ride their bikes to get a soda together. As a family, we’ve already established some of OUR traditions (all of us LOVE to sit around the fire pit on the deck and have S’mores and tell stories). It really is quite amazing!

God has a plan in drawing us together as a family…I have always believed that and Lisa has as well. The issues and ‘bumps’ we have (and most likely will continue to) experienced, draws us closer to each other and continues to show us that we STILL need God to build our house (Psalms 127:1). I believe one of two things is happening; either God is refining us for a purpose He has yet to reveal. Needing Lisa and I to go through and experience certain things to prepare us for His work. Or Satan is attacking us, trying to break us down and to thwart God’s plan for our lives. But I think on this; Satan is one of God’s greatest creations, he’s cunning and devious and possibly one of the greatest stratetitions ever…why would he be wasting his time attacking us if we were ineffective for God’s purposes?

I don’t even pretend to know what God has in store for Lisa and I…it may be grandiose or it may be quite humble in nature, but either way, so be it and may God be glorified! As long as Lisa and I keep our eyes and hearts focused on God, we’ll never let our guard down and we’ll be able to make our stand against the boxer.

~ V