Author: jacksonkarris@gmail.com

My husband asked me what I wanted to do for our 13th anniversary. The kids were going with my mom and we had one day to celebrate thirteen years of marriage. I thought it would be fun to go to Seven Springs or Oglebay (resorts relatively close to the Pittsburgh area), but I really wanted to go to our local state park and spend the day hiking, boating and swimming in the lake. Yes, the lake. I know some people don’t like to swim in lakes, but I enjoy the peace and stillness that only a lake can provide.

I enjoy the outdoors

But my husband doesn’t

Everyone who knows him knows – he doesn’t like water and he doesn’t like to swim

So, imagine my surprise when I suggested the state park and he said, “okay”. I had the entire day planned. We would start the day by going hiking on the trails, then rent a boat and spend a few hours floating up and down the lake, and finish the day watching the sunset.  I even suggested we rent a cabin and stay the night.

And he was willing – willing to do it all

Once the kids were gone, we packed up an overnight bag and set out on our journey. Since this was the first time either one of us went “hiking” on a trail, we stopped at the park office to get the lay of the land. We found out there were no cabins available so we couldn’t stay the night, but we got all the information we needed for our day of outdoor exploration. We started our adventure by hiking on a trail. There was mud, fallen trees, animals, bridges and even a small waterfall. I love waterfalls. We had so much fun. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. I forgot how funny my husband is.

After our hike, we rented a motor boat and spent a few hours going up and down the lake. I love being surrounded by water – in the stillness of the sky and trees. It awakens my soul and gives me life.

We floated. We talked. We laughed

As we drove out the parking lot of the boat dock, I wondered if he still wanted to go to the beach. It was getting late and we had a long day. He had already done so many things outside of his comfort zone. I didn’t know if going to the beach would be too much. So, I glanced over and asked him if we were going to the beach.

And we did

We got out our chairs and sat 

We talked. We laughed. We watched people. And we watched the sunset

As the evening came to an end, I decided to take a walk along the water. When I got back to where we were sitting, he was sleep.

My heart was full

And I remembered why I fell in love with him 

Thirteen years down and the rest of our lives to go…

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ^7 [b]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NASB)

karris

This is THE SEBRING. We bought it in 2005. It’s eleven year’s old. Every morning, I drive my daughters to school. I usually drive our other car, but when it’s in the shop I drive THE SEBRING. As soon as my oldest daughter hears that we’re taking the SEBRING, a look of horror overtakes her face. She hates this car. She thinks it’s old. She thinks it’s ugly. She thinks it’s worthless. She doesn’t like to ride in it.

Earlier this year, someone stole the SEBRING and my daughter was happy. When the policeman called, and told us they found our car without a scratch on it, I was elated. But my daughter was devastated. She thought the SEBRING was gone. She thought we were getting a new car.

My daughter doesn’t understand – THE SEBRING is an ASSET and not a liability

The truth is…it’s very easy to confuse the two

To me, THE SEBRING represents freedom. It evokes a sense of accomplishment in me when I drive it. It’s paid off. I have the title in hand and I’m not indebted to anyone for it. There are no payments. No bills in the mail. And no possibility of someone coming to repossess it. Although it’s a little rusted on the bottom and makes a funny noise when I turn it on, it’s completely mine

This is one of those life lessons I want my daughter to understand 

So, the other day on our way to school, I had a conversation with her about why I’m not embarrassed to drive THE SEBRING. I explained to her that life is about building ASSETS and not accumulating liabilities. I told her that an older car (that is paid off) is more valuable than a new car with five to seven years of payments. I shared with her the importance of living a life without debt. She listened attentively. And then she asked me to drop her off down the street from her school so no one would see her getting out of THE SEBRING.

All I could do was laugh

She doesn’t understand

She’s only eleven

She doesn’t realize that the accumulation of liabilities will never bring happiness. Her self-worth and value can’t be found in an abundance of possessions. It can only be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We will get another car one day

But for right now…I’ll drive THE SEBRING

 

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15 New International Version)

“You need to reflect on what brought you here”! That’s what Jennifer, my nutritionist, said to me during my last visit. She was visibly disappointed in my lack of progress over the last several months. I started this journey with Jennifer in July 2016 and did well the first few months. I lost almost 20 pounds. I was feeling better than I’ve felt in a long time. I was cooking healthier meals and learning about how different foods impact my body. I even went to the gym a few times. I was making progress. Good progress. But, then something happened. A series of birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas thrust me back into my normal routine of neglecting my health in the name of “too busy” and “not enough time”.

The truth is…I’m good at managing projects, competing tasks, and getting things done for other people

I’m not so good at taking care of my body

In early 2016, I started having problems with my right knee. It’s the same knee I had surgery on when I was in college. I’ve always had problems, but never like this. My knee started to give out on me. So, I went to my doctor and he sent me to the orthopedist. The orthopedist told me I needed a knee replacement, but I couldn’t get one because I was too young. He told me I needed to lose WEIGHT. He said my WEIGHT was putting too much pressure on my knee.

He said, “your knee can no longer carry the burden of your WEIGHT”

He gave me a knee brace, prescribed a few weeks of physical therapy, and walked out the room.

The truth is…I’ve been carrying around this WEIGHT for a long time

And I don’t know how to lay it aside

So, I decided to seek help from a nutritionist and started the journey of healthy eating. It was going well for the first few months, but then it got harder. I wasn’t able to keep up with all the grocery shopping and cooking. I found myself in Jennifer’s office explaining to her why I couldn’t do it. I told her it was impossible for me to sustain a lifestyle that included cooking healthy meals every day. I told her I couldn’t do it. I told her I didn’t have the time.

But she didn’t want to hear it

She told me to go home and reflect on what brought me to her office in the first place

Later, that evening, I made a list. I wrote down the reasons why I contacted her office. I put the list on my wall. And every day I wake up and remind myself why I choose to eat healthy. I remind myself that I’m important and worth the effort it takes to live my best life.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (American Standard Version)

The truth is… I’m not able to fully run the race set before me if I don’t lay aside THIS WEIGHT