Catholic Husband

Love / Lead / Serve

A Line in the Sand

Our lives are an experiment. We have one chance to live, and as a part of that experience, we have to find our way. Thankfully, we have wise parents to help us not make major mistakes. In large part, though, we’re able to quite easily fall into ruts.

We all get off track at times. For the past 24 months or so, I’ve been fighting to get my weight down. In May, I reached the 30lbs. lost mark. I was ecstatic! Diligent dieting, food journaling, and exercise got me so close to my victory. Then came the move. I slacked off… big time. I didn’t work out, we ate out all the time, and I ate whatever I wanted. The result? A 13 pound gain in six weeks.

Ouch.

Whether it’s my weight, my prayer life, or even just my relationship with Alison, there are times when I fall into routines and behaviors that are working against me and my goals. There’s only one way to right the ship: draw a line in the sand.

The things that happen to us in life don’t define us. How we respond to them does. I can take my weight gain and just let it go. I could throw up my hands, say it’s just the way my body is, and wave the white flag. Or I can fight. I can say, “ENOUGH!” I can put my walking shoes back on, pull out my food diary, and limit the sweets.

There are times in your life when you just need to draw a line in the sand.

Beware. When you draw a line in the sand, the resistance will emerge. Alison will make turtle bars, we will have a week of rain, the alarm clock will be just too painful. It will be easy to slip back into your old ways. Fight, fight, fight!

When things get tough, you know you’re on the right path. Persevere!

No temptation is too much for us to overcome. No bad habit is enough to make us a bad person. The choice is yours. Will you draw a line in the sand or wither away?