One of the things that no one tells you before you get married is that you will still have a desire to do your own thing. Just because you are now legally and in God's eyes an equal partnership does not mean that you automatically slip into the "we" mindset. I find that this is something that I still struggle with. I come home from work and have in my mind a list of things that I would like to accomplish. However, I realize that there are things that Charlie would like for us to do. Because I am married should the "me" things just disappear?
I think that the answer is no, but I can not be certain of this. I will admit to feeling guilty sometimes for still having my own agenda in my mind. Isn't part of a good marriage putting the other person first and sacrificing for them? Why can't I just let go of all these things that I want to do and just focus on her and us? Maybe that isn't realisitc. Here is an example of what I am talking about: I come home from work and want to go for a walk, Charlie is already home and wants to go shopping. We generally shop together. So do I say no thanks I want to get my walk in, or say sure honey let's go, I can walk later. I don't necessairly think that there is only one answer. Most of the time I will put off my walk until later and go shopping. However when we get back from shopping I feel rushed, because then I want to get the walk in before bedtime.
Anyone who knows me well, knows how much I love my wife, and how I would do anything for her. At the same time even though we are now a partnership both legally and spiritually we are also still both individuals. Individuals who have differing ideas on some things and different ways of doing things. So the key is to adjust to this and communicate and compromise. My way of doing this would be to try and have a daily schedule and plan things out, her approach is more organic and rooted in the day to day. She has gotten me to approach certain things more in this manner. I am guessing that I have also affected her and that she plans certain things out now. So we rub off on each other. She knows how improtant getting my daily walk in is to me. I know that it is important to her that we do our shopping together. The shopping is important to me as well because it is important to her.
So, even though we are now more then 7 months into the marriage and have lived together for over a year now there is still adjusting going on. I can have a routine. But there needs to be enough flexibility built in so that we can still do the spur of the moment things that my lovely wife likes to do day to day. I struggle with this. Just because I still have things that I want to do doesn't make me selfish or a bad husband, it just means that even though I am married, I am still an individual. Just like Charlie is still an individual. I lived on my own for 11 years, we have lived together for less then two, so I continue to adjust, grow and learn. I just want us to grow together through this experience and not apart. I have seen first hand what can happen to a marriage when one person puts their own agenda and happiness above that of their spouse. I am activley avoiding that scenario in our marriage. This is what is on my mind right now. Thanks for reading
Bryan Ericson
Friday, June 14, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Expressing My Faith (My testimony)
Last month I just completed a nine month long intensive Bible study class at my church. We met every Monday night, and for 2.5 hours we would go over six days worth of material. In my study of the Old and New Testaments I felt like I was getting to know who God was better. Also learning about the character of Christ.
Often I hear people talking about walking in Jesus's footsteps or immitating his life in our own. I had a very broad idea what that meant. In this last year I got a real sense for something that I was missing before, the humanity of Jesus. Yes He was fully God but he was also fully human. He came among us so He could understand our suffering in the flesh. He had already devised a plan to forgive all of our sins, by paying the ultimate sin debt once and for all. No more burnt or blood offerings were needed. Jesus as the priest of the New Covenant, died for us to pay for our sins with His blood once and for all. All we have to do to participate in His new kingdom is to accept that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for the sins of this fallen world.
It took me years of living the "human life". I lived for myself, and was accountable to only me. But thanks to the example I had in my stepfather Gordon Sauer, about how a Christian man treats others, and that the main purpose of living is to live for Christ and to glorify Him whenever we can. My mom also was an influence here. She is the one who made me go through Sunday school and confirmation class. So when I reached the point in my life where I felt that I couldn't do things on my own anymore I had the background and knew enough about God that I knew where I had to go and what I had to do. I gave myself to God and made him the Savior of my life. I know try to live everyday for Him.
The past month or so, I have wrestled with a different question. As a Christian and a disciple I should be "witnessing" to other people. I am not one to walk up to people Bible in hand and start preaching. I rarely mention my faith at work or in public. If someone asks me I will share my story, but I don't feel that I am called to get up and give a fire and brimstone sermon. What I have felt a nudge that I can best glorify God by modeling and living my faith through actions. I wear a cross every day to symbolize my faith. My lovely wife made it for me and as usual of the jewlrey she makes it is awesome.
A thought hit me over the weekend. If I am going to talk about my faith with people, what I need is an opening or an opportunity. A way I can show my faith in a unique way, and pique people's curiosity without it being blatlently obvious and in your face. I think that is what turns a lot of people off about religion and how some people choose to express their faith right now, it is in your face and shoved down your throat. No one want's to be told what to believe or think. One of the most awesome things about being a Christian is that God gives us all free will and that it is our choice to seek him out. No manipulation or force. I can witness for Christ in this way. Just be there every day and living by His example. When someone comes up to me and asks me about my faith then I can share my story. Not tell them what to believe or that they will go to Hell. But to let them know how and why I met God and how he saved my life and the love and peace that he has for me. To let them know what He did in my life. A part of me is dead, I have been reborn and am a new person. I have thought of a way to symbolize this and I have asked for Charlie's help with this. I am excited about this and that I have found a way to express my faith in a way that fits my personality.
Often I hear people talking about walking in Jesus's footsteps or immitating his life in our own. I had a very broad idea what that meant. In this last year I got a real sense for something that I was missing before, the humanity of Jesus. Yes He was fully God but he was also fully human. He came among us so He could understand our suffering in the flesh. He had already devised a plan to forgive all of our sins, by paying the ultimate sin debt once and for all. No more burnt or blood offerings were needed. Jesus as the priest of the New Covenant, died for us to pay for our sins with His blood once and for all. All we have to do to participate in His new kingdom is to accept that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for the sins of this fallen world.
It took me years of living the "human life". I lived for myself, and was accountable to only me. But thanks to the example I had in my stepfather Gordon Sauer, about how a Christian man treats others, and that the main purpose of living is to live for Christ and to glorify Him whenever we can. My mom also was an influence here. She is the one who made me go through Sunday school and confirmation class. So when I reached the point in my life where I felt that I couldn't do things on my own anymore I had the background and knew enough about God that I knew where I had to go and what I had to do. I gave myself to God and made him the Savior of my life. I know try to live everyday for Him.
The past month or so, I have wrestled with a different question. As a Christian and a disciple I should be "witnessing" to other people. I am not one to walk up to people Bible in hand and start preaching. I rarely mention my faith at work or in public. If someone asks me I will share my story, but I don't feel that I am called to get up and give a fire and brimstone sermon. What I have felt a nudge that I can best glorify God by modeling and living my faith through actions. I wear a cross every day to symbolize my faith. My lovely wife made it for me and as usual of the jewlrey she makes it is awesome.
A thought hit me over the weekend. If I am going to talk about my faith with people, what I need is an opening or an opportunity. A way I can show my faith in a unique way, and pique people's curiosity without it being blatlently obvious and in your face. I think that is what turns a lot of people off about religion and how some people choose to express their faith right now, it is in your face and shoved down your throat. No one want's to be told what to believe or think. One of the most awesome things about being a Christian is that God gives us all free will and that it is our choice to seek him out. No manipulation or force. I can witness for Christ in this way. Just be there every day and living by His example. When someone comes up to me and asks me about my faith then I can share my story. Not tell them what to believe or that they will go to Hell. But to let them know how and why I met God and how he saved my life and the love and peace that he has for me. To let them know what He did in my life. A part of me is dead, I have been reborn and am a new person. I have thought of a way to symbolize this and I have asked for Charlie's help with this. I am excited about this and that I have found a way to express my faith in a way that fits my personality.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Supportive Spouse
I have been married to the love of my life for a little over seven months now. I am happy and pleasently suprised at how I have adjusted to married life. Before I met Charlie I had lived by myself for about eleven years. One of the things that I had worried about was how would I adjust to living with someone else full time. Well, obviously there are challenges and adjustements that have occurred and will continue to occurr in the coming days, months and years, but I think that I have adjusted well to married life.
I feel that one of the keys to a healthy marriage is to support your spouse when they are having a hard time with something. This is one of the areas of our marriage where I think that I have been strong in. However reality can sometimes help us see that their is room for growth. For the past almost two months Charlie has endevored to change to a healthier eating lifestyle. She has been very successful at this. I try to encourage and exhort her in this endevor. However, my own issues with diet and body image have sometimes caused a challenge.
I have been through the wars of weight flucuation, food guilt, and body image. I see Charlie struggle with some of these same things and I want to help. I have strong opinions and obervations based on my experiences. More then once however I have caught myself "lecturing" her on how to do something. She will gently rebuke me for this and keep me in check. You see what bothers me about this isn't that she rebukes me, but that this was done to me in my child hood. There was a lot of lecturing and finger wagging and when I catch myself doing that I shudder because I don't want to be that type of parent or spouse. But thank the Lord I have a wife who helps me to be concious of this.
There has also been more then one time when she has shared with me her struggle with the diet and exercise routine, and instead of sharing in that struggle with her I have been locked in my own head dealing with my own feelings of insecurity and negativity with weight and diet. I know people might look at me and say but your skinny now so why do you still have these thoughts? Because mentally I am at many points still an overweight (245 pound) kid in a skinny person's body. I may not look it, but inside I still feel it. So, when Charlie is sharing with me her struggles I end up not wanting to talk about this subject and avoid it one because it is generally taboo for a husband to discuss his wife's weight and two I want to avoid my own issues with this what is for me an unpleasent topic.
However, my wife needs me to be emotionally present when she is struggiling with this. I want to let her know that I have her back and am behind her 100%. So when I see her hurting or struggiling with this challenge I am now concious of my own stuff and am able to more easily set it aside and be there and present for her. So while in the short term I may be struggiling with being the supportive spouse in this area the struggle has led me to be more sensative and aware to what she is going through emotionally and more aware of where my own deficincies are here and that I still need to cope with them. I thank God that I am married tosomeone who allows me room to grow, and gives me a second or third chance to get some of these things right. I love my wife, she's kind of awesome. I am so proud of the changes that she has made in her life and leading a healthier lifestyle because she wants to be there with me 40 years from now, rocking on the front porch and enjoying retired life : ).
I feel that one of the keys to a healthy marriage is to support your spouse when they are having a hard time with something. This is one of the areas of our marriage where I think that I have been strong in. However reality can sometimes help us see that their is room for growth. For the past almost two months Charlie has endevored to change to a healthier eating lifestyle. She has been very successful at this. I try to encourage and exhort her in this endevor. However, my own issues with diet and body image have sometimes caused a challenge.
I have been through the wars of weight flucuation, food guilt, and body image. I see Charlie struggle with some of these same things and I want to help. I have strong opinions and obervations based on my experiences. More then once however I have caught myself "lecturing" her on how to do something. She will gently rebuke me for this and keep me in check. You see what bothers me about this isn't that she rebukes me, but that this was done to me in my child hood. There was a lot of lecturing and finger wagging and when I catch myself doing that I shudder because I don't want to be that type of parent or spouse. But thank the Lord I have a wife who helps me to be concious of this.
There has also been more then one time when she has shared with me her struggle with the diet and exercise routine, and instead of sharing in that struggle with her I have been locked in my own head dealing with my own feelings of insecurity and negativity with weight and diet. I know people might look at me and say but your skinny now so why do you still have these thoughts? Because mentally I am at many points still an overweight (245 pound) kid in a skinny person's body. I may not look it, but inside I still feel it. So, when Charlie is sharing with me her struggles I end up not wanting to talk about this subject and avoid it one because it is generally taboo for a husband to discuss his wife's weight and two I want to avoid my own issues with this what is for me an unpleasent topic.
However, my wife needs me to be emotionally present when she is struggiling with this. I want to let her know that I have her back and am behind her 100%. So when I see her hurting or struggiling with this challenge I am now concious of my own stuff and am able to more easily set it aside and be there and present for her. So while in the short term I may be struggiling with being the supportive spouse in this area the struggle has led me to be more sensative and aware to what she is going through emotionally and more aware of where my own deficincies are here and that I still need to cope with them. I thank God that I am married tosomeone who allows me room to grow, and gives me a second or third chance to get some of these things right. I love my wife, she's kind of awesome. I am so proud of the changes that she has made in her life and leading a healthier lifestyle because she wants to be there with me 40 years from now, rocking on the front porch and enjoying retired life : ).
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