You're A Minute and Thirty-Eight Seconds Behind

Now that the Winter Olympics are over, we can get back to the busy task of praying for spring to get here. With snow on the ground in 49 states just a few weeks ago, most of us are looking forward to a little warm weather. A little global warming would be nice right now.

But before we disengage completely from our Olympic memories, I wanted to let Todd Wilson of the FamilyMan Weekly tell a great story from the Nordic Combined event. Read on...

Hey Dad,

 

Although the Olympic torch has been extinguished, I want to share a marriage tip I picked up during the Winter Games. To be honest, it’s been a tough couple of weeks in the Familyman marriage department. I’d like to say it was all ‘her’ fault...but I know the blame falls squarely on my shoulders.

 

I slumped around the house hardly able to motivate myself to do anything, let alone try to woo my wife. Even the Olympics were tarnished because of my mood. Then the light dawned as I watched a nameless Olympic cross country skier pumping hard and drooling like a hound dog on the trail.

 

The event was Nordic Combined. It ‘combined’ the odd events of cross country skiing and ski jumping. The Olympians jumped first and the lengths of their jumps decided the start times of the cross country race. So the guy who jumped the farthest got to start first. The second place jump was five meters behind the first so #2 started a few seconds AFTER the first place skier.

 

Most pathetic was that some of the best skiers started as much as TWO minutes behind the first place guy. One of the favorites botched the ski jump and had his start delayed by about a minute and a half. Amazingly...he caught up and won.

 

It wasn’t a quick sprint to win...he just plugged away and eventually passed the leader. That night as I lay in bed next to my hurting wife, I figured I was about a minute and a half behind...but I was going to catch up.

 

The next day I woke up determined. I smiled more, snapped less, and let my wife talk. I didn’t make up all the time immediately, but I made up a few seconds, and the next day I gained a few more. Over all, it took about five days to pull up by my wife’s side...and yesterday...we both won.

 

Some would say, just don’t let yourself get set so far back...but that’s unrealistic. Truth is sometimes even Olympic champion husbands find themselves WAAYYYY BAACCK. Maybe that’s where you are today.

 

Can I give you a little advice? Be patient. Don’t be surprised by setbacks. Set your sites on the finish line...and start making up time.

 

There’s an Olympian with a gold medal and a husband who is enjoying life with his wife who both know that it works.

 

I am that husband!

 

 

These are great thoughts from a regular dad, just like you. Take a minute and click on the link to Todd's site in the left-hand column of this blog. There you can subscribe and get his weekly dose of practical encouragement.