A thought by Bob Goff, from his book, Dream Big (Kindle Locations 391-392).
Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
That’s an important thought, isn't it?
Bob says, “It’s not found in familiarity or approval or popularity either. It is discovered somewhere far deeper within us. Maria (his wife) lives her life solely and sacrificially for our family and a handful of friends. She not only helps us better understand the complex world we live in, but she also helps me get ready each day so I don’t leave the house with one pant leg tucked into my sock.
“I’ll admit, it’s a lot of work to live with a guy who acts like he’s sponsored by Red Bull. They call my drink of choice at the local coffee stand ‘Goffee.’ It’s two shots of energy drink and three shots of espresso. I may die young, but I’ll be wide awake when I do. Sweet Maria likes to say I’m the balloon and she’s the string. This beautifully describes the right kind of codependence. If you want to achieve your ambitions, don’t be all balloon and no string in your life. We need to be anchored in God and tied to one another.”
He goes on, “Being different isn’t always easy. Perhaps you’ve felt like you were different than your friends or family. That’s a good thing, and we’re going to need to settle into who God created us to be if we’re going to move ahead. To be purposeful and at ease with who we are, we’re going to need to be incredibly truthful with ourselves and the people around us, which is something Sweet Maria lives out every day. If she told me ghosts pooped Tic Tacs, I’m certain I’d believe her. In these pages it will seem like you’re reading my thoughts, but you’re actually reading what I’ve learned from her.”
He says, “While different in so many ways, we both share a common faith and a strong sense of adventure. I find mine in traveling, talking with lots of people, and starting schools in war zones. Maria finds hers in the more difficult work of loving and nurturing our family, making places of peace in our lives, and giving us all a place to return to. Yet we’ve found our superpowers because of our differences, not in spite of them. We’ve used these differences to sort out what things are worth the effort to pursue and which ones we should leave behind.”
He then says, “Someone wiser than me once asked, ‘If God answered every one of your prayers, would it change anybody’s life except your own?’ I’ve seen Maria’s prayers change countless lives. I know her prayer for you and for me would be that we would leave all the planning behind, figure out what our lasting ambitions are, and get back to building those rocket ships that were supposed to be our lives. To do this, she would want us to trade what is easily available for what is actually worthwhile. It’s a distinction that has the power to change everything in your life.”
And that is what God wants to do in and through our lives, isn’t it?
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