Appreciate others… a lost art?

A new month is beginning and so begins a new study. I hope the Lord has blessed the past two months worth of study as there have been some excellent passages and topics covered. This month the goodness continues as we get to do a little studying on relationships. Now before you close Internet Explorer and decide to do something else these next few weeks out of fear of relationship studies, take a deep breath and sit back down. These lessons are going to be looking at relationships from a completely different angle. We are going to look at four very distinct elements that will be present in all lasting relationships. So don’t worry. There will be no talk of how to be a better spouse. There will be no mention of kissing dating goodbye. We will not make you write any letters to your parents thanking them for messing you up or any other fun ideas like those. Instead, we will start by looking at “Appreciation.”

What do you really appreciate? This past weekend I ran in my first half marathon and it was an absolute blast. I know how ridiculous that sounds because merely a few months ago I would have agreed. The only reason I agreed with running was if I were playing some sport, being chased my a ravenous badger, or trying to impress the ladies. I throw that last one in there because for guys, anything, no matter how ridiculous, becomes OK under that third reason. For me, there was something about turning 30 and having never really set a goal that required dedication and then seeing that goal through to completion. So, I heard from my good friend and esteemed author Michael Kelley, that running 13.1 miles was alot of fun. So, why not try something new? I have to admit, the process of training in 32 degree weather was not fun. Soon those runs warmed up, and I oddly found myself enjoying my training runs. Then came judgment day this past Saturday. No more training. No more wondering what it was going to be like because it was finally time to run. My longest training run was 7.5 miles, so I was literally in unchartered territory once I reached that point in the race. As each mile passed, the finish line became a reality, and I crossed the line in 2:05:27. I certainly did not set any land speed records, but the time was faster than my goal time of 2:07, so all in all I consider Saturday a success. By now I’m sure you are wondering what in the world this has to do with this week’s topic. Not much honestly, but I am now going to tie it all together. I think far too often we fail to appreciate things and people. So I am going to open the table for everyone to openly show their appreciation. For me, the whole race thing and race day showed me how much I appreciate several things: 1. A good pair of running shoes. 13.1 miles is a long way and good shoes are essential to the overall experience. 2. Sport beans and PowerBar GU. They help fuel your body while you run. They are great! 3. Someone to run with. I met a guy named Brett on the bus ride from the finish line where we parked to the starting line. It is definitely nice to run with someone, as two hours spent talking to yourself can be quite boring. 4. A wonderful wife. My wife fought the thousands and thousands of people with our 2-year-old daughter in tow to find me after the race. She then proceeded to turn the rest of the day into a celebration of my accomplishment. My daughter acted as if I had saved the planet from certain destruction.

Would I still have finished the race without all these pieces coming together? Probably, but the day would not have had the complete satisfaction it did without them. So, I appreciate all the little and big things that went into that day. What about you? What has gone on in your life lately that maybe you forgot to truly appreciate? Who has helped you along the way that you want to show your appreciation to? Who has been there when you needed them, and now you need to remember their impact? Share your thoughts with us this week and maybe drop them an e-mail, phone call, or go old school and send a card. Our relationships with others will flourish when we begin to appreciate the impact others have on our lives.