It's All About the Motivation

Phil and I were talking about motivation. What’s my motivation for doing this, for going on The Adventure? It’s a lot of work, and the progress is slow, so what is it that’s keeping me (and will keep me) going?

I told him my main motivator, which I’ll save for last in this blog post. But since we talked, these are the motivators I’ve come up with. They are in reverse order of their importance.

Ø  Motivator 5: My as yet unborn grandkids. Not born, not yet expected even. But I so look forward to meeting them! Will Nicholas’ sons be tall and handsome like him? Will Leah have some sweet/sassy girls like her? Will Billy have a little crew of athletes? Will Emily’s houseful be loud? What fun we have ahead of us as they begin to make their presence known! But before they start arriving, I want to make sure I’ll be able to care for them, play with them, crawl under the dining room table after we throw a sheet over it to make a “tent,” take them to the zoo, and on long hikes at Meierfly (Meier family campout at Firefly Lake). I want to be healthy for my future grandkids.

Ø  Motivator 4: My children. I don’t want them to worry, or to have to help Phil take care of a sick old lady who can’t tie her own shoes or take steps without using a walker. I want to BE there for them the way Phil’s parents have been there for us all these years. If I’m sick, overweight, and blind from diabetes, how can I be what I want to be for my sweet kids?

Ø  Motivator 3: Myself. Some might argue I should put myself first. Others might say that my kids should have a higher priority than me, but I’m being honest and this is how I feel. I don’t like being sick. I’ve had fibromyalgia for 20 years or so, and I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. A little fibro-humor there. The kids have their own lives now, and though I know they still need me, they don’t need me like they once did. It’s my time.

Ø  Motivator 2: Serving God. My body is God’s temple. Okay, this phrase might be over-used. It might be trivialized, but it IS biblical. You might ask if I’ve been building a temple annex all these years! But there it is. God expects me to love and serve him with my whole heart, mind, body and soul. If I’m not taking care of myself I can’t serve Him as I want to. In past years, I’ve had the excuse of taking care of a household of 6 (sometimes 7 when Mom lived here), so if I wasn’t ready to jump at the clarion call and go to far off places to preach The Word, I think that was okay. I believe putting my husband and children first was exactly what God wanted of me at that time. Well, no more. I can serve Him in other ways now, and I want to be able to answer the call when it comes.

Ø  Number One Main Motivator: Philip Edward Meier, my husband. He’s just the best. I’ve said it before; I feel a little sorry for every woman who isn’t married to Phil. I hope other wives feel the same about their husbands.

A) I want to grow old with him. I have plans to be that cute elderly couple people smile at when they see us holding each other’s wrinkled old arthritic hands.

B) I don’t want to leave him alone too soon. I do eventually want to be the one who goes home to our Father’s house first, because life without him is unimaginable. But I would rather go much later, rather than sooner. My own father died too early, and I believe his death was caused in no small part by ignoring his health problems until they caught up to him. I won’t be like that, because I want to stay here with Phil for as long as God says I can stay.

C) This is the big one. Argue my priorities if you must, but this is the big one. Phil has made a big sacrifice to give me year-long Adventure, and I won’t disappoint him by not doing my best. I’m not raising kids anymore, but neither am I doing much to contribute to the family’s finances. We give our tithes and offerings to God at church. We are still helping two kids finish college. We live in a lovely home. I have my dream sewing room. I don’t want for a single thing. All because Phil gets up and goes to work every day. On top of all that, he has paid for us to join weight watchers, and for ME to join Lifetime Fitness. Not US. We can’t afford for US to join. But Phil freely gives me the membership so that I can be healthy. He puts me first. He, and the love and self-sacrifice he shows me each and every day, provide the greatest part of my motivation. Thank You God for my Philip!

<pausing now to wipe tears>

God bless and keep you, and thanks for reading!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)