Ten Year Anniversary and Inspiration from American Sniper

Posted by on May 4, 2015 in Blog | 0 comments

This past weekend, Hus and I celebrated our ten-year anniversary with a stay-cation, while my parents watched the kids. (Thank you Mom and Dad-You are the BEST!) We had a wonderful time. We reminisced, we enjoyed our time alone, and we dreamed about the decades to come.

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We went to a Rangers game and spent tons of time at the lake—walking the trails, enjoying the view, and being refreshed by the music of the water. We were also inspired by a movie.

American Sniper. The story of Chris Kyle and his love and ultimate sacrifice for our country. It touched me. I will not forget it.

Over and over, he lived out John 15:13. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” For his country, for his family and friends, and at last, for a stranger he was trying to help who shot him in the back.

Of the many take-aways from the film, here are two I keep coming back to:

1.  Chris used his gift for others. At great cost to himself, he was the deadliest sniper in American history. When asked if he regretted taking any of the lives he took, he said he could answer to God for every one of them. He was saving our troops. His only regret was that he hadn’t saved more.

I think it is difficult, for many, to imagine taking a life and being okay with it. Many times, especially if Hus is gone, I have thought about what I would do if someone broke into my home in the night. Would I kill to protect my kids? Without a doubt, I would save three little lives.

Chris mentioned standing before God and giving an accounting. When that day comes, what will I have to say? I’m safe. I have given my life to Christ. But will I be proud of that life? What will I have to say about how I used my time, gifts, and talents? I hope I can say that I loved. With my time, my dollars, my gifts, my talents. I loved, and I served. I have a long way to go, but that is the goal.

 

2.  The other take-away was the value of the hard training Chris went through. He had higher-ups training him, rebuking him, and calling him to a higher level.

But I don’t. I have lots of encouragers and leaders. But there is no one yelling at me to exercise. To eat right. To quit feeling sorry for myself when I feel tired. I will have to do that myself. As Paul said, “I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave…” (1 Cor. 9)

There are plenty of people who tell us to relax, take time for ourselves, eat what we want, and do what we want. And there is time for that. Even God commands rest (the Sabbath Day). But let’s not over-do it.

Every day, we have hundreds of choices to make. Each choice is a little step toward or away from our potential.

Do you have goals for yourself? Do you want to make a difference? Then Get Moving!!! =)

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