Comments on: Fighting Atrophy

By: What causes Wrinkles?

What causes Wrinkles? — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:33:52 +0000

[...] Fighting Atrophy | Sarah Markley [...]

By: heidi @ Wonder Woman Wannabe

heidi @ Wonder Woman Wannabe — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:41:08 +0000

Hi Sarah!

Every week I highlight a quote or words of wisdom that inspire and/or challenge me. I loved this post so much that I quoted you on my “monday musings” post this week.

Hope you have a spooktacular Halloween with your sweet family!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:36:57 +0000

This is why I am so glad that I got married late. I was too selfish and too relationally flabby to work at a marriage prior to 30.

The relationship with my husband takes my energy-priority. That means that I have to let go of some things, but God gives me amazing peace about these decisions.

Thanks for these words, very true.

By: Margie

Margie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:20:53 +0000

I can effectively fight it by not working on the blog so much. Which means I blog less. Which means I have to be okay with the decision. When my focus is on my children and my husband, they respond. And if the blog takes a hit, so be it. I want my legacy to be a happy, emotionally healthy household, and not just the words about my dream of it.

By: Lindsey @ A New Life

Lindsey @ A New Life — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:26:50 +0000

I especially find this true of my relationship with God. When I allow that to atrophy, the relationships I have with others around me soon follow.

Thank you for the insight!

By: Becky

Becky — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:58:35 +0000

“We are either taking steps to repair, restore and increase closeness and intimacy, or we are not. And when we do not, it begins to atrophy. The relationship loses effectiveness and impact.”

You found words for what’s happening in my life when I’ve failed to. I’m not sure how to fight it. I think sometimes the atrophy goes on unnoticed and relationships reach a point beyond repair.

By: Dee

Dee — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:09:57 +0000

Thanks for replying. It’s good to know that it is not just me who struggles with these things. I have to say, working out usually falls into “non-essential” for me! I think you’re right, it is a daily balance. Some days I do better than others.

By: Sarah Markley

Sarah Markley — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:45:56 +0000

i know. all of our time is limited and i struggle with this EVERY DAY! seriously.

i think it’s just putting things in the right order. and then being okay if the non-essentials in essence, become non-essential. example, my house is rarely tidy. we are clean, but not very tidy. so that’s how it pans out for us.

i don’t know. this is my daily fight, i feel like.

By: Mending

Mending — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:19:43 +0000

In Dr. Steven Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” he tells a story of someone who approached him after a seminar to say that he (the audience member) agreed with what Dr. Covey had said about putting first things first, but that it was difficult in his marriage because he just didn’t feel “in love” anymore. Dr. Covey’s advice: LOVE HER. The guy replied that he just didn’t feel it. Dr. Covey made an important point: “Love Her. Love is a verb. We think of it as a feeling, but it is an action, a verb.” (I am paraphrasing Dr. Covey because I don’t have the book at hand, but this is the point he made.)

Seems your Dad has captured that. I pray we all can learn to Love– to make it the central, active verb of our lives.

By: Dee

Dee — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:39:16 +0000

Excellent post and definitely hits home for me. I have let my relationship with the Lord atrophy and need to put the time in to renew that. However, I noticed no one has really answered your question of how to fight the atrophy. The answer is time of course. For me the bigger question is how to put the time in to multiple relationships and things. I need to put time into my relationship with my Lord, my husband, my parents, my grandparents, my sister, my close friends and put time into yes, working out, community service, church service, homekeeping, finance, etc., etc. HOW do I do all of that with the limited time that I have? Something is going to get the short end of the stick for sure. Thoughts?