A Look Back, Steps Forward
This week in the Dispatch:
Test your Trivia IQ in Quick Hits
Books: How to have a healthy brain
This week's YV plan - Part 1 of “Sex in Marriage: The Basics”
“How to Tell When Your Marriage Issues are Solved” in the AM Podcast
“How to Deal With Distractions” on the Better Man Podcast
“A Look Back and Steps Forward” in Insights!
A “Challenge” to see what you have learned this past 12 months!
A “Next Step” to putting that learning into action?
This Week’s Quick Hits:
Here are some really random trivia questions. 10 questions. 10 points each. Perfect score 100! I did not score a 100 or a 90 or an 80 … The bonus question is worth 20 to help your score and make you feel better!
What was the first toy to be advertised on television?
What is the tallest breed of dog in the world?
What color eyes do most humans have?
Before the Beatles were formed, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison were originally members of which group?
What country won the very first FIFA World Cup in 1930?
Which two countries share the longest international border?
What is the smallest country in the world?
Which bone are babies born without?
How many hearts does an octopus have?
How many children does Oprah Winfrey have?
Bonus Question: What color jersey is worn by the winners of each stage of the Tour De France?
BOOKS:
Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta, MD
I think this is a must read for everyone that is interested in keeping their brain healthy today and for the rest of their life. I have been a fan of Dr. Sanjay Gupta for many years. I like his style, how he communicates, and his medical research and knowledge. Improving your brain health starts today no matter if you are twenty-five or ninety. It is never too late, but the earlier the better. The first part of the book is a look into the science of the brain. The rest of the book is filled with great practical information and a personalized twelve-week program to strengthen your brain every day.
YouVersion Plan:
Sex in Marriage: The Basics - Part 1 by Dr. Kim
Sex is a big part of a marriage and there are some basic understandings and beliefs that will help you have a great sex life with your spouse. In this plan, we will not only talk about sex but also how to honor your spouse. It is a great plan to do together as you learn practical steps to take your sex life to a whole new level.
Podcasts:
Awesome Marriage Podcast: How to Tell When Your Marriage Issues are Solved - Episode 460
Last week on the podcast, we talked about how to know and define what the real problem is in your marriage conflicts. This week we’re focusing in on markers of a solved conflict: how to tell when your marriage issue is solved. If an issue isn’t solved, we need to keep working on resolution. I think a lot of times we give up on the problem solving too soon and stop short of real resolution. Learning how to solve the issues in your marriage is one of the best gifts you can give each other. If you have not yet subscribed, please consider that today!
A Better Man Podcast: Distractions
In this month’s episode, Colby and I talk about “Distractions.” How do distractions affect us? What do they keep us from doing or accomplishing? Are they ever beneficial? All this, plus practical steps to dealing with the distractions in your life. Join us and then download the questions to discuss with a friend or a small group. You get them automatically each month when you subscribe!
Insights:
A year ago today, Nancy and I were at the Chesapeake Arena in downtown OKC to watch the NBA game between the Thunder and the Utah Jazz. It was a big game with playoff implications. The arena was packed and loud early as the crown anticipated a great game. Nancy and I were sitting with good friends in floor seats. We stood watching both teams warm up.
I’m a Thunder fan first but I enjoy watching the Jazz too. In front of us Donovan Mitchel, former Thunder player Jeff Green, Joe Ingles, and others warmed up. Rudy Gobert was missing. The rumor was that he felt sick and was still in the locker room. The pregame ceremonies were over and the teams moved to center court for the opening tipoff. The crowd was in a frenzy.
Then this man rushed past me to center court. He gathered the referees and then added the head coaches and they were in some kind of discussion that seemed serious by the looks on their faces. In a few minutes the teams, refs, and coaches left the court and returned to their locker rooms. It was about 30 minutes before the PA announcer told us to exit the arena: The game would not be played. The ball that never went up for the tipoff was the ball that got everything rolling. Within the next hour we found out that Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19. The virus that had seemed so far away from OKC was now in our city. Case Number 1.
By the weekend almost every sporting event around the world was cancelled or put on hold. No NBA. No NCAA basketball. No soccer. We were scrambling to get masks, Lysol spray, Clorox wipes, toilet paper, and anything else we thought we could run out of. The vibrant city where we live turned into a ghost town overnight as almost everything began to shut down. We heard words that were previously always referenced to faraway places: Quarantine. Pandemic. The fight had begun and COVID-19 landed a mighty early blow.
Today, a year has passed. Depending where you live, things are probably improving. Nancy and I have both taken the Pfizer vaccine and we felt a weight lifted. We had not realized how heavily it was weighing on us. At Awesome Marriage, we did live shows and podcasts on COVID-19 and your marriage. We talked about leveraging the pandemic to improve our marriages. Even though we are not back to normal, I wanted to take one last look at the past 12 months and share what I learned. Here are my thoughts:
As strange as quarantine was, it gave me more time at home and with Nancy. This was awesome. Not perfect but we made the adjustment really well. That was a big win for us!
Rudy Gobert was not the cause of the pandemic in OKC. It could have been anyone. It was coming! Rudy was just the fall guy.
We found new things to do since the things we normally did and the places we normally went were not available.
We began hiking and taking short road trips and we loved doing both.
We found our COVID group and began ZOOM calls and ZOOM dinners together. Being with friends is essential.
There are many things I love about my state and The Tiger King is not one of them.
I never knew how much worship in my church meant to me until the day we went back. Lots of emotion.
We are a resilient nation and we will come back.
Never have I been more aware of my need for God. I truly have no control.
Going forward I want my new order of priorities to stay the same. More time with God, Nancy, family and friends.
Saying “no” to things that take me away from my priorities just got a lot easier.
God is always and forever good!
Challenge:
What are three things you learned this past year that have made your life better? Write them down and share them with your spouse. Then keep that list someplace that you will see it from time to time.
Next Step:
Moving forward, what will you do differently because of what you learned during this pandemic?
Answers to Trivia Quiz:
Mr Potato Head
The Great Dane
Brown
The Quarrymen
Uruguay
Canada and the USA
Vatican City
Kneecap
Three
Zero
Bonus Question Answer: Yellow
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