If it aint broke...

...make it better!

Here I go with relationships again...It takes work to make a relationship last. Marriage, for instance, is "I do" not "I think I'll just ride this out for a while".

Is there a less stagnant word than do?

The more time I spend investing in my marriage, the more I see how weak I can be in building relationships. But my weakness allows for growth. Pruning can be painful, but the harvest is well worth it.

I refuse to let myself believe that things are just fine in my marriage. I don't want to settle for just fine...she deserves better!! I have watched some just fine marriages fizzle. I refuse!

Make it better!! Prune! Let yourself be weak! When I am weak...He is strong.

When He is our strength, we are strong.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Restoration

Do you ever feel like you just can't get it right?

• The wind knot that just went terminal...
• The would be 20" brown that just convinced you not to use 8x tippet...
• The upstream mend that just killed your drift...
• The extra false cast that just snaged bank behind you...
• The slip on the rock that sent a herd back downstream through your legs...
• The whole in your waders that you meant to seal last time...
• The camera sitting in the passenger seat while you fight the fish of your dreams...
• The way you said what you shouldn't have said in the first place...

If it wasn't for second chances (okay, third chances...okay 4th, 5th, you get the picture), I would be a very miserable person. I am greatful for the times that I can take a deep breath, re-tie a fly, straighten a leader, or wait on the shore for the action to heat up again.

I am even more greatful when I receive forgiveness from those whom I've hurt.

"You always hurt the ones you love."

Why is that? I can be such an idiot sometimes. Relationships are the most precious things and I often treat them like playdough--make what I want out of them, then squish them up and put them away for a while.

Selfish.

Unfortunately for me, when it comes to playdough and relationships, I'm not very good at the restoration business. It's hard to fix what you've squished.