Size does matter, especially when you are choosing your ruck. What’s a ruck? Its military terms for the size and weight of your backpack when on a journey from point A to point B. When you’re new to an expedition often you pick the largest backpack, so you can fit the most items needed for comfort inside. As a rookie you learn very quickly you’ve packed to many objects for success. The backpack weighs you down mentally, physically and emotionally. Often never making it to the final destination. We don’t always need those comfort items. Learning to rely on what you have is the key. Maturity realizes that size does matter; and I’m not talking about a paycheck.
Speaking of ruck size, how about debt. That’s a backpack that can weigh you down deep don’t ya think. I share this with you because of the power God has in your ruck, not to brag. I share this because God has a plan, not Andrea having an agenda. I share our story because we are just average people having average people problems. In the last 17 months our family has went through a broken furnace, a broken water heater, a car repair and new tires, daycare expenses, a job loss and unemployment, taking a pay cut and many other struggles. There were nights I couldn’t sleep trying to control where our bills were coming from and what was leaving our account. Continually giving our uncertainties to God, and distinguishing when he was showing us favor, God allowed Coach and I to pay debt. Exactly $71,573 in debt in 17 months; and still plan a tropical vacation for 4--paid for this July. And just to put the icing on the cake, a small nest egg in the bank to build with. I can’t say we are debt free because our student loans and house will haunt us for quite a while—but gooooooo God! Way to lighten our ruck by showing us provision through all this tribulation. You are miraculous! I’m sure Satan is reading this saying, “I’ll show you.” I know whatever comes our way he will provide.
When God says it’s time for your ruck size to change, it happens. Not always in the way we plan, but it happens. This picture represents the past ruck in my trunk? (I could write for Dr. Seuss) Books on leadership, multiple framed awards, there’s my Vitamin D lamp and my coffee maker, and many other weights bogging down my backpack of life. Looking back, a little more mature, I realize that ruck was mentally, physically and emotionally strenuous. God knew. That ruck stole my passion, my time and my family. God moved me. Downsizing to a full-scale backpack, rather than a Big Mac Daddy bag, my field of view is more limited—yet I see so much more. My paycheck is less, but I have so much more. My passion is back, and I am leading more. Size does matter.
Today I sit on my porch, phone in the house, relaxing. I’m thinking about my ruck size with two kids and a coach in the Dominican Republic. Can we make it in two suitcases? By golly, yes, because size does matter and this vacation is about more fun and less ruck. This time away represents not just astounding tans but a new and improved ruck size in our life. I am letting the old ruck go. Unfortunately, there were people I love in that long-standing backpack. People I will always love. Rucks and bravery go hand in hand. We often have to make bold corrections in order to completely embrace the new journey. Sometimes those corrections involve mourning and tears. As we learn to walk with our new map we find our harmonious gate, movement how God intended us to be. Even though we have marks on our back from the weight of old ruck, and wounds that will probably never fully heal, the new lighter more instrumental ruck was well worth the wait. Oh yeah, and a promotion is right around the corner. Another reward from God and his favor. Size does matter. How big is your faith? Mine is God-sized...
