You're looking at the part inside our snowblower that failed during the first moments of cleaning what the recent big storm deposited - 6" to 18" snow drifts across our long driveway. While we've yet to accurately determine the technical name for this piece to order a new one, we did remove it to muscle the blower around all day without fear of further damage.
This little wheel is a core part of the drive system for our snowblower, engaging with the gears to push it back and forth at the pull of a lever, so while the blades were still operable to toss the snow, it now required brute strength and a lengthy, laborious walk to complete what should have been a standard, straightforward, quick morning task.
While walking with God and the snowblower around our property for most of the day, there was plenty of time to reflect and consider life and what we wanted to share about #NationalSpouseDay today.
Our partnership isn't entirely out of the ordinary, but we've begun to recognize it's becoming less typical to see lives becoming as intricately interwoven as ours.
Even in our closeness, we can overlook critical maintenance.
When this happens, a disconnect can form where rather than feeling as though we're pressing forward and removing obstacles in tandem, we feel the pressure of a lack of support or, even worse, the sense that active damage is happening.
And the negative aspects can become exacerbated when the storms of life pass through.
So if you've found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, act like it.
Make investing in your partnership a high priority.
Just as gasoline fuels an engine, engaging in healthy conflict supplies meaningful opportunities for differences to flourish in healthy relationships; never arguing isn't more beneficial than constantly staying at odds. Instead, foster consistent open communication where both partners seek to prioritize the other in such a way that reasonable compromises support mutual goals.
Even our marriages need maintenance to remain well-oiled machines. It's important to disengage from the endless flows of responsibility at routine intervals and for random spot checks to ensure you're both protecting yourselves from wearing out with suitable leisurely activities - even if it means greasing a few palms to remove the wrenches for a day or two.
That's why we're investing in our relationship this weekend. We're a great team personally and professionally, but the health and growth of KCC connect to our partner's health and development, and we intend to make this year better than ever.
If you're looking for some inspiration to invest in the relationship you have with your spouse, here are a couple of resources we'd highly recommend:
This is a faith-based resource with short episodes covering important topics where the hosts point to a wealth of essential resources to build healthy, long-lasting relationships.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Last is an excellent book by Gary Chapman that can help you better understand yourself, your spouse and your relationship.