man up

항상 기뻐하라.
쉬지 말고 기도하라.
범사에 감사하라.

살전 5:16-18

I have this framed thing that hung on my wall at work that I think I got many years ago at some Korean Christian bookstore.

In times of severe disappointment, I often end up back at this passage. (16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5)

The absolutes in this passage always stuck out to me. joyful always. pray continually. give thanks in all circumstances.

Paul is the man.

I am not.

This weekend after I lost and hurt my finger at the fight-offs, I had to decide whether to fight the next day at US Open. After much back and forth with Sabs, and finally getting the verdict from Sr to pull out, I was on my way to medical when I ran into Coach JK.

JK: "so you have a broken hand...so what? MAN UP!"

me: "um, in case you haven't noticed...I'm not a man!"

JK: "it's an EXPRESSION. we can't always go with what we feel. you have to do what is right."

He wasn't an Olympic gold medallist for nothing.

After much deliberation and back and forth getting the green light from the Boss...some frenzied warming up with Liza, and a record tape/padding job by medical (very grateful for my medics who are so good to me)...I walked back out to the holding area in all my gear. I passed Coach JK on my way. He saw me dressed out and gave me the thumbs up.

Maybe it was a crazy thing to do...and it's a good thing they didn't tell me it was broken until after...but part of this whole "man up" concept means putting aside how bad things sometimes feel and seeing the bigger picture. And though I still don't feel much better about how things panned out this weekend, I'm glad I got back out on the mat.

Maybe that's what makes Paul the man. Even when he was imprisoned, mocked, abandoned...he could rejoice and give thanks. He knew how to "man up".

I feel like I constantly have to discern between how I feel and what is "right" in a decision or situation. Or more accurately, attempting to wade through the grey of where they muddle.

Man up, sparky - rejoice.