Spot On

Hubby loves to lift weights.
Me? Not so much.
But in an effort to love my man...and since I am tired of not being able to open my own jars...I have agreed to go to the weight room with him a few nights a week.
Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Parker is joining us.
And so, it has become a family affair.  Which I am LOVING!
The first night, I expected to be given my list of lifts, and for us all to be doing our workouts simultaneously.  How silly of me.  Apparently, there is an etiquette to this.  We all stand around the same machine.  I go, they rearrange the weights (which means they actually put some ON), Hubby goes, and then Parker goes.  It seemed like a huge waste of time to me, until Hubby explained that doing it this way gives everyone's muscles "rest time" between lifts.  I should have known men would figure out a way to let themselves rest without being obvious about it!
But this routine has other benefits as well.  When I am lifting, one of them "spots" me.  It's their job to watch how I'm doing it, correct me if I am doing something wrong, and help me if I get in trouble.  It hit me as I watched Hubby spotting Parker that this was a perfect physical picture of our family's love for one another.  Parker was bent over the bench, pulling back his arm with a weight in his hand, and Hubby was right beside him, with his own strong arms hovering close to Parkers, big hands touching Parker's elbow, supporting without actually taking the weight from him.  Because thats what kind of Dad he is. Patient and available, without taking over.
When the weight is too heavy, or you've been lifting it for too long, there is someone beside you to either make it lighter, or encourage you to push through until you get to the end.  It's not about taking the weight out of your hands, because that would never make you stronger.  Your Spotter is focused on you, talking to you the whole time, "You can do it!  Come on, three more... a little higher...don't forget to breathe..." And when it's their turn to lift, you do the same for them.
When it's over, you are all a little sweaty, a little sore, and a little stronger.
There have been plenty of times I have worried if we are doing it right.  But as I watch our little family work together through tough times, I am realizing that we are Spot On!