The Return

I’m still alive.

Still fighting hard.

Still going to the gym.

Still kicking names and taking ass (that will make sense in the morning, I promise).

I’ve been in something of a self imposed exile from blogging. There’s lot of reasons for this but regardless, I owe YOU an apology for dropping out of sight, like that. Life happens sometimes and when it did, the most heroic thing I could do was step out of the spot light and deal with it. BUT for all the many crazy things life throws at you, GOD tends to calmly hand you wonderful things as well.

I have so many wonderful stories to tell you!

You might be thinking, if I’ve been gone so long, what brings me back today?

Imagine walking out of church, rather happy that you have long since hung up your cape, and tights. No longer jumping rooftop to rooftop, you’ve settled in your identity as a student.  As you do, a fellow who is maybe a few years older than you stops you in your tracks, looks at you, points and says, the following in the most emphatic yet bewildered voice ever:

“Wait a minute…you’re the Orange Mask? Right?!?“

To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I almost dropped my Bible. My blood froze, and I simply couldn’t move. Words did not come out. Only amazement. I could only belt out a minor, “Um…why yes. I am.”

The man, happily began to praise my site.

First, this man has absolutely no idea how to keep secret identities. But it was the latest in a series of “pushes” the Lord has been giving me about returning to my love— writing. Apparently someone retweeted something I wrote, and this man had seen it on his own timeline and found it rather profound. There we were in church discussing fitness. He assured me that he would be checking out the site more as he wishes to return to the gym and found my writings amusing, informative and inspirational. Right there in church.

God normally whispers to me, but today, he was LOUD and CLEAR.

I’ve had many, many emails from people asking where have I been. I’ve had many DMs on Twitter asking me when my next post will be. I’ve had many asking me to review products or what my thoughts were about a certain company.

When your fitness hero vanished…you missed him.

What an honor to think my silly little site actually encourages, entertains and informs you. I think you just like when I have supplement fails, so you can laugh at me, ha ha. But I am honored and humble that you care enough to visit. I’ve been missing for some 6 months and the site still gets some 400 visits per day, which is amazing.

But the exile is OVER.

We have a wild ride ahead of us folks. I’m BACK. And I am not leaving you again.

One last thing—I have met the most amazing woman. What encouragement she has given me to return to my love of blogging. How amazing it has been for God to put someone in my path who pushes me to be my best and reminds me when I feel my worst that I am good. How amazing it has been to find  someone I can unabashedly say I am totally and completely in love with. I love you, Pretty Lady!! I had been mulling the idea of writing eventually. But she has really helped me to see the importance of my writing.

Imagine being a puzzle piece. And try as you might, you can never ever find where you fit. You’ve tried many different puzzles before but nothing ever fits. Nothing has the unique shape required for you to be covered. There is nowhere that you fit. Nowhere where your presence makes a difference. I can say with her, I have finally found where I belong. I have found where I fit. I have found home.

I am happy. Finally.

And I simply couldn’t blog a moment more until I was happy. But her presence, her love, her thoughtfulness and especially her giggles…I am happy for the first time in years. I love you, baby. Thank you for loving me. And this post is dedicated to you.

I’m suiting up, folks.

Get ready for MORE heroic adventures in fitness!