GAMES
I love to play games. I wonder how many of you know the game Parcheesi. Or Uncle Wiggily. Growing up, we played both of these. My parents played Canasta and everyone played Euchre. The card game Pinochle was popular. Of course, there was Bingo and Checkers. One game I never enjoyed was Monopoly.
My grandkids loved Candy Land, Pay Day, and Life. When young, our granddaughter got Candy Land ready to play. She assured me that she had it set up right and she was going to give me the honor of going first. I drew and went maybe three spaces. She drew and went to Queen Frostine. I drew again and landed on Gooey Gumdrop. She drew and landed two squares from home. I did not draw yellow. She drew and won the game. Of course, she had set the draws up. The best part was watching her try to keep a straight face.
Pay Day, the old version, was a favorite of the grandboys. They would grab that game as they came in the door. They knew how to set up the bank. The knew exactly how much money each player received to begin the game. That game was set up before they even told us hi. Coats came off and, I swear, the trumpets sounded and the royal announcer proclaimed, “Let the game begin.” The game might last an hour, a day, or a whole weekend.
My favorite game is Sorry. And it is played with much love, as that mean grandgirl and mean grandboys, would look me in the eye, lay a Sorry card down, take my piece, put it back at start, and say, with sarcasm and a shake of the head, “S..o..r..r..y!” Believe me, they were not sorry. I could drip sarcasm and shake my head with the best of them. There is no feeling like drawing a Sorry card and sending someone back to Start, just as they are ready to get in the safety zone. We also made-up new ways to play the game. Yup, Sorry is my favorite game.
Now, poor hubby did not play games. Growing up with older parents and no siblings, he just did not play games. No games - until I finally wore him down and he agreed to play one game of Quiddler. We have played two games of Quiddler almost every night since then. At first, I won almost every game and am proud of Bill’s stick-to-itness. He hung in there. He got better. Now he wins, but I still win the most games. The grandkids ask me if I let him win. I replied, “Did I ever let you win?” For some odd reason, they all cheer for grandpa to win.
I am going to tell you something that you will not believe. I love to play games, but do not care if I win or lose. It is the playing, the trash talking, the “in your face” moves, and being with others that I enjoy. Except for one game and that game I play to win.
LIFE is not really a game because
LIFE is real. It cannot be taken apart,
put back into a box, and returned to the shelf.
The moves we make have consequences.
The moves of those around us impact our lives. When playing a game trash talking is fun, but
stabs and leaves scars in LIFE. Winning
at all cost might declare you a success by the standards of the world, but, in
LIFE, can cost you your soul. Sitting
back and doing nothing may feel safe, but you will miss out on the wonders and
the blessings of LIFE. Unlike a board
game where you roll dice to determine your next move, LIFE’s moves require
wisdom.
LIFE is about being with fellow believers who also have the same goal. It is about learning the rules and applying them to your actions and how you treat others. It is about making one move and then another and then another. Each move getting you one breath closer to eternal life. LIFE is about winning.
Remember two things:
Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let me throw off everything that hinders me and the sin that so easily entangles me. And let me run with perseverance the race marked out for me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Hebrews
12:1 and part of 2 - made personal
For the Lord my God
is the one who goes with me to fight for me against my enemies to give me
victory.
Deuteronomy
20:4 - made personal
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