Thursday, March 22, 2012

Playing Solitaire and then God shows up...


I learned an interesting lesson the other day from playing solitaire on my tablet.  I don’t really play it often just sometimes to clear my mind or while I’m in line waiting.  But I noticed a feature that surprised me.  It’s called a “winning deal”. This means that this hand that is dealt is designed for you to win. I’m thinking shooot...this is GREAT. Why in the world would you play any other way!

So I started playing using this feature and I noticed my demeanor about the game changed.  Anytime I got stuck and it appeared that I didn’t have a move, I would maneuver cards until I could see a possibility.  If I kept getting stuck, I wouldn’t move to a new game, I would re-deal that one and play until I won. Why?  If the computer says I am supposed to win, and that’s it’s a winning deal..my expectation is to win and I keep playing until what happens lines up with what was is supposed to happen. I don’t act as if something is wrong with the computer…I approach it as if there is something that I am not doing.

It’s amazing that I believe that computer…but it’s difficult to trust God the same way.  He said from the beginning that I was a winner.  He proclaimed over his people that we are the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. We are the lenders, not the borrowers. We should have houses (and yes that’s plural) we didn’t build and vineyards that we didn’t plant. But when the game of life deals it out rough and we don’t seem to have a move…we stop playing.  We won’t try anything different.  We won’t change our paradigm or way of approaching a situation, project, relationship. We won’t seek out new information-we just stop playing and life becomes a hum drum of “everyday-itis”.  No purpose, no goals, no drive, no plan…just winging it and settling for the cards in front of you. You play your hand haphazardly and throw them in when it ‘appears” you don’t have a move.

You are supposed to win-period.  So reshuffle your gifts, your talents, your abilities, your resources, your education, your information, your prayer life, your gumption…and play again….and KEEP playing until you win.  The cool thing about solitaire is that it’s a game for ONE. You are not competing with anyone and you don't have to worry abut anyone beating you to the punch. What God has for you, is for YOU. Your life is a game of ONE.  You have a calling and purpose to fulfill and it’s not about anyone beating you to YOUR destiny…you are not in competition. Its solitaire. There is one player…and you are playing a winning deal. The computer doesn’t lie and neither does God. 

What a month!!

Just a short thank you to all of the calls, messages and tweets:) from my circle of folks during this last month.  Its been a rough one! We had a death in our family for an uncle who had suffered for over 20 years.  Then there were services to prepare for and we leaned on our friends and church families to get it done.  As always God comes through and sent us who we needed to do what needed to be done.  Then soon after my mother was injured and hospitalized. So there were hospital runs and concerns and we praise God that she is now coming out on the other side.


In between there...there was still work, rehearsals, teaching, housework, kids, projects, a marriage to nurture and much to do.  But through the grace of God...we came out on the other side.  This spring & summer holds so much for us and I am preparing now, knocking things out to get ready for it.


I have an award I am receiving in March and I am preparing for the responsibility that comes with that. We have two weddings coming up, a major conference to attend, a book release, a BIG remodeling for our kitchen and two vacations...so your continued prayer would be much appreciated!  


So...I got a little off track with my blog and the direction...but a lesson that happen while doodling on my tablet caused me to put pen to paper and get back at it...so here we go!!