Stay the Course

 

One of my favorite games is Phase Ten Dice. 

It’s a cross between Phase Ten and Yahtzee 

And it is a combination of luck and strategy,

Although it could be argued it’s less strategy than luck. 

 

As the name suggests, 

There are ten phases that you must complete in three rolls each. 

You are rolling for a high score but

If a high score isn’t possible then you at least want to complete the phase.  

If you do not complete the phase, then you must try again and again until the phase is complete.

There is a 40 point bonus for finishing first. 

 

Time and time again, 

When playing Phase Ten Dice,

The person winning in the beginning is not the person who wins in the end. 

They will be sailing along, 

Completing phases, 

Getting high scores, 

And then come to a screeching halt when a phase trips them up. 

For my dad,

It’s seven of one color. 

It gets him every time! 

For me and my mom,

It can be anything.  

 

The point is,

You must stay the course. 

If you’re losing,

You cannot give up hope.

If you’re winning,

You cannot take your fortune for granted.

 

The game can drastically change in just one phase. 

 

You are not completely guaranteed a win or a loss until the game truly ends. 

 

So stay the course, dear friends—

Hunker down and persevere,

Even when hope is hard to come by. 

You never know when strategy and luck will converge to propel you forward, 

Out of whatever sadness and defeat you are feeling. 

 

As much as you can,

Enjoy the journey and

Share laughter with those you’re journeying with. 

Winning is nice, yes. 

But it’s the process that matters. 

And the process takes time.

And waiting.

And cheering one another on. 

 

Amen. 

Try Again. Later.

 

Sometimes things come easily. 

Sometimes they don’t. 

Saturday was an example of the don’t’s

And it was very frustrating. 

 

I was trying to make a tin art quilt square pattern that I had made before. 

I cut the one-inch strips,

Trimmed them into one-inch squares, 

Cut the squares into triangles, 

And then started piecing together the design.

 

For some reason, it would not make! 

Every time I placed a piece, I knocked another piece out of line. 

I worked steadily for about 45 minutes.

I even took off my glasses so that I could focus more carefully!

Finally, I got the design to where I liked it,

And I was getting ready to tape it down,

When suddenly my example square fell over,

Hitting my working square, 

And knocking all the pieces out of place. 

Ugh!

 

I tried to tweak the mess and get the pieces back in line,

But each time I adjusted one piece,

Something else messed up.

After about 15 more minutes,

A lot of frustrated noises,

Walking away a few times,

And giving up hope,

I finally just dumped the whole thing and decided to start again.

Later.

 

…

 

Sometimes things come easily. 

Sometimes they don’t. 

But thankfully, when they don’t, 

We can always try again 

And hope that the second time, 

Or third, or fourth, 

We will have success. 

 

So in the times when things don’t come easily, 

Hang in there, friends. 

Keep going. 

Keep trying. 

Keep doing your best, 

Even when your best means surrendering in defeat 

And trying again later.

 

Amen.  

Unnecessary Requirements

 

I recently filled out an online application that required my signature.

I filled it out at least ten different times—

On my computer, on my phone, with Edge, with Chrome, at home, at school, during the day, at night—

But when it came to the signature block,

The application wouldn’t work.

I tried signing with the mouse.

I tried signing with the touch screen.

I tried refreshing the page.

I did everything I knew to do.

But nothing worked.

All I got was an error message. 

So I contacted my contact at the organization,

And she contacted the IT person,

Who lifted the signature requirement,

And sent me a different link to the application than I’d been trying,

Then, and only then, was I finally able to complete the application!

This process lasted for four days.

It was frustrating.

But it was resolved…

After I had the right link…

And an unnecessary requirement was lifted.

 

I think sometimes in churches we place requirements on people

That are unnecessary.

And I think sometimes in churches we give people misinformation that

Leads to impossible frustration.

Do we do it on purpose?

Usually not.

But if we aren’t careful,

Then I think we can over-require and mislead people

Right out of the doors of the church.

 

I’m thankful that I had someone kind, capable, and willing to work with me when this piece of technology failed.

 

Likewise,

May we be a kind, capable, and willing people who intentionally work with those whom the church has failed.

 

God: Thank you for perseverance. Thank you for creativity. And thank you for lifting unnecessary requirements that keep people out of your Love. Amen.  

Eventually Love Will Win

After getting beat up
the first time,
some think it’s stupid to get back in the ring.

After being knocked out
the second time,
and third,
and fourth,
most think it’s insane to keep fighting.

Some think it’s brave.

Call me
stupidly,
insanely,
brave.

It’s not time
to stop fighting for
Love.

I won’t
stop fighting for
Love.