Klondike and other addicting habits…

Have you ever played the game, Klondike?  It’s very similar to Solitaire but with its own challenges.  I’ve played it long enough now I can’t quite remember exactly what's different between it and Solitaire, though.  I do know, however, that it's addicting.

Let me go back a few years… well, maybe 19 years or so.  It all started with the Gameboy.  Do you remember?  I was obviously NOT a teenager when the game came out, but I was newly married and my wonderful husband treated me with a Gameboy of my very own with the best game around – Tetris.  After learning how it should be played, I quickly became addicted to beat my score.  So much that I could get enthralled in it for hours.  After months of this, I realized this wasn’t the best lifestyle choice.  Luckily, I misplaced my Gameboy for a number of years and all returned back to “normal”, whatever that is.

Fast forward to recent years when I cell phones began offering games to play.  Just so you don’t get me wrong, I am really not that interested in learning new games… ask anyone in my family and they’ll verify.  But, when I do figure out a game, it becomes obsessive.  With my first game-laden phone, I didn’t know what the games were but did recognize the game Solitaire.  Bless my sweet Grandma Kirk’s heart… we learned how to play Solitaire (with real cards) back when we were in elementary school.  It has hung on through the years as a great play-alone-when-you-don’t-want-to-do-anything-else kind of game.  So, I began playing Solitaire on my cell phone.

Since this story is already getting far too long, I’ll jump forward again a few years.  I had just replaced my phone with a Blackberry.  It did NOT have Solitaire.  I was so bummed.  However, a game called Klondike looked sort of like Solitaire so I figured I could probably figure it out.  Bailey was still playing basketball.  I remember sitting as we watched a full day of tourney games and found myself playing Klondike while we waited.  Someone actually saw me playing it and mentioned how they didn’t like the game because they could never win.  What a great challenge, I thought. 

It does take a lot of “losses” in the game… those dead ends where you keep flipping the cards and realizing there is no more play to be made… before you finally WIN.  But when you do win, it becomes an even greater challenge to win again… and quicker than last time.

Now my latest phone gives me my winning score and compares it to my last highest score.  This has offered me an even greater challenge.  I keep losing until I finally win… then I keep trying it over and over again to try to be my last highest score. 

Well, I finally beat my highest score TODAY after trying for a few months now!!!  Yes, my highest score had been sitting at around 8,600.  The closest I had come was about 8,100 but usually I end with 6,000-7,000 points.  Today’s score was 9,115! J  Yippee!!!  What’s the craziest part about all of this is that right after seeing my new highest score, I couldn’t just be satisfied with winning and stop playing.  I had to play it again a few more times before giving up.

Now for the analogy that hit me while I was playing it today and scored big… We just heard a most powerful message this morning from Pastor Dave Engbrecht about prayer.  He was recounting the story of when God asked Elijah to pray for no rain and it didn’t rain for 3 ½ years.  Then, when God spoke again, He told him to pray for rain… and he did.  I King 18:41 says, “Elijah said to Ahab, “Up on your feet!  Eat and drink – celebrate!  Rain is on the way; I hear it coming.”  Elijah then went to the top of Mount Carmel and prayed.  He sent his servant to the sea to check for rain… SEVEN times.  The servant kept returning with no sign of rain.  But, Elijah believed the impossible was going to happen… and on the 7^th trip, the servant saw a small cloud, which was then followed by a great torrent of rainfall!

Dave challenged us to pray… pray²!  Fervently pray for the IMPOSSIBLE with FAITH!  As we began worshipping, I was broken.  I’ve prayed for God to make the impossible possible… this seemingly-impossible need for a great multitude of ministry support partners so we can begin our ministry in France.  But, have I REALLY prayed?!  It seems like I’m praying when I wake up and when I lie down… I’m praying throughout the day… talking to God and begging Him to make a WAY.  But, am I really bowed down, face between my knees like Elijah and desperately praying for our miracle???

As I consider my addictions to Klondike, Solitaire and Tetris, my heart is so troubled.  I had to wonder today why I can be so faithful, almost to a fault, at continuing on with a game after losing, losing and losing again… just for the eventual possibility of winning, yet I am so wimpy, quick to doubt, and lacking in faith about the most important call that God has placed on our lives in a very long time!!!

With a new commitment to begin a deeper prayer walk with God, I am challenging myself to pray like I play… never giving up, passionately pursuing God, seeking His will without distraction, obsessively pleading for His hand to do what to us seems impossible!

James 5:10-11 challenges us so well…

Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything,

went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God.

What a gift life is to those who stay the course!

You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power,

and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end.

That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.

What are you addicted to today?  Is God challenging you to focus that same addictive passion to something He wants of you?  Are you willing to pursue His challenge – and WIN?!

Thanks, Dave, for a great message - and challenge!

Great Blog Post: The Gospel According to Sarah McLachlan

Our ties to Cory and Shannan go back to before their wedding day, but I remember sitting in the country church much like the one I grew up in as Shannan walked up the aisle while Steve played the wedding music.  Although we didn't know them very well, we've since had the privilege of being graced by their testimony - love for Jesus - in all circumstances.  And now our girls, known as the "Sister Sitters" by Shannan, enjoy babysitting for their three adorable children - Calvin, Ruby & Silas!

Shannan has an amazing way with words and shares so openly on her blog, Flower Patch Farmgirl.  It's a regular "read" for me as I love what she shares and how she shares it.  Such creativity in her soul!

A recent post - The Gospel According to Sarah McLachlan - was especially touching and challenging and so much more.  I know you'll love it, even if it may make you squirm a bit like we do some Sunday mornings when the message seems to be spoken just for us.  Please take a few minutes to read it, won't you?

Flower Patch Farmgirl's stirring post...

Answering the "Why?" :: Part 3

Continuation on God's leading from Part 2...

"I don't think the way you think.
The way you work isn't the way I work."
God's Decree.
"For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think."

~ Isaiah 55:8-9, The Message

After all the closed doors to serve in U.S. churches, we shared with the kids about the possibility of missions and asked their permission to pursue this avenue... we received a 75% blessing at the time. :)

1. We reviewed possible options, which led us to talk with Mike Davis of ReachGlobal.   He shared about many Western European City Teams, but thought we may match well with the Lyon City Team in France.
2. We then skyped with Mike DiGena, the Lyon City Team.   What an amazing conversation, and we were so amazed that our gifts and abilities were so complementary to their needs.
3. So... after much prayer, we began the lengthy application process with ReachGlobal, enjoyed multiple interviews, and was amazed when we were invited to the weeklong Readiness Event in February 2011.   There were actually quite a few times through this process that there were "yellow flags".   We really weren't sure if we'd get a "Yes" at the end of the week.
4. God opened the door in AMAZING ways by providing a "Yes" at the end of the Readiness Event, along with an invitation to join the Lyon City Team!

Almost two years had passed from the initial move of God's Spirit within us until THE DOOR swung open leading to Lyon, France!   Even though we never considered moving, let alone all the way to Europe, we know God has directed our steps, and we will continue to walk in faith.

Answering the "Why?" :: Part 2

He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does,

the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. 

~ Ephesians 2:10

As we sensed that God was asking us to return to full-time ministry, we logically thought that meant working in the local church in worship ministries.  He had obviously chosen that road for us for our first 17 years of marriage.  So, as we began praying for guidance and open doors, we then followed our own "logical" steps.  We searched for openings in churches within driving distance of our home.

No openings.

We talked with the kids about how God was working in our hearts and prepping them for the possibility of a move.  We searched for possibilities and then sent out Steve's resume to quite a few churches in the midwest. 

Closed doors. 

We then questioned God a bit... "Do you really want us to move further away?  What about our house and the poor housing market?  What about the kids' great school and amazing church support?"  We searched for possibilities and then sent out Steve's resume to quite a few more churches throughout the entire U.S. 

Again, closed doors... actually, it seemed like they were locked & sealed.  Seriously.  

We sent resume after resume.  

Nothing.   Nada. 

So, again we waited and wrestled with God to know what steps to take next.  We knew that missions was always a "future" possibility, but struggled to consider it now while the kids were still in school.  Who would choose to pull their kids out of school and move them half way around the world?