The Game of LIfe

Game of Life

Today I see the icy mounds of snow melting away, it looks like we might finally get an end to the snow that we are having in Vancouver. I am not a true Vancouverite, only living on the BC mainland and Seattle regions for fifteen years I have never experienced this amount of snow in the area before. Evidently, I am not alone in my experiences, it has been quite a shock to everyone; so much so our streets remained blocked for weeks after the heavy snowfall.

 The lovely covering of white reminds me of the thick blanket of heavy snowflakes that fall in the Yukon and Alaska, creating a winter land of ice and cold.  I, personally, love the fresh snow and when it mantles the surrounding in its white layer, it gives the entire city an appearance of cleanness and purity. Although lovely, it does cause problems when it is unexpected by the masses, causing chaos across the city from automobile accidents, human isolations, to roofs caving in.

This is life, however, and like the weather, as soon as we get used to a certain recurrence, an unforeseen change happens causing us problems, if we allow it. Stress, depression, anxieties, deaths, bankruptcies and uncontrolled fears are just a few of them

For most, the unknown is terrifying, leading to anxieties that in fact may increase the situation’s negativity because of unclear thinking; terror, resisting change, or self-preservation can motivate our actions. Not giving ourselves time to access this situation, we make quick decisions that might not actually be for our best. Of course, sometimes we need to take immediate action, but all I am saying is, breath in, ask God for his help, and listen for his answer. We will know when you have it; it is not paralyzing but calming even when everything around us seems out of control.

I heard the story once of a man who heard they were putting in a warning sign on the street cautioning traveling motorist to be careful of the children which may be darting into the road suddenly. The news was a good thing because he had children of his own, but the same time, if the city placed the sign in front of his yard, it would be an eyesore, and take away from his well-manicured lawn that he spent so much time trying to perfect. Thoughts of sign plagued his mind for months; finally, he decided he would put in a tree, believing that the tree would block the sign from his sight and keep his lawn looking spectacular. The man purchased a big tree, and over the months the tree grew bigger but the sign never went in; however two years later, the city put down the sign. To his horror, the city placed the sign at the end of the road, two homes down from his. The man now talks about how the big tree became more of a nuisance than the sign. A “Worry Tree,” he called it.

The unanticipated will come, but what I want to emphasize in this story is that his worry and stress over the unknown created more of a dilemma in his life than it would have if he had spent time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit what to do about the sign. My guess is the Holy Spirit would have told him to hang tight, and do nothing for now. “Follow the course.”

One of my favorite scriptures says, trust in the Lord and lean not onto your own understanding.

Prov 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes:

When events happen or situations do not go as we plan, as believers in Jesus our first line of defense in making it through trials is to ask God (pray), trust that he hears us (belief), and act upon what he tells us (do something). Remember God will never tell you anything contrary to his word, (bible) and it will produce life and peace for you and others around you. God is almighty and he knows what is happening in our lives; he has a microscopic view, sees all of the details, and knows the outcome he wants for us; whereas we only see the surface of the situation. Trust in God gives good rewards and blessing, and even the most negative situation is turned when there is a belief in his mercy and great love. His word says that trust in Him is marrow to our bones, that precious ingredient that makes our bones healthy keeping our stature straight and tall.

So, we have snow, rain, darkness, and other negatives, these events will always come, but God is there and he knows what we are facing. When we reach out to Him through prayer, He answers and by His leading, even the worst situation we face can come out for our good.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom 8:28