Don't be a Sore Loser

So I got one of those inspirational emails with a PowerPoint attachment. I am always leery about opening any email with an attachment, so usually I unfortunately delete most. (so this would be the reason that many of you or at least 10 people from my address book, including the person who sent it to me, will never get that forwarded message. This also might be the reason that my wish won't come true, that unexpected check doesn't show up in the mail or I wake up with a bad case of acne.)

So, after I scanned it 27 times and called the Internet SWAT team for back-up....I clenched my eyes tight and hit that little white box "open". To my relief....my PC did not sizzle or my screen did not start flashing. Phew. I guess I can trust Josh's emails after all.

It was a slideshow with positive encouraging sayings set on beautiful photos of nature. It might have been set to music, but when I went into my lockdown mode.....I don't think I ever turned my speakers back on.

One phrase really caught my attention:

"When you lose.......don't lose the lesson"

I started to reflect on events in my life where it might appear that I have lost or failed. Yes during that time, it felt horrible and discouraging. But now looking back, I see how not only did I persevere through it....I came out better and stronger.

(I need to interject here that this does not and will never apply to any board game action. I am a fierce competitor and winning is important to me. I will not allow defeat when playing Scrabble, Monopoly or Scategories. It is not an option. I even have my own victory dance down to a science.

I am pretty confident that is why no-one, especially Josh, will ever play games with me anymore. I tell him that he is weak and cowardly when he is not up for the challenge....
...he tells me it is because I am not fun to play with. I happen to like that song "Money, money, monnnnnnn-nay" .....you know, the Donald Trump theme song, and feel compelled to sing it when I am collecting rent during Monopoly. Is that a problem? hmmmmph.)

OK, back to learning the lesson. So I guess we have to turn losing around and see what good things came come from it. It can build determination. For example.....if you don't make the basketball team, you might train and try that much harder the next time.

Even getting lost when driving somewhere will teach Josh you to learn that it is OK to ask for directions or plan the road trip a little more efficiently. (*or your wife could be gracious enough to buy you a GPS for your birthday)

Losing humbles us as well. Sometimes, we think we have it all together....maybe we feel we don't need to study for that test as hard as everyone else or put in 120% at our job and still expect promotions. Then when we fail or the job is given to someone else....it is a little wake-up call that knocks us down a few pegs.

When we lost our sweet family of chickens, it taught us that we did not keep our barn as secure as it should be. Yes, it was a painful lesson.....but it alerted us to the fact that we need to step up our game when we decide to take these animals under our wing (no pun intended) and their safety is our responsibility.

And on the flip side.....If you believe, as I do.....that God is in total control of your life,....then we also need to trust that there is a reason for a loss or failure. God can get pretty creative when He wants us to learn something. Believe that the trials we are facing are all for the greatest good. Even when they don't feel so good.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7

Maybe it's not even a failure at all. Have you ever looked back and thanked God that He didn't give you everything that you prayed for? Or that you realize that His timing and ways were SO much better and more effective than yours? You are so disappointed when your offer didn't get accepted on that home....only to have a better house come along the following week that was even more affordable. You get laid off and it is frightening, but this enables you to find a job with better hours or benefits.

Goes back to the comforting phrase about when life closes a door, God will open a window.

The Amplified version of Jer. 29:11 states:
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

So we see and experience things in the "now"....we base our emotions and actions on what is tangible to us, what we are going through now. It is very difficult for us, as humans and our way of thinking.....to project "the Big Picture" as God does and understand His way of thinking.

Sometimes we will be able to figure out the lessons in our losses here on earth.....others we will only find out when we are in Heaven. I know I plan on asking God about some of mine over a good game of Scrabble......that is, if He is up for the challenge. ;)


I hope this encourages you to turn a trial or loss around and bring something positive out of it. Please share any lessons you have learned.....I'd love to hear about them.

Peace, love and stay barefoot~
*~Michelle~*