If life is a football game, then I'm about to start playing the third quarter. Games are won and lost in the third quarter. A team can be winning the first half, only to fumble and blow it so much in the third quarter that they can't make it up in the final one.
Conversely, a team can bomb the first half and turn the game around in the third quarter.
I have made some good plays in my life and some doozies. I can give you many examples of times when, like a quarterback throwing a beautiful pass that is intercepted, I have not lived up to my potential or have tried something and fallen flat on my face.
I am stubborn, opinionated, and, sometimes, fearful.
"I can't do that," I have answered opportunities, "I am too scared."
Sometimes, overcoming fear, I have stepped out to try something new. Too scared to sing in front of people, I didn't want to even sing on the worship team, but several close friends challenged me. Finally, I stepped out in faith and one thing led to another--I have been a worship leader since 2002. It has been one of the greatest joys of my life, leading worship and singing without a trace of nervousness in front of people.
It is my goal to be brave in the years ahead, to take a chance or two.
A long line of people have paraded through my life, touching my life with a mixture of sorrow, laughter, wisdom, confusion, and excitement. I have known success and failure in relationships.
Conversely, a team can bomb the first half and turn the game around in the third quarter.
I have made some good plays in my life and some doozies. I can give you many examples of times when, like a quarterback throwing a beautiful pass that is intercepted, I have not lived up to my potential or have tried something and fallen flat on my face.
I am stubborn, opinionated, and, sometimes, fearful.
"I can't do that," I have answered opportunities, "I am too scared."
Sometimes, overcoming fear, I have stepped out to try something new. Too scared to sing in front of people, I didn't want to even sing on the worship team, but several close friends challenged me. Finally, I stepped out in faith and one thing led to another--I have been a worship leader since 2002. It has been one of the greatest joys of my life, leading worship and singing without a trace of nervousness in front of people.
It is my goal to be brave in the years ahead, to take a chance or two.
A long line of people have paraded through my life, touching my life with a mixture of sorrow, laughter, wisdom, confusion, and excitement. I have known success and failure in relationships.
My marriage got off to a rough start. We were so young, strong, and stubborn. We spent a few years trying to change each other and finally learned to appreciate one another's differences. My husband is brave and kind, full of integrity. Because of him, our home is peaceful, no yelling, no screaming. It is a blessing. We have grown up together, making mistakes, forgiving each other, moving on.
"I like the maple cabinets," my husband said quietly. I was looking at the oak cabinets, dreaming of wood floors in my very busy kitchen. Mike doesn't think wood floors are practical, so we are getting tile. He is probably right. I am not pushing my way since I was the one to catch the kitchen on fire, destroying both cabinets and floor. And Mike did handle that situation with kindness and tact.
We do agree on our children. We think they are the most amazing, brilliant, loving, attractive children in the entire world. They have exceeded all our expectations. But there have been moments.
"You don't seem to have time for me," one of my children said to me a few years ago. I sighed. I felt like a failure. I was stretched as far as I could be stretched: homeschooling, caring for sick parents, helping Mike pastor our small church, and trying to keep up with my home responsibilities. I felt guilty when I left my parents and headed back to Central Florida and guilty when I left my children to head down South to take care of my parents.
It never felt like I was making the right choice. Maybe you are in that kind of situation right now. It was a time to hold on and do the best I could. As always in those times, I made it through because of the Lord, family, and friends.
"I like the maple cabinets," my husband said quietly. I was looking at the oak cabinets, dreaming of wood floors in my very busy kitchen. Mike doesn't think wood floors are practical, so we are getting tile. He is probably right. I am not pushing my way since I was the one to catch the kitchen on fire, destroying both cabinets and floor. And Mike did handle that situation with kindness and tact.
We do agree on our children. We think they are the most amazing, brilliant, loving, attractive children in the entire world. They have exceeded all our expectations. But there have been moments.
"You don't seem to have time for me," one of my children said to me a few years ago. I sighed. I felt like a failure. I was stretched as far as I could be stretched: homeschooling, caring for sick parents, helping Mike pastor our small church, and trying to keep up with my home responsibilities. I felt guilty when I left my parents and headed back to Central Florida and guilty when I left my children to head down South to take care of my parents.
It never felt like I was making the right choice. Maybe you are in that kind of situation right now. It was a time to hold on and do the best I could. As always in those times, I made it through because of the Lord, family, and friends.
Friends change everything. They make the journey more fun, but sometimes friendship have ended badly. Sometimes it's been my fault, sometimes not. No matter what the cause, broken relationships bring pain and make you wonder what on earth is wrong with you. Rejection never feels good.
Maria read one of my books on how to teach writing in high school and she emailed me with some questions. We chatted now and then, but not very often. When she heard that my daddy had died, she attended the funeral. Later she visited our church and ended up part of our church family. Our daughters are good friends and attend the same homeschool co-op. She has many challenges in her life that she must overcome, but she pours love into my life, seems to know just when to encourage me because I am having a stressful day.
It is good to have friends and the secret to having friends is to be a friend. Longing to be a better friend in the third quarter.
So much ahead....playing to win in the third quarter.
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
Maria read one of my books on how to teach writing in high school and she emailed me with some questions. We chatted now and then, but not very often. When she heard that my daddy had died, she attended the funeral. Later she visited our church and ended up part of our church family. Our daughters are good friends and attend the same homeschool co-op. She has many challenges in her life that she must overcome, but she pours love into my life, seems to know just when to encourage me because I am having a stressful day.
It is good to have friends and the secret to having friends is to be a friend. Longing to be a better friend in the third quarter.
So much ahead....playing to win in the third quarter.
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
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