Bowling

Since we are without a student minister at this time, the honor fell to me to take children bowling this past Saturday. There were five children that attended and they all had a different response to the activity.


One asked, "Am I winning?" after every turn at which I could answer in the affirmative because she got to utilize the bumpers because of her age, while the other kids did not have that luxury.


One said, "It doesn't matter who is winning, because I am having fun!"


One said, "I am bored."


One said, "It's not fun, because I'm no good."


One was distracted by his phone and some deer hunting game that he was playing and would have to be reminded to play.


Of course it was bowling but I learned that these five children demonstrated five different attitudes that we can have toward the life that we are living.


Some of us are so obsessed with if we are winning in the sense that we are beating the other guy or gal. Am I more successful in my job? Do I have the bigger and better toys? Are my children the most well-behaved? Do I have the happiest marriage?


Some of us are bored with life. We have lost sight of the great opportunity we have and the limited time that we possess. We are simply going through the motions when it is our turn to participate, doing as little as we can to get the job done and simply going through the motions to let someone else have a turn.


Some of us are hedonistic about life. As long as it is fun, brings pleasure, feels good, I will do it. Unfortunately there is a lot about life that is not fun in the least but must still be lived: taxes, problems, trials, death, sickness, and bad days. Though we are not comparing ourselves to others we miss out on the lessons that can be learned in the difficult times.


Some of us are negative about life. We do not think it is worth living because we are not good at it. We mess up. We fall into temptation. We are never satisfied. We covet the lives of others. We wonder why we can't use the bumpers when the little child does and we were able to use the bumpers just last year. We don't want to move forward and we stagnate.


Some of us are distracted in life. We are not focused on the task at hand and we let other things interfere with our living. It could be past mistakes, the opinion of others, a job, entertainment, or simply laziness. Before we know it time has passed us by and we are eighty years old and we realize that we have never lived.


Jesus came so that we could have life and have it to the fullest, abundant. We are to mind our own business, rejoice in all things, redeem the time,  understand the blessing of being a child of the King, and press on toward the prize. Live life to the fullest. Live life in the will of God. Live life so there will be no regrets (or at least very few) after its short duration. Live life to where there will be something eternal to show for it. Live.