To the loser go the spoils?

I learned something important this summer playing softball on our church team. Our team went 1 & 13 I think over the course of the summer. It occurred to me that losing teaches us more about character than winning ever can. Perhaps it's something I already knew, but I had never thought about it in quite that way before. Losing takes strength and fortitude and if we don't have that, we either learn to acquire it or we run off with our tail between our legs.

I've had other reasons to think about this recently which I won't go into, but think about a time when you've lost something or failed at something or become discouraged that things didn't go a certain way. Purpose to make that a time to grow and learn in your life and find the spoils in...losing.

To the Loser go the Spoils!

"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise."

Another semester...

Well, there goes another semester, come and now gone. It seems that as teachers our lives are marked by the continual rhythm of new semesters, vacations, and students coming and going. There is, however, a certain comfort in this repeatable pattern I suppose.

Now comes the time to spend time with friends, settle down a little bit and catch our breath for another push. Let's take time to reflect over these few weeks and to consider what the really important things in life are.

Let's not forget

While many Americans may forget, today is the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor...the Day that will live in Infamy. It should be a reminder that no matter how prepared we think we are, our individual lives and the life of our nation can be changed in a couple of hours time. The attack on our soil was unprovoked and flagrant and we should never forget the men and women who died that day defending this great nation.

Even today, we are faced with dangers around the world not the least of which is the dictator in Iran. Will we wait until it is too late and we or one of our allies faces the fury of the atom? Or will we have the fortitude to believe that freedom is worth preserving in the face of tyranny and take the action needed to avoid more Pearl Harbors?

Finally, will America turn to God for help or will we continue to wander around in the wasteland of relativism and hubris? Once again this week we have seen the fruit of our embrace of meaninglessness as the gunman took the lives of 8 of our own in one of our own malls here at Christmas time. Perhaps we may not see another Pearl Harbor, but we may just rot from the inside and implode.