victory

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Gaining Victory Out Of What Seemed A Loss

I achieved a victory even though I lost. 

gaining victory out of what seemed a loss

Have you ever had that happen when you technically lost, but in a way you won? It happened to me driving home from the Kingston Frontenacs hockey game the other night. 

During the hockey season, Friday nights are date nights for me and Lily. It’s something we do together and both enjoy. 

Because I’m the team chaplain, Lily has also gotten to know the players and so she has a personal interest in watching them play. She’s a pretty vocal supporter, too. She will shout out their first names and, with all kinds of passion, encourage them to skate after that puck or go for the goal.

This fall Lil has been coming in to work at the church on Friday afternoons. Our standard practice is to take just one car down to the hockey game and leave the other one at the church to pick up after the game.

It’s not that there is anything said or that we plan on it, but one thing leads to another and, during our drive home, the race is on. 

This past Friday I switched lanes thinking that I would be behind someone who was going to travel faster than the car I was behind. 

It was a big mistake! 

The car I had been behind turned off the road just after I changed lanes and Lily moved up and ahead of me in that other lane. 

I then got boxed in because the new car I was following was not going as fast as the line of cars beside me. I couldn’t change back and kept getting further and further behind Lily.

… Then came an opening. I made my move and, well, drove a little fast. 

Lily was way ahead but I kept up my speed and caught up to her at a red light. 

I again got in the opposite lane from her, knowing that her lane had to merge due to construction. … But I didn’t count on the guy in front of me going slow enough that Lily was able to get in front of him, and not get stuck waiting to merge. 

Once Lily turned off the main road, there were no more opportunities for me to get ahead of her. It was like she had already won and we were still a kilometre from home. 

I stayed right behind her though.

As we turned onto our street, I hit my garage door remote and my door started opening before hers did. She pulled into our driveway; I came up beside her and drove directly into the garage. From there I quickly exited the car and got to the door before she was able to park her car. 

I kind of won, but she made it to the driveway first. Luckily my garage door remote has a farther range and my door opens and closes faster than hers. That’s what gave me the win. 

Lily keeps protesting the results, insisting it’s the first to the driveway who wins, but I’m still claiming victory.

Here’s the thing: We saw a similar scenario in what Christ did. He lived a perfect life only to die because the religious leaders were jealous and threatened by him. It looked like Jesus lost when he died on the cross, but really he won the victory for you and me to have our sins paid for and to have a relationship with God the Father. His seeming loss was real victory.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Have you taken hold of the victory Jesus won for you? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Oh, The Sweet Taste Of Victory

I can almost taste the victory – that’s the victory of completing the Apple watch fitness challenge.

I’m not sure if Apple thought that we weren’t using their watches to succeed at keeping up with our fitness goals or routines … maybe they just wanted to help us all be a little more motivated to get exercising at the beginning of the new year.

At any rate, they put out a challenge to Apple watch owners to complete their fitness rings every day for a week in January.

There are three fitness rings that the watch measures. One is standing. You complete this ring by standing a minimum of one minute per hour for 12 hours a day.

This sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? But if you work at a desk or sit in a car, or do both, those hours can easily tick away without you standing in every hour.

You have to be conscious of it and get out of your seat for at least a little bit each hour.

Then there is the move ring. This measures the calories you burn simply by moving about in your day. You don’t have to put out much effort at all to get this ring swirling, but it won’t budge if you are sitting down most of the day.

And then there is the exercise ring. This ring measures when your heart rate is elevated – not like in a stress-filled meeting, but by exerting yourself physically.

These three simple rings wind around my watch face, and this week I’ve completed all three rings for six days.

Tomorrow is the last day and I know I will be able to do it.

I haven’t set the bar too high, but it did require me most days to do specific workouts for at least 20 minutes. For me, it’s either I play hockey, or use my stationary bike and rowing machine to get my exercise in.

It wasn’t a cinch but it also wasn’t hard for me to accomplish. The trick was to be aware of what I needed and make sure the day didn’t slip away without me getting in those necessary, needed elements.

For example, I knew on Thursday that I had an evening meeting in which I would just be sitting. During that day I was mostly sitting as well.

But I did have a midday meeting outside the office and so I decided to also spend a half hour on my bike and rower to ensure I completed my exercise ring before my evening meeting.

So what’s the prize for all this? Do I win a new Apple watch or get a discount on a new Mac computer?

… It would be nice to win some free software or something.

Unfortunately, none of the above. All I get is an achievement award that shows up in an app on my phone.

It’s not much; it’s sort of like the online course I took at the end of the year. When I completed the work, I got to print out a completion certificate with my name on it.

Wow … it probably won’t get framed or put on the wall.

But along with the satisfaction of completing the challenge, there is the knowledge that a healthier body will enable me to live longer and with more energy. … Sweet victory!

Here’s the thing: Though there may not be any big wow’s for daily living for God, you do experience God working through you and you get to spend eternity with God in heaven. … Sweet victory!

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find satisfaction in? Leave your comments below.