Winning

We won! My credit union branch was in a contest with the other branches and we won. It was a challenge given to each manager and assistant by the VP to see how we communicate, coach, and generally run our business. To finish off the month of dares we met at Dave & Buster's and played games. It was fun, but we had a job to do and my manager and I kept our focus and won.

I would love to say that I mainly enjoyed the process of learning from the experience and building relationships with my peers in the credit union, but, that wouldn't be entirely true. I wanted to win. I will, of course, enjoy the friendships that were made, the information I learned about credit union procedure and policy, and of course I will take pleasure in the prize that was financial as well as the paid day off. But, and I am simply being honest, my mind was set on winning.

That, I think, was the difference between those teams that played and lost and the two teams that engaged in the final playoff at the trivia table. Some of the teams never believed they had a chance and merely participated without fervor, sans zeal.

Do you play (work, engage with others) with passion? Do you desire the most that can be experienced when you engage in recreation, in your relationships, and what you do at work? Do you want to win?

If you don't think you can have the most, best, highest, or whatever-est, you probably don't try very hard and I'll conjecture that you aren't having much success or fun while experiencing your days. Don't settle for that kind of life. Play tough. Work hard. Love completely. Live with passion.

I Knew It!

I knew it would happen, I just didn't know when. Ok, I knew it would most likely happen. Well, there may have been times that I just wasn't sure about the outcome. But, here we are and it has happened. (This is really going to be a frustrating entry for many of you because I just cannot reveal the details of what has occurred.)

Basically, I have been watching one of my kids make some choices that were disappointing. Not life altering, not fatal, but having the potential for a future of hardship IF the shackles didn't fall from their eyes. But, glory to God, the Father of all, He has once again had mercy on us and saved us from ourselves.

As the parent of adults I know that I have reared my children to know right, to do good, to love righteousness. But, there are moments when I must observe the events involving my children and watch God move in their lives. This happens, and I know this will shock you just as it astonished me, without my overt intervention. My role was to pray, advise, pray, listen, and pray.

God moved, child was rescued, and our lives are once again in the idyllic state I love. I will continue to pray for mercy, direction, and protection for us all.

Thank you Lord, for your unending protection.