The Game Ain't Over

[tracy_d74]

Yesterday in church, the message moved me to tears.  Okay, I was sobbing.  So was the person next to me and half of the people in the church.  No, it was not an “I feel Jesus in my soul” moment.  Nothing that profound or . . . cliché.  The message was about the power of discouragement.  And powerful it is.  We have ALL felt discouraged.  Many of

Comments

[lunalila]

Tracy, this story is absolutely lovely, moving and inspiring! Thanks for sharing! Congrats to your pastor for finding such a piece to share.

[tracy_d74]

Thanks!

The pastor told it with such grace and humor. I totatlly did not do it justice. But I just had to share it.

[a_r_williams]

"Oh, somewhere in this favored land dark clouds may hide the sun.
And somewhere bands no longer play and children have no fun;
And somewhere over blighted lives there hangs a heavy pall;
But Mudville hearts are happy now -- for Casey hit the ball!"

~~Casey's Revenge, Grantland Rice

Good story! And true. Some emotions can be either positive/negative depending on how you use them. But some, like discouragement have no positives.

[tracy_d74]

Hey! I love that quote! Of course you, the quote master, would add something great to my post. Thank you!

Yep, discouragement . . . nothing good comes from it.

[bogwitch64]

This came at a good time for you, Tracy. Not that you needed bolstering; but affirmation never hurts!

[tracy_d74]

It is kinda weird. The night before I felt discouraged about things in general and knew I was having crazy thinking. (The negative side effect of a social person being removed from 80% of socializing.) But after chatting with a friend, by yesterday morning I was feeling good. The message hit me because I know what it is like to be discouraged and so down in the dumps you don't want to try. I'm not there. Thank goodness. But I know many who are. Now last weeks message. That one felt like God had hand delivered that one to the pastor, special for me. VERY SCARY . . . VERY COOL!

[karen_w_newton]

Lovely story! The thing is, a person is better off with that kind of family than with all the natural ability in the world.

[tracy_d74]

I agree! What a dad. What a family. And just think, the world be a better place if everyone had people cheering them on and telling them, "the game ain't over."

[musingaloud]

Thank you for this. I just had a talking with Self yesterday. After a post by a flister that could have been written by myself, about being afraid his writing just wasn't good enough and maybe it was time to give up the quest. Anyway, my talk with Self went something like grownup to grownup for a change, instead of a whining child. So you get rejected by a market. So what? Does it mean the end of the world for you? And on.

anyway, have you read Eat, Pray, Love? The middle section where she goes to India in search of God has really touched me. And I've been trying to meditate and reach for peace and acceptance and it's working I think.

Anyhooo, all this was just to say your post was the kicker in a inner talk that has been quite helpful. And illuminating. Thanks!!

[tracy_d74]

Thank you! *blushes*

I LOVE Eat, Pray, Love. I bought it for all my friends one year. And they all enjoyed it. No one liked the India part, however. That is the part I loved. (Well, I liked the eat part . . . I am a foodie.) The India portion resonated with me becasue my worst enemey rests between my ears . . . my thoughts. My start point is anxiety and self-doubt. I have spent A LOT of time in therapy (yep, even us therapists do it) and a lot of time training my thoughts. I am light years from where I was, and still have light years to travel to get to where I want to be internally. I will get there.

You know the book is going to be a movie. In August. Julia Roberts is the MC.