Lessons from Backgammon

I went on a mission grip to Turkey a few years ago where I noticed many of the men sitting playing backgammon. I noticed similar tends in other countries on previous travels and had always wondered how to play the game. When I got back to the UK I decided I was going to learn, so I downloaded the game to my iPhone and taught myself to play.

I like the fact that it’s a game of both chance and skill and that the result is fairly unpredictable. Often times I think I’m going to win only to get beaten right at the end. Other times I’m convinced that the way things are going I’m going to lose and debate with myself whether to forfeit the game only to win before I concluded the argument.

I wont try to teach you the rules and strategies here but the lessons learned are worth airing. You see, I see a parallel to life. Getting a good or a bad start in life doesn’t necessarily dictate the way your life will end up. Sure the circumstances of our birth and early life have an impact on the rest of our lives – more usually on our material circumstances. But perseverance, luck, hard work and the choices we make affect us much more.

I’d like to en up being rich and happy but if I had a choice between the two I’d choose happiness. Now that I’m older I can see clearly that it isn’t the house you live in, the car you drive or the holidays you take that make for happiness. I know plenty of discontented people who score highly on these stakes. What really counts is contentment, relationships and integrality.

The way we live, the choices we make and the ability to persevere through the difficult times are things that make us who we are. It applies to the spiritual realm too. There are loads of verses about this in the Bible. Here’s just one – “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Romans 5:3-5

When I feel like giving up, running away or just opting out, I remember my games of backgammon.

 

 

Awkward Moments and Decisions

I walked out of the alleyway onto the pavement just at the same moment a young lady stepped from her garden onto the same pavement; and there it was that awkward moment. Joking I  offered to race her to the end of the road. Then there was an awkward decision – do I walk faster or drop back and let her go on? If I step back will it look like I’m stalking her? Will she think I’m watching her bottom? Will I be tempted to watch her bottom?

It started me thinking about winning and losing. I never felt that I’m particularly competitive recognising that there will always be someone who is better than me. But there is a real difference between not winning and being beaten.

In general I don’t win because I’m not obsessed enough with any given activity that I’m prepared to go to the lengths needed to be a winner. I therefore allow someone else to win. However, that is very different to be beaten.

Several years ago I developed Atrial Fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), which, at its worst, caused me to be so out of breath that walking fast, and going up hills was impossible. I went from someone who always walked flat out to someone who was overtaken by geriatrics with walking sticks. For no reason of my own, I was beaten by everyone. It hurt. It caused me real pain. Three years on the medication is holding my heart in sinus rhythm and I can overtake people unless they are walking particularly fast or the hill is steep. However, I still have choices to be make and each choice has its consequences.

The young lady was young and in a hurry, but she was wearing high heels. Without doubt I could race her to the end of the road and get there first. However, the consequence of that choice would be that I’d be breathlessness and hot and sweaty. But I’d be the winner. If I decided to hang back, I’d arrive at my appointment in better shape and more relaxed; but would I have been beaten? According to my logic, no. I wouldn’t win but I wouldn’t be beaten because I’d made the choice.

Life is full of choices. Most of them are as insignificant as my decision to walk faster or not. But some are desperately important. Some have long lasting consequences. Some have eternal consequences. Some people are bad at making decisions and some make bad decisions.

I want people to make right decisions, especially those of eternal value. The Bible says God wants to help us –“he will be a light to our path and a lamp for our feet.”

What decision did I make? I chose to drop back and that meant far enough to not present a threatening presence. I also chose not to watch her bottom as it slowly pulled away from me.

Why?

Here’s a few great questions to make you ponder:-

• Why do people order double cheeseburgers , large fries and a diet coke?
• Why do we leave cars worth thousands on our drives and fill our garages with junk?
• Why does the sun lighten our hair but darken our skin?
• Why don’t you ever see the headline, “Psychic Wins Lottery?”
• Why is abbreviated such a long word?
• Why is dyslexia so hard to spell?
• Why is the slowest time of the day on our roads called the rush hour?

A Funny Sort of Day

It’s been a funny sort of day. I looked out this morning and the sky was full of contrasty, brooding clouds, so, I thought, time to get my camera out and head west.  On the way to west Cornwall the clouds thickened and suddenly I was driving through 2 inches of snow/hail – needed to get my welly boots out.  On arriving in the Cott Valley the sun began to shine so I needed to get the sunscreen out.   When I got home I decided it was time to get the motorbike out, guess what? It started raining.

It really has been a funny sort of day – I’ve not known what to get out!

Priceless

Could resist sharing this – it’s priceless. If you’ve ever worked in the creative/design/print industry you won’t know whether to smile or cry. See – http://www.boredpanda.com/sharp-suits-worst-client-comment-posters

Thought Bubbles

Aren’t you glad secret thoughts are secret, hidden desires are hidden and thought bubbles don’t exist!

Lessons from the Stairs

There are some days when motivation is a real problem and even getting out of bed can be an issue if I don’t have a deadline to hit. So when I came across this cartoon in made me smile in wry kind of way and I knew I had to share it with you guys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awkward Question

Sometimes I want to ask God why hhe allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when he could do something about it, but I’m afraid he might ask me the same question.

Anonymous Quote

‘Sometimes we talk so much about leaving a better planet for our kids that we forget about leaving better kids for the planet’.

Old, but Worth a Look.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.