Blog for July 29th, 2024
Let the Games Begin!
Yep, the Summer Olympics of 2024 have begun, starting on July 26th with a fabulous opening ceremony all through the city of Paris! It was so creative and inclusive and often exciting. The games go on until August 11th, 2024, and we’ll be rooting for our home team all the way!
I love to see the passion, dedication and hard work these kids put into their sports. They are in such good shape and so focused. If only I could be in half the shape they are and stay that focused on my goals. What a great success I’d be. I love watching the Olympics.
For a time, every four years, it feels like the world puts aside their hates and prejudices to come together for a healthy and flourishing event. A life promoting event. It’s practically a love fest. I wish real life could be more like that.
I don’t mean to be a Debbie downer, but just like real life, there are heartbreaks and pain behind the scenes we don’t even know about. The athletes are very good at working through the pain, putting a smile on their face and pushing through. In fact, many of you do too.
I know I have put on a fake smile a time or two and this week I had occasion to exercise that strategy once again. I have been blessed to spend time with family and friends this week and attend a couple of nice events. A shopping and lunch trip with my beautiful seventeen-year-old granddaughter, a day in the pool and lunch with incredible daughter. A special sponsor/sponsee luncheon with sponsee’s and a great surprise party for our friend turning sixty. His dad has recently passed away and he is taking it hard, so his wife, my friend thought this would lift him up, and it sure did.
All of these events were a blessing, fun, heartwarming and memorable. However, here comes Debbie downer again- at said events there were wrenches thrown in that made the occasions not quite as wonderful as it may have seemed. It’s about the games people play. Not my kids, but the others at the events. Some backhanded, snide remarks, some shunning, some “dogging” me. They are all playing some kind of sicko games of their own, I guess it helps them somehow. But it puts a damper on the time with my friends there.
So, of course I prayed about it and took it to the Lord in prayer right away and this morning I watched Dr. Stanley and as usual, he hit the nail on the head. He talked about what to do when we come under attack and of course prayer is at the top of the list.
I believe there’s an old song called “The games people play”. Yep, by Joe South, that song is still true! We can smile at one another and then turn around and stab each other in the back. You’ve probably heard the term “game’n”, in other words, they are just “play’n” them, or lets just say, “tricking and manipulating” them. Gaslighting, lying, and so on. People do indeed play their games.
I pray not to be one such person, it is my goal and plan to always be honest and real with the people I encounter. Working my steps really helps me with that and as Dr. Stanley said today, ask God to intervene and remove those attackers from you. Let’s let the Olympians do all the game playing.
Question of the Week: Are you enjoying the Olympics? Do you know someone that plays games with you to be manipulative?
