Just To See You Smile!

Anyone play tennis? Well, I haven't played since I was about eight or nine years old. Recently, Christopher and I decided this is something we could do together. Our first time around gave us so much hope that we went out and bought the equipment needed to begin this new adventure! Much to our surprise, our second time didn't go nearly as well. We definitely got our exercise, but it wasn't by looking like tennis pro's! In fact, out exercise looked more like chasing a ball and trying to get it over the net. At one point, Chris tried to "fix" the net. I told him I thought the problem was more the people on either side of it. We even tried pretending. He was Pete Sampras. I was Anna Kournikova. When that didn't work, we thought maybe we should be Andre and Venus! We laughed. However, it didn't start out that way. When we first arrived, I was so frustrated that we couldn't actually "play" together. If I got the ball over, Chris couldn't return it. If Chris got it over, I was swinging at air. Usually, I can laugh at myself. Chris was smiling the entire time. I was not! I was just thankful we were playing at night, and it wasn't hot. I didn't want to smile. "It was not my smiling time!" (Some of you will understand!) Ha! Well, as much as I wanted to stay frustrated with the game and how it was not going well...I couldn't! It was then that I decided to let go! I asked God to help me have fun and not focus on what I couldn't do. So, it was from that point that I focused on what I could do and what I do have. I thanked God for my arms that haven't quite learned how to swing a tennis racket. I thanked God for my legs that aren't quite fast enough to keep up with the ball when we get it over the net. I thanked God for the man across from me, whom I love and who loves me the way He intended. I thanked God for smiles and that they are contagious. I don't like to be frustrated. I don't enjoy being mad, but sometimes I choose it. I guess we will always do what we don't want to do as Paul wrote so many years ago. However, I long to be thankful at all times. I long to welcome the presence of God and prepare a place for Him wherever I go, in whatever I am doing, even if it is just playing tennis. 

God,

You are so good. Thank You for my health. Thank You for life, and the opportunity to wake up one more day! Thank you for friendship and relationship with You and the precious ones You give us on this earth. Thank You for Chris and his patience with me. So often, he reminds me of You. Thank You for displaying so much of Your goodness through him. Thank You for laughter. Thank You for tennis, a game that puts both of us in our place. Thank You for warning us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but You offer life to the fullest (John 10:10). Thank You God! Help me to recognize the seemingly insignificant ways that the enemy is trying to steal, kill, and destroy in my life. Enable me by the power of Your Spirit to choose You and the abundant life You desire for Your children.