Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Quitting Isn't In Our Vocabulary!


I never have shown much mercy when playing games with my kids. I always figured that if the ages on the side of the box coincided with their ages then they were fair game and that I would give it my all to have the most money, most property, or the most points at the end (unless, of course, the lowest score wins)!

When playing a rather difficult game last week; one in which I wasn’t even sure the ages stamped on the side of the box were appropriate; I once again owned the most property, had the most money – you get the idea. The unfortunate part about this particular game is that if you play with three people there will inevitably be one person that gets absolutely trounced. In this case that one person was the oldest twin – Lydia. If you were to compare our net worth at the end of the game it would have had me looking like Rockefeller, Madison looking like Romney, and Lydia looking like Fred Sanford. If you don’t know who Fred Sanford is then I truly feel sorry for you except, of course, for the fact that you’re still young enough that you don’t pull a muscle just getting out of bed in the morning. Ask someone older than forty who Fred Sanford is and don’t be surprised if they clutch their heart and start yelling, “Elizabeth, I’m coming home to you!”

Now back to Lydia’s “agony of defeat” moment. She was devastated! She wanted redemption or perhaps vengeance! She begged me over and over and over and over again for a rematch. I finally said (in a loving and fatherly tone) “You might as well just give up because there is no way that you will ever beat me! Na Na Na Na Na!”

She responded by looking me square in the eye and saying, “Mister, do you have any idea whose house this is? This is the Trout house! In the Trout house we don’t quit!” I immediately swept her up into my arms and gave her the biggest hug that you can imagine! I can’t tell you how happy her response made me feel at that moment. I put her back on the ground, promptly got out the game, called for Madison to come join us, and beat her again!

Actually, I lost, but it wasn’t because I threw the game – trust me!  Yet, in a far more significant way – I won! I have raised a daughter that understands that winning isn’t everything. Yet, she is also well aware of the fact that quitting is not an option. Not in the Trout house!

If you feel like you’re losing big time, it’s not because the Heavenly Father is having you play beyond your level. He doesn’t do that. He’s just trying to bring out the best in you. His kids don’t quit! Dust yourself off and try again! Expect a heavenly hug in return!

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