THIS IS MOSTLY PICKLEBALL TALK

THIS IS MOSTLY PICKLEBALL TALK
Today I played several games of Pball. Let me tell you about the last three games of the day.

JB and I teamed up against a couple of VERY good players. It would not have been unthinkable for them to have beaten us, and beaten us badly. BUT, of course, I don't hold that view when I start a game. So, I told JB, "We can win this game." I don't just say that. I mean it when I say it. I like to team up with JB, because he is not a quitter. He has faced and overcome some real challenges in life.

So, we played the game and game got super close, but we lost it. We don't like losing, but it was a game well played, so I was happy.

As it turned out, we were able to play another game against the same team. Again I told JB, "We can do it." Well, this game got a way from us pretty quickly, but we were committed to the bitter end.

Soon our opponents were ahead 4 to 2. Then 5 to 2. It kept getting more dismal, as their points went to 6, then 7, then 8, then 9, then 10. Eleven is the winning point, and they had given themselves a comfortable lead before they finally lost their serve. We got the ball back, and since you can only score on your own team's serve, we were, "STILL IN IT."

I served. Poof, we failed to score. JB became the server, with the score 2 (us), 10 (them), 2 (our second server). We scored, JB and I exchanged positions, for his next serve. 3 to 10; then 4 to 10; then 5 to 10; then 6 to 10. Wow, it was becoming an actual game instead of a humiliating runaway. SERVE... 7 to 10; 8 to 10; 9 to 10.

"ONE MORE POINT" I said to JB. If we could tie it up at 10 to 10, the game would have to be won by two points. We could avoid sudden death.

JB served and BAM, 10 to 10. JB kept serving, 11 to 10. ONE MORE POINT AND WE WIN THIS GAME.

JB served, and woooo hoooo, we won the game.

OKAY, if there is anything in this story that is bigger than Pball, it is NEVER GIVE UP. WE ARE STILL IN IT. These are not just words, they are BATTLE CRIES. Whatever you face in life. NEVER GIVE UP.

We played one more game after this game and actually won it also. On any other day, the other team could have cleaned our clock. But not today. Not at this time.

Thanks JB for the pleasure to be your teammate. Thanks to the two people we played against. They genuinely showed a great attitude, even though they would like to have won.

But most of all, THANKS TO JESUS for all of the times He has been there for us and with us, even when we did not know it, and for getting us through some REAL CONTESTS in life. Life is but a vapor. When faced with overwhelming opposition, DON'T GIVE UP. Keep trusting Christ and He will see you through your trials.

Two Passages
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John 3:16
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

(9/29/15 dlg on fb)