Tennis

I played tennis in my younger years and was invited to be a sub on a team with ladies I used to play with.  I ran across my racket when I was putting up Christmas decorations in January, so I knew where it was but had to pull it from many a stacked up box. And sure enough it was just as Ieft it.  Worn and faded handle, strings in tact and the colorful lime green frame with its much deserved nicks.  And a new era begins, with remnants of a past sported hobby emerging.  Most of my former tennis playing friends have advanced to golf, but for my own reasons that are not completely clear I have chosen to be left in the dust. Today will be a fun adventure, but I have to wonder if any of my meager skills are still tucked away or if they have vanished over the seasons.  

Seasons, they are constantly changing in our lives, and unlike the seasons of the world that have some consistency and expectation we are weathered based on   situations.  Opportunities and friends change depending on our lifestyles, our needs and our interests.  But how boring would life be if there were no surprises.  Oh, I know that some surprises are not so great, and can even turn our lives upside down, oh but there are other ones that open our eyes and deepen our perspective of joy and appreciation.  

This is one of those big birthday years for me and I can't help but reflect on years past, friends past, adventures past, and how God clearly has orchestrated my trials, my griefs, my successes, my failures, my interests, and my treasures to build into me His steadfast vision of character.  I say vision, because God will always be in work mode with me.  I can see how I approach challenges now vs yesteryear with a different viewpoint and attitude and hopefully maturity but I can also see how some character traits like communication and sensitivity still require a great deal of transformation. Surely you get what I am saying because you too can relate to how you have changed over the years. Time does change us, and so do the seasons, experiences and adventures that we live through. But God, in all his glory has remained, and will continue to remain constantly faithful and trustworthy through it all.   

In thinking about this tennis deal,when I did play years ago,  I played a couple of times a week. I was never good, but a good average player.  It was part of my routine.  I loved the time with friends, and had a quest for the game. Then the kids started getting busier, and life presented different challenges and tennis just gradually took a back seat.  It was never a serious priority, partly because I was not competitive or athletic enough to be an "A" team player, it just a sport of fun and exercise.  

But here I am today, hoping to fit in a tennis skirt and serve the ball up again.  And as the seasons change so do we, and life continues on. The point of this devotional, if you are wondering is, God presents us with oppotunites that we may be slightly familiar with and ones that we could easily waive out of fear or insecurity or uncertainty.  But instead of being hesitant about the season that is before you, maybe it would be wise to embrace it and approach the season as an opportunity to trust God and see what treasures he may have in store for you once you open the door. When we step out in faith, God lights our path and guides us to his destination.  He could be using the opportunity to give us joy, to build us up in character, to teach us further of his ways, or merely for the delight of the treasured memory.  If we only would try look at our day through the eyes of God, surely we would have a seasoned change of perspective, appreciation, and attitude. Tennis is a game that begins with love, I know that is corny but I couldn't help but put it in because isn't that where God begins his journey with us?   

Dear Lord, Thank you for opportunites.  May we embrace them in trust and interact in them with a faithful remembrance that nothing in your economy is ever wasted.   Amen