Growing up, I was obsessed, I mean obsessed with the game Candyland. My brother and I used to play for hours upon hours, eating candy all the while. After that, I moved on to Monopoly. That phase didn’t last long because I soon found out that monopoly destroys friendships (yeah…. sorry Gina and Jess for all the bad words I said.) That being said, I am currently in love with the game LIFE. I usually lose, but after a game of monopoly, I might have to find some new friends to play with anyway.
The other day I was drinking coffee in my favorite red chair, dreaming about the Race and what my adventures will be like. I’m becoming more and more obsessed with this whole idea of a simple life. Less stuff, more people. Even though I love the idea, I’m curious how it is actually going to play out when I am wearing the same smelly shirt for the third day in a row. Whew! I’ll have to remember to pack extra deodorant. Anyway, during my daily daydreaming session, I started thinking about this game LIFE and how it so closely relates to my life.
In the past, I always wanted the American dream. I wanted to go to college, to get a successful job, to marry a great guy, to have beautiful children, and then to retire and be the best grandma ever. I didn’t care about extraordinary, average was just fine. Over the years, I graduated from college and was expecting the next step to my American dream, just like the game LIFE. But it never came. I kept telling God, “Ummmm… yeah this is where you give me either a career or a hottie to marry.” Apparently Jesus didn’t like that because I didn’t get either.
Anyhoo, my favorite part of the game is when each player gets to choose the risky path or the safe path. It’s always an easy decision. Safe. My entire life I have enjoyed the safe path. It’s not so much because I want to be in control but because I don’t like giving anything up, as I find joy in most things. And why would I want to give up something that I find joy in, even if there is something out there that is better? See what I’m saying? Average. Hear me out; I’m not saying you have to run around across the globe as a missionary to be extraordinary. Extraordinary looks different for everyone; and America would be doomed if all the cool Christian people left. However, Jesus has called me to a life of missions and in the process, made that life everything I crave.
So why am I going on The World Race? Because it’s risky. Because it’s way outside my comfort zone. Because it’s anything but average. And quite frankly, because it terrifies me. These are the reasons I am so intrigued with it. So in this, I’m giving up my average life for God’s extraordinary life. I’m choosing to say no to a lot of things I like such as; clean clothes, toaster strudels, Netflix, sleeping in, and having my own bathroom, in hopes of replacing them with things I love. I’m not even sure what these things are, but I’m hopeful that as I do my part, Jesus will do his.
So that is why I am going on The World Race and will always choose the risky path in the game LIFE.
