Gotta Be First

My sweet precious Gabe always has to be first. He has played youth sports since he was 5 years old and every time there is a line to run a drill he will knock people down to be first. School is no different. I have seen him push his way through a crowd of kids to be the first one in line. There are times he doesn't even know what he is lining up for or what he will have to do and he really doesn't care as long as he goes first.

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And competitive...oh my goodness gracious that boy is so competitive. He must not only be the first in line but he must finish first! He takes every loss to heart and acts as if he is carrying the game only on his shoulders. On the way home from a losing game he critiques everything he did wrong and hangs his head in such disappointment. But, with every game won he rides home on cloud nine discussing every great thing he did that game.

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First, first, first...that is where Gabe wants to be. Although Shane and I constantly tell him "Son, you're not always going to be first, you're not always going to win the game. The main thing is that you glorify God whether you win or lose." Although Kristina doesn't want to be the first one in line she tends to make sure her presence is known. Don't we all fall into one of these categories? Sometimes people tend to brag or talk about what they "have" in order to make themselves feel better and those words seem to stick you in the heart and make you hang your head down feeling as though you just lost a game. They feel as though they must be first...they must be the best and in turn it makes you feel like you just finished last...that you're the worst.

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I like the way Jesus put it in Mark 10:29-31 "Jesus said, 'Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.'" (MSG). Hmmm...I'm at a loss for the words to finish up this blog because there just aren't any words that you can say that are worthy enough to follow words spoken by Jesus!