What happens when we play video games at the YMCA.....

Ok, so i know its been forever, but just to catch up-
left nashville, moved to fort worth (big debate over that decision), started class, hurricane came through my hometown, computer blew up, dads job loss, two new jobs for me, and a sliced tire. been a busy semester already. however, of all the things that the Lord has shown me many many truths about His word and our proclamation of it with our lives have come to the forefront. recently, i have been having a very trialsome experience that has brought me to the brink of sanity at times, but the result is that in my heart, for a while, i became frustrated and bitter about many things. in my bitterness, i attempted to seclude myself and busy myself with school and jobs in order to forget about the bitterness and pain that remained in my heart. I have taken a promotion at the YMCA and now I am a site supervisor for a local elementary school in the after school program. today, we introduced a video game to our students that really struck my attention as the Lord was telling me to pay attention to the strategy of the game because it was a parallel with my life. In the game, you are a little blue car that is traveling around a track, looking for flags to pick up. As you race, two little red cars are chasing you and if they catch you, you die. however, you can blow smoke out of your exhaust with the touch of a button and confuse the cars and they will stop chasing you. As i reflected on this, i realized that my life has been exactly like that. I run around in circles jumping from one flag (little and insufficient glimpse of happiness) to another, running like a madwoman as if something is chasing me. For me, it is past experiences. The hurt that has been lately is chasing me like the little red car, and i, in my attempt to run away from it, blow smoke out my exhaust in order to quell is pursuit and control of me. however, something interesting happens in the game. when you blow smoke, the cars always turn a corner and find another way to catch you but this time, they are headed straight towards you and you eventually end in a head-on collision with them, thus losing a turn. when i attempt to mask the past and run from it, it always come to face me head-on and these collisions hurt worse than the initial impact. so, i am learning that i cant hide in my room or in my car or on the computer or at my job or in school and busy myself, trying to deny what is happening and blow smoke and stick my tongue out at circumstances. I have to face them. the Lord tell us that we are in a race. it is a race towards him. we must finish the race with perseverance, full of the grace and peace of Him. After playing the game for a while, i realized that there is a key map at the bottom of the screen that told you where the little red cars and where the flags were. With this map, i was able to find all the flags without being trapped by the red cars. we have been given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. we have been given the Holy Word of the Lord and this precious gift, along with the grace to be able to communicate and pray to the Lord, is our guide. They are our guide from pain, they are our satisfaction from sorrow. even when the things of this world, that almost always seem certain, in the end, its me and Him. Our race leads towards him. There may be rubs and flat tires on the way, but our direct communication and guidance from Christ is the key to win the race-- it is the key to unlock the victory of Christ.