I heard my son saying "No! No! No! from the other room.

It wasn't loud and emphatic; There was more sadness and disappointment in the tone of his voice.

I went to see what was going on. He was sitting in front of the t.v. head down; body slumped forward.

"What's wrong" I asked. "Is it bad" I querried before he had a chance to answer.

"Yes" he said. "I got arrested."

"But it's only a video game & I turned it off real fast before it was saved." He said smiling.

"Too bad life isn't like that sometimes" I advised.

Wouldn't it be nice if every time you made a bad decision or had the wrong outcome you could just turn life off real fast before it was saved?

You could manipulate the outcome to be just the way you wanted it everytime.

The downside to that is then we would be spoiled children. We wouldn't understand that patience is a virtue. We would not realize the satisfaction that comes with over coming challenges and obstacles when we achieve our goals.

If everyday is a video game, then how do we build character and strength? We must go through difficulties to become who we should be.

Just as it is hurful to the butterfly to help it get out of its cacoon, we would do harm to ourselves if we could avoid every trial that life has to offer.

We are in a trial right now. This is the time to show your true colors; your true character; your true greatness. Don't just sit back and let life happen to you. Go out there and prove that you are a difference maker.

This is the time to demonstrate that you have the ability to succeed and that you will deliver when other people fail.

While others look at all the doom and gloom, you will find the road to success. Or perhaps it will be that you blaze the trail to success.

Life is not a video game; and thank God for that. Go live life!

Rick