.celebrate the wins.

When Cody was the youth pastor at our church in Virginia, we had a little "Celebrate the Small Wins" tradition.
When it started, I was just trying to fill time one morning because Cody was held up trying to make copies that he planned to use for his lesson.
I asked the kids to tell me the high point and the low point of the previous week.
It quickly became a weekly tradition.
One at a time, the kids would share their best and worst moments with each other.
We celebrated and empathized with each other.
We learned more about each other.
We became more aware of the things that we should be thankful for.
We realized that what we thought was so awful maybe wasn't that bad in hindsight.
We grew closer.
We learned from the low points but we focused on the high points.

As I do sporadically, I got a text message from one of those students that simply said,
"High Point, Low Point."
We've been gone from that youth group for over eight months but it warms my heart to know that the tradition didn't end when we left.
It is also a good reminder for me to celebrate the small wins.
Even when my day isn't going well, I still have lots of things several things innumeral things to celebrate.

I'd been planning to write this post, kind of constructing it in my head yesterday as I travelled for work.
Celebrating my own small wins, thanking God for the blessings when all of a sudden, my joy comes under attack.
I have a really hard time finding a place to get change to tip the airport shuttle driver.
I can't find a shuttle driver even worthy of a tip because they all refuse to help me with my 100 pounds of luggage/work materials.
A crazy lady at Starbucks who is talking to herself keeps inching closer to me.
There isn't a 24 Hour Fitness within 30 miles of my hotel.
My restuarant options for dinner last night consisted of fast food, Applebees or several restaurants at a giant casino. {No thanks.}
Cody, my sister and her friends (that are in town from Nashville) all go to a Kings game while I sit in my hotel room alone.

Let's be honest.
In the grand scheme of life, those annoyances I dealt with yesterday were nothing.
Absoltely, nothing.
But they were enough to distract my focus.
In a matter of minutes, I went from celebrating the small wins to silently cursing {what I deemed to be} lazy, unionized workers and wishing for Southern Hospitality.
I didn't guard myself, I didn't protect my joy, I didn't look beyond the moment.
I forgot about this warming that Peter gave us.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

Don't be deceived; when you focus on your joy and consciously choose to walk in thankfulness. The devil will try to attack you. He does want to hold you back. Keep your focus on Christ.


Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-24

So, tell me - what are your high points from the past few days?

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