More Boggle Lessons

Before the holidays, I had a post about one of my favorite fast-paced word games, Boggle. As my kids have gotten older, some of them have discovered a love of these word games as well. Recently, as we were playing, I was struck by how many life lessons could be gleaned while trying to make dictionary-approved words by connecting shaken alphabet cubes.

One such life lesson was Don’t miss the bigger words because you keep going for the smaller ones. True fact. If I keep the option for three-letter words open and spend time hunting and writing them down, I actually come away with fewer words and a lower score. Weird, I know. One would think that if I’ve kept all my options open and include all rule-abiding words, I would have a higher score and a greater chance of winning the game. But it simply isn’t true, at least, not in my experience. My oldest daughter just discovered this surprising, secret strategy.

See, if I spend my time hunting and writing down all the three-letter words, which are worth one point each, I may miss five or six-letter words which are worth more than one point. I’ve found that if I aim for four-letter words (also only one point) or more, my likelihood of scoring those two, three, or even four-point words is much higher.

Ok, great, so, now you all know my secret fast-paced word game strategy, but how does this actually translate into a life lesson takeaway? Simple, if I keep my goals low, I may accomplish them, but I will also most likely miss out on greater opportunities and achievements. For example, if my life goal is to complete high school and get a diploma, I can, and will, certainly accomplish that goal. But if I don’t set a goal to go to college and earn a diploma from a university, I will never push myself to even try.

I approach my children in the same way. I set expectations that are reasonable, but ones that will challenge them to “go for it.” They need to believe that they can before they even attempt to see if they will. They need to know that I, as their parent, believe in them enough so they will aim high, giving them the inspiration and support they need for them to persevere as they tackle and overcome life’s challenges. When aiming high, who knows where one will land. It may not be where we originally thought and dreamed, but it will most likely be someplace more amazing than if we had never dreamed to begin with.

I believe God approaches us the same way. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (KJV).  Moreover, Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (KJV). When we take these two verses together, God has a plan for our lives, each and every single one of us, and His thoughts about our lives are better than ours. In fact, they are SO MUCH BETTER that we could never drum up anything like it from our imaginations. Not even close. God, in His wisdom and love for us, aims high on our behalf. And through His leading and the tools He’s given us (i.e., the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and fellow believers), we are able to accomplish His purposes for our lives. Because we are able to become and achieve with God things far greater than we would on our own. We may aim high, but, trust me, God aims even higher. In fact, His aim is SO HIGH that it’s IMPOSSIBLE for us to achieve His plans for us on our own. However, when we trust in Him, follow Him, and obey His leading, the impossible suddenly becomes possible because in Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Thank God for His thoughts! Thank God for His love! Thank God that He can make the impossible possible in each one of us, and that we have the privilege and joy of participating in His impossible-on-our-own dreams.

Today’s takeaway challenge? Seek God for that one step He wants you to take today toward His possible-only-in-Him dream for your life.