Sacrifice

In keeping with the tradition of posting something meaningful on Fridays, I offer this post on sacrifice.

Every day, we as people are faced with choices. We have choices that are easy to make and difficult choices. Sometimes the choices involve choosing something that would benefit us or something that would benefit others. These are the hard choices that define our character.

I witnessed this in an unusual way this week. My eight year old son was told early Saturday morning that he could choose to swim anything he wanted on June 6th at the swim meet. I had inadvertently signed him up for the wrong strokes at the May 31st swim meet and the coach and I agreed that as a reward for my son's good attitude, he could choose his own strokes for the next meet. As the day wore on, my son excelled in the strokes that I had signed him up for. He placed in the strokes I had signed him up for. After the meet, the coach asked if I could convince Dylan to swim strokes I knew he would not choose. Remember, Dylan was told he could choose his own strokes.

I told Dana-Sue about the problem. She told me she would handle it. Please note we did not tell Dylan he had to swim anything. He came to the decision on his own to swim what the coach wanted him to swim. There were tears shed, but he chose to do what was best for the team, sacrificing his own desire to swim something else. I know many adults who would not choose the same as my son chose. I am very proud of him.

Sacrifice is something that does not come easy. The One who made the ultimate sacrifice, shed tears the night the decision was made. I do not mean to get "religious" in my post, but would be remiss without mentioning this sacrifice. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we each have the privilege of sacrificing every day for the good of others. And with this sacrifice comes great reward.

I know that whatever happens in the meet tomorrow, my son has learned something in the process. I am so proud of him and what he has been willing to do. May we all be willing to sacrifice for the good of others. Only then will we know the true meaning of living life to the fullest.

May God bless each of you in your endeavors this week.