The Highest Score...In Life

I was playing Yahtzee today (a little handheld thing that we sometimes keep in the car) whiled Lori was in a store. I got 620 points.

No, really. I had 4 yahtzees. My record is over 700, but that was on a handheld that we no longer have... :(

Anyway, here's what I was thinking about as I hit my fourth yahtzee:

You can't get the highest score in Yahtzee*** playing "safe." The only way to get the highest score in the game is to play it recklessly. For every roll to be "going for a yahtzee." That's what I did. Already have 6's? Who cares, you just rolled three on your first roll. Save 'em and go for a yahtzee.

And it worked.

But here's the thing. To get the highest score, I had to endure hundreds of failures. Lots and lots of "false starts" (NEVER start a game with less than 4 of a kind in something...) and lots of "just missed" opportunities (roll a large straight on your first roll? Nope, save the three and roll again buddy - remember, the goal is the highest score - if you get a second yahtzee, you can probably dump it into the large straight if you still need it later...).

Okay. It's a game.

But I realize that to reach as high as I can in anything, I have to be willing to risk...everything.

In loving my family - will I risk everything?

In being a Christ follower - will I risk everything?

In being a pastor, a son, a friend...will I risk everything?

And then it goes farther. I realize why I have NOT achieved some things I'd like to achieve: because, quite frankly, I have never been willing to risk it all for them. Why am I an average guitarist? Because I wasn't willing to risk the time with the people I love. Why haven't I published any writing (okay, but the blog really, really, really doesn't count...)? Because I am not willing to risk...much of anything, really, for that.

But to love more deeply. To care more openly. To give more generously. That's stuff I'd be willing to risk a lot for. I'd even be willing do fail and false start and start over and...well, you get the picture.

But some days I don't. And I wish I could articulate why... Selfishness, I guess. What else could it be? I don't know...

Here's to the highest score...in love and in friendship - in being a dad and a husband - in really, really living...

*** The highest possible score in Yahtzee is 1575 - that's every roll a yahtzee...holy cow!!!!