OUCH!!

Well, today's topic is pain. This morning, I had the pleasure of playing paintball with 20 some odd friends of mine from church. It was great fun!! There's nothing quite like being given the opportunity and permission to shoot a teenager! Ha! Actually, in playing paintball, I (being quite a large man) am more a slow moving target than a weapon of mass destruction. That's right, I'm about like shooting an elephant. I'm pretty hard to miss. On most days. But today was MY DAY!! That's right yours truly started off the game by being the games most decorated sharp shooter!! I took out about 5 or 6 people from my hiding place. It was awesome. We won the first game and I never even got shot once.

Then we played game two. Well, by the time game 2 began, I was a professional paintballer. Skilled in the ways of secrecy, espionage, and the like. So, me and my team of ruffians decided that we would flank our opponents from the other side and storm the hill. However, somewhere in the midst of this game, I forgot that the rules changed. This time, if you shot someone, they could run back to their base and then be reentered in the game. So, back to the action, we stormed the hill, took out half their team and we were making our way towards their base. I was hiding behind this large wooden spool. On my hands and knees facing up the hill that lied just a few feet away. That's when it happened!! An absolute barrage of pain up my backside. One of the opponents that we had shot and hit earlier had reentered the game and came around from the other side and shot me in several places on my backside. It was the first shot that stung the most though. Right in the butt!!! And I mean right in the middle of slightly raised and protruding hindparts! Gary got me!!! And I mean he got me good. I was jumping around like a stuck pig. I don't know what hurt worse, the actual pain, the surprise, or the hurt pride.

Isn't that just like life. We think we've got it all figured out. We're moving along, winning and getting it done. We begin to think that we are invincible, untouchable. And then next thing we know...shot...right in the backside. Ambushed by life, sabotaged by pain.

Mabye for you that pain has come in losing a loved one, maybe that pain has come over watch parents fight or even split up. Maybe your pain has been caused by people that you once thought were you friends and cared about you. Maybe you've been abused or neglected by the people that should have been loving you. Whatever your pain or loss, I'm sure that you have experience the shock, surprise, and hurt that comes with being ambushed by life. For those of you that have been down this road, I would encourage you to explore a relationship with Jesus. For one simple reason. Jesus will not stop the troubles of this life from coming on, but he does promise to go through these tough times with you. For those of you out there wrestling with pain. You are on my heart and in my prayers.

jeremy