Tuesday

Loser, Loser

I am a loser.

A bon-i-fide, confirmed-one-hundred-percent L-O-S-E-R.

Now, before you put your 'L' shaped fingers to your forehead and say, "Loser-Loser" in a sing-song voice, let me clarify.

I'm not the "Looooser" kind of loser.  You know the ones who let their kids run bare foot thru a store, eat popcorn off the floor and hide in the clothes racks, scaring the willies out of innocent shoppers.  

Okay, my kids did this once.  Maybe twice.

But you have to go to the store and actually say to your kids, "Okay, go on, let me shop.  Have a snack from the floor and oh, there's a nice lady you can scare. Now, go on and scoot," to be labeled a true "Looooser."  

When I say 'loser", I'm referring to my luck, or un-luck as luck would have it.

My daughter made this discovery.  Let me tell you how.

At bedtime the other night, she prayed:

"Dear God,  thank you for the day.  Help me not to have bad dreams.  And, I need to ask you something very important.  Can you please let me win the school raffle?  I really need a pink Nintendo DS Light because my mom and dad say it isn't in the budget.  But I would also take pretty much anything.  I need to be a winner.  I reallllly do. Pleeeeaasee.  Pick me? Amen."

Lovely.  Isn't it?

I tried to explain odds.  And that they probably weren't in her favor.  I also reminded her that God is SUPER BUSY.

She seemed to be putting a lot of stock in that prayer.  And technically, it was a prayer.  To God.

Well.  

My daughter did not win.

I thought she might be distraught.  I worried her faith might be shaken.  She looked at me and said, "It's okay, Mom.  At first I just felt unlucky.  Like I have really bad luck.  But I think I'm just supposed to win something bigger.  God has something really big for me. And I think HE likes me to tell him about stuff."

I was relieved she didn't put stock in those kinds of prayers and I said, "You really don't have bad luck. You just didn't have good luck."

Oh, the wisdom just oozes out of me in these parenting moments.

I even laughed to myself that she really thought a little prayer would put that toy in her hands. 

It was funny until I saw this, at Rocks in My Dryer.  A giveaway that I really wanted.



I also wanted The Cupcake Holder from a couple of weeks ago.  I put in my comment at Shannon's and let the odds work.  I didn't win.  
I was not about to make that mistake again.

It was time to get some help.  I approached The Thrown.  I couldn't help it.  Maybe my daughter caught God on a off-raffle-winning-day.

"Dear God,  thank you for the day.  Help me not to have bad dreams.  And, I need to ask you something very important.  Can you please let me win Shannon's giveaway?  I really need a pretty locket to put a picture of myself in because my hubby says it isn't in the budget.  But I would also take pretty much anything.  I need to be a winner.  I reallllly do. Pleeeeaasee.  
Pick me? Amen."

Well.

Apparently bad luck runs in the family.  I mean not good or bad, just in between luck.

See?  Loser.  I didn't just lose two great giveaways, I lost something greater.

I lost my pride.  My little girl reminded me it's okay to ask God for something small, even unimportant. I think if HE cares about the birds and what they are going to eat and wear, then HE cares about what I care about.  

HE's that nice.  

No, I didn't win. But that's probably because HE has something much bigger and better for me and I bet it has nothing at all to do with a 'thing'.

For more great tackles, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Food for the Soul:

Matthew 10:29-31 "What is the price of two sparrows—one penny? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."

38 comments:

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

Your soooooooo on the mark with this!

I'm sure HE is preparing right now your "dream mansion" filled with "pretty things" with you in mind!

~ Dawn :0)

Darla said...

I LOVE it, I absolutely LOVE IT! I am SURE God has something GI-NORMOUS for the both of you.

Can't wait to hear what it is!

And let me take my hand at this:

"Dear God, thank you for the day. Help me not to have bad dreams. And, I need to ask you something very important. Can you please find me an apoapothecary jar for like $10 and a cloche for the same price? I really need pretty ones to make my bathroom sparkle But I would also take pretty much anything that's pretty and sparkles. I need to be a winner. I reallllly do. Pleeeeaasee. Pick me? Amen."

I'll letchya know what I didn't "find" tomorrow, just to prove God has bigger things in store for me too. =)

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

Your not alone. I too have never won anything related to a blog post.

I take that back... if chuckles count.

Andrea said...

This is so true. We tend to forget about the little things. When I was in college my roommates would laugh at me (pure envy) because I would pray for parking spaces. That was a big deal and I didn't want to walk from the other side of campus to my dorm. But you know what...I almost always had a parking space up front! So he does care. Thank you Jesus and thank you to my father who taught me how to parallel park!

I never win stuff either...so I am just going to believe with you in that He's got something so much better planned. Shouldn't I have learned that by now? Whatever!

Anonymous said...

I probably shouldn't tell you that I just won a book of 5 minutes for mom. so ignore that.

Anonymous said...

I want to win something too--like a BIG, NEW car. I keep filling out all those stupid questioners at the movie theatre---you know which ones I'm talking about---WE ALL DO IT! But all I get is a lame invite to tour a timeshare--like that is what I need...

God must REALLY have something big in store...maybe a HUMMER!

Hey Sis---I left a comment, aren't you proud?

United Studies said...

Isn't it amazing how our children manage to humble us sometimes? Emma can truly make me feel stupid sometimes.

Mama Smurf said...

I'm sending some good luck vibes your way cause I always win everything....except the Mega Millions...

Anonymous said...

I love it! I never win anything either. I always consider myself a blessing to others because as soon as I enter a contest, I up someone else's chances of winning! I think I'll try your new method next time...God just has something bigger for me!

Marcia Francois said...

How sweet of your daughter!

I found myself wishing something big for you but God never disappoints, does He?

I had someone on my blog comment (anonymously) that how could I be so stupid as to think God actually cared about little things like parking spaces? Well, I'm a living breathing example that he does care about the little things!

Heather said...

Love it. Those are the moments when we are so thankful that we can see what we instill in our kids. How sweet.

Oh and I too am a loser. Not the kind with the barefoot kids eating popcorn though. LOL!!
Have a great day!

Valarie Lea said...

Kids are the best, they can always remind us of whats really important.

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

You have pets that are SUPER POSERS?

I can't wait to see your pic!!

My contest is waiting!

Hallie :)

The Apron Queen said...

My 9 yr old entered herself in a Mother's Day cubic zirconia #1 Mom pendant giveaway thing at the mall a few days ago. Alot of men were standing around w/ their wives & girlfriends & Moms trying to win the thing. The man called out HER number. She jumped up & down. Ran up there. Got the thing & put it on **HERSELF**, not me. There was some pissed off men. But, she was so tickled that she won & called everyone we know on the cell phone. She wore it to school. Too silly.

For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.

Christie O. said...

how cute! i love her thinking! i might have to adapt this because i never win anything EVER! Which must mean something big is gonna happen and I hope it happens soon!! Anyway, love your blog! (Got here from 5 minutes for mom-- and ps. I am the bad-teeth-person in the family too.) I think I might have to link to you! Hope you don't mind! You're hilarious!

Memarie Lane said...

I really wanted those cupcake things too!!! And I really had my heart set on the pink Dyson awhile back. And when the winner was announced I spitefully thought to myself, "I bet she doesn't need it as badly as I do." Yep, I'm a loser.

But remember the big bloggy giveaway is coming up. The first one I did was the Fall Y'all last year, and I won TWELVE prizes from it! I felt so guilty that I gave most of them away, and while I offered a prize in the fall one I stopped entering contests. I learned that it really is a lot more fun to give than to receive.

Unless there's a pink Dyson involved. ;)

Lisa said...

That touched my heart very much. I love how children are so pure, it is such a shame we adults have to mess things up huh? I love your blog.

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

But you've already won - you have a beautiful daughter who says heartfelt prayers at night. What could be more precious than that? (And I'm sure you already know that. :O)

My son says things like, "God bless Brett Favre" in his prayers.

60 toes said...

Ok, I am cracking up. I was talking to Jennifer last night and she told me this was your blog. I said I have been to that blog. I live blogged my birth yesterday for my friends and family to be up to date. I met you in Oklahoma last month at my house. I am still in the hospital and they just brought my little one in to nurse but I just had to say "hI" and what a small bloggy world!!!

-Charlotte

Anonymous said...

i never win anything. Oh, wait. I just won a really super cool awesome dinner bell from a really super cool awesome blogger mom. Thanks, btw. It's so perfect. It was delivered to our door right when I was pushing the baby out. Ha.

Marni's Organized Mess said...

You are one amazing writer and you impress me everyday!

Your story touched me. You already won a spot on my new award list (in the making) but now you just won like 5 places.

You're awesome. :)

Kelly @ Growing.Learning.Playing. said...

Wow. Nuff said! :-)

Edi said...

My boy also has the "help me not to have bad dreams" prayer...I think I did as a child also :)

Well you are not the only loser...I've entered a number of blog draws and so far have won NOTHING. I did win one contest on a popular blog I shall not name - by guessing something correctly. The prize was a bit bizarre though...it came from another country and the prize was chocolates. NOthing to shake a stick at - BUT the chocolates were one of the layers out of a box of chocolates - one of those little plastic trays and the whole thing was in a bag, in a bubble envelope - shipped across the ocean. I was apprehensive about eating them b/c they were not in a sealed container...they arrived a bit broken.

Here is the crazy thing. We still ate the chocolates! The blogger seemed to be a normal, and classy woman...And it's been a couple of months and I never got sick :)

Kate said...

So very true, at least I certainly hope He's working on something spectactular.

And I never win anything either, if it makes you feel better. Of course, sometimes I forget to actually enter the contest...

Happy Mommy said...

I really enjoyed this post! I ask God for such silly things sometimes, and sometimes he gives us what we ask for and sometimes it's just what we need...

Shannon said...

great post :)

Ed & Jeanne said...

Aw man, are you telling me I can't hide barefoot in the clothes racks and scare people anymore? I don't wont to be a loooser. Funny post...

LifeAtTheCircus.com said...

It is true what they say that our kids often teach us more than we teach them. I too have struggled when my child prays for something that just doesn't seem reasonable. God is a big God and he can make his sisters balloon return that flew away (this really happened, I blogged about their reactions in my blog last week, but I left out his prayer afterwards) He was convinced that he could ask Jesus to send the balloon back. Boy, I struggled with this... Yes, Jesus COULD send it back, but probably He wouldn't..... Thanks for sharing... as always, I enjoyed your post!
Crystal at My Three Ring Circus

Anonymous said...

Kristin, that was a beautiful post. You know what I think lately when I see my family and look at my home in the woods? I already won.

Vintage Dutch Girl said...

Fellow Loser right here!

I've never won a THING.

Anonymous said...

He does care my dear... my husband prays when he is having no fun with his video games! :o)

and know that He has already picked you :o)

Be sure to stop by my blog for the new button codes and a (yes another) giveaway :o)

Hopefully we'll see you next week.

Mel said...

You hit the nail on the head. I enjoyed this beautiful post! Thanks for giving me a message I needed to hear!

Jen @ One Moms World said...

How cute is that??? I loved her prayer and then what she said in reply of not winning. So so sweet.

I'm a loser too lol in giveaways, but that's ok... we are waiting for our HGTV house LOL.

Anonymous said...

I'm the loser because you didn't mention *my* giveaway.

In fact, I'm more of a loser because barely anyone entered it.

sigh.

Unknown said...

That is the SWEETEST thing I've read in a long time. I just want to hug you both and rig a contest so you can win a prize!

But I'm sure God has MUCH bigger prizes in store for both of you, and you both know it which totally rocks!

Unknown said...

I think it's SO important to teach our kids that can pray about anything, even winning a raffle or for a sick pet. they learn that they are valued by a loving heavenly Father who cares about every part of their lives.

Great post!!

Anonymous said...

Kristen,

I so love this post! And only now that I have grown older and a wee bit wiser - heavy on the wee bit - have I begun to realize that God does care about the little things that make us smile, even when they are not necessary. So once in a while, I'll ask, even if I don't really need it.

Anonymous said...

Here's the bottom line...and frequently my mantra (much to my husbands dismay)

"You can't win if you don't enter!"

So keep the faith sister...=)