Tuesday, September 11, 2018

This Is The Game That Never Ends . . .


Daniel 4:3
How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!  His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

When our oldest granddaughter, Virginia Rose, turns eight in July, my husband, Danny, and I give her the one, the only, granddaddy and grand-master of all board games:  Monopoly!


Invented in 1903 by Lizzy Magie, and dubbed "The Landlord's Game," Monopoly has seen many transformations throughout the ensuing years, but has managed, even in this age of technology, to remain a family-friendly classic.

Once she learns the rules, Virginia takes to the game like a born entrepreneur.  She can't get enough of it!


We spend hours on the living room floor rolling dice, purchasing real estate, railroads and utilities, and trying our best to buy blocks of property on which houses or hotels can be erected.




So much depends on the rolls of the dice, the dollars in our personal funds, and the dictates of the Chance and Community Chest cards as to whether or not we succeed in outdoing the other.

Monopoly is the definition of risk, luck and savvy decisions, not to mention the inevitable crushing of one's opponent.  The latter is hardly the recipe for God's kingdom, yet I believe that the lessons learned in playing this game show us how to live in the world, yet not be of it.


  • Stewardship - We are called by God to be good stewards of the gifts He's given us.  If we've been given monetary resources in abundance, we need to make responsible decisions about how to use/share those funds for the good of our family, our church family, and others in our community who are in need.
  • Life isn't fair - Jesus never guaranteed us a stress-free, no-hassle life, but He did promise to be with us through it all, no matter what afflictions or troubles come our way.  He has vowed to carry our burdens when we lay them at His feet.
  • Risk taking is a part of life - Jesus sent His disciples out, two by two, to spread the Good News.  There was no guarantee that the Word would be met with acceptance, but off they went in faith, willing to risk it all for Jesus and His Message of repentance and salvation.
  • God's love is infinite, eternal, never-ending - Oh, yes!  And so is the game of Monopoly - never-ending, that is.  Virginia and I play for hours, taking breaks here and there, especially to check out if this Gammie has any moving joints left after sitting on the floor for way too long.  No, we never have a definitive winner, as the pendulum of money and property seems to swing back and forth when least expected, leaving us in perpetual game time suspense.
The Monopoly board remains in place overnight, ready and waiting for the challenge we will take up once again in the morning.  How this brings back priceless memories of the marathon games I play with neighborhood friends as a child, and again, with my own children during the hot and steamy doldrums of summer.

From generation to generation, the game endures.

From generation to generation, God's kingdom, overflowing with love and grace, endures.

And when we allow our Father to have a monopoly on our hearts, we can proclaim in glorious triumph, "We win!"

Amen.

32 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post today, filled with hope and encouragement to trust in the Lord.

    God bless.

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    1. Thanks so much, Victor! I'm gratified that you enjoyed reading it.
      Love and blessings!

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  2. Your four applications are spot on Martha! I used to play Monopoly and Risk for hours with friends. But don't have the patience or desire now. Neither my wife nor daughters ever wanted to play board games (I love Backgammon and used to love Stratego) so I became gameless. My grandson isn't fond of them either. He'd rather be moving around. But it is wonderful that you put your "old" bones on the floor and sit for hours. She will remember those times.

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    1. I'm so glad I got those applications right, Bill - coming from you, that's a true compliment! And I hear you about others not being interested in board games as Danny is not a big fan except when it comes to Backgammon - we both love to play when we get the chance, as you may have picked up on in past posts. And one big LOL about the "old bones." No joke! I've started doing stretches on the floor to try to loosen things up for the next game time with Virginia.
      Love and blessings!

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  3. I love your analogy, Martha Jane. I will never look at Monopoly the same again! I grew up playing that game, including a marathon game with cousins on New Year's Eves. So fun.

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    1. Thank you, Terri! So glad to hear you have some fond memories of the game, playing it with your cousins. Those are priceless, aren't they?
      Love and blessings!

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  4. I think this is wonderful and I love the way you relate it to God have the monopoly of our hearts...

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    1. Marla, I know that's what we, as Christians, all long for - that God would have a monopoly on our hearts that we might never stray far from Him and His will for us.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. I had to smile about your Gammie joints, Martha. :) I know the feeling. I played the game a lot as a child with my brothers and sisters and with our kids as they grew up, but for some reason our grandkids think it takes too long. :) And yet they can play UNO over and over again. :) I especially love your last line of how when we allow our Father to have a monopoly of our hearts, we can claim the victory. Love and hugs to you!

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    1. Oh, Trudy, I hear you about the UNO - Virginia went through a phase when that was ALL she wanted to play. I'm glad she has the staying power for Monopoly, at least for now. I figure most of us of the "gammie" generation can identify with the stiffening joints. Aging is definitely not for sissies, wouldn't you agree? But hey, I'll get down on the floor anytime if it means having a wonderful time with my grands!
      Love and blessings!

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    2. I just remembered it's the 12th tomorrow, Martha. God be with you and may He make the cataract surgery a success!

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    3. Thank you, dear Trudy, for your care and prayer! I am completely trusting in the Lord, knowing He has my best interest at heart always. May He continue to inspire you!
      Love and blessings!

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  6. Oh Martha, this is another amazing post. I've never gotten the hang of Monopoly, however, there are many parallels between it and life. And as you pointed out, God's monopoly of our hearts makes us the big winners for all of eternity!

    Love and blessings!

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    1. Yes, Kim! Giving our hearts completely to God does make us eternal winners. Such joy and hope in that knowledge! So glad you liked today's post, my friend.
      Love and blessings!

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  7. What enjoyable analogies! It's been a long time -- too long -- since I've played.

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    1. Myra, it had been so long since I'd played Monopoly, I had to review the rules before teaching Virginia. Guess I did okay? Glad you liked the analogies, my friend.
      Love and blessings!

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  8. Martha, how precious! And what wonderful godly lessons for your granddaughter and us!
    Praying for your surgery, friend.

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    1. Thank you so much for the prayers, Beckie, regarding the surgery. I'm feeling so much at peace, and I know it's due to the intercessions of friends and family. Glad you enjoyed the lessons learned here.
      Love and blessings!

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    2. Very good analogy in this one, Martha. I used to love to play monopoly, but haven’t played in years.

      I just now prayed about your surgery. God has got this!

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    3. Thank you, Nells! All went well, and I'm thanking God with every breath I take.
      Love and blessings!

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  9. Love this!

    What a gift that you get to spend time and play and teach your granddaughter!

    That was my favorite game as a kid.

    In a sense I grew up and got to play real life Monopoly in business. That's the lesson of business and life; it's all what a person will agree to in terms of a deal.

    In the end this life is just a game. When it's time to put our toys and life away it matters not if we live in Park Place or Baltic, but where our permanent home is...

    Excellent lesson and analogy. I'm happy for you guys!

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    1. I'm so glad you loved the post, Floyd, and I absolutely love what you said here about it not mattering whether we lived in Park Place or Baltic Avenue - we have a forever and glorious home with the Father, and rich or poor, He loves us all the same.
      Love and blessings!

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  10. Who'd of guessed that a board game could teach us so many life lessons ...

    Life isn't fair is a big one, isn't it.

    Thankfully, God is just and merciful and kind. And we can leave all those concerns in His keeping.

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    1. Yes, Linda, what a relief that we can leave all our worries in the hands of the Lord. That has been a guiding life lesson for me, and one that keeps me from being anxious about so many things.
      Love and blessings!

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  11. You are the best "gammy" ever! I don't recall playing with my "elders", but with my cousin every summer, we would do the same thing. I'd spend the nights at her house and we would play monopoly all day long. Later we got Barbie dolls, and then we played with them all day long, building houses, furniture, etc, for them. Our imaginations were limitless. So happy to have had that kind of childhood. Glad that you are providing that for your granddaughter too!!

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    1. I love that you have fond childhood memories of playing this game with your cousin, and the creativity you shared with the Barbie dolls, Pamela. And I agree that our childhood's were so much simpler and just plain fun!
      I do hope I'm being the best gammie I can be, too.
      Love and blessings!

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  12. love the hope and fun in this post. She is so delightful and so blessed to have such great grandparents. Just think of the memories you have giving her!! and you too.

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    1. Yes, the memories are priceless, Jean, as is any time I get to spend with Virginia. We'll be having her over next week since she is on fall break, so I know this game will be played yet again!
      Love and blessings!

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  13. Monopoly was never a favorite game of mine -- now I'm looking at your lessons and wondering which ones I was resisting! Ha! Meanwhile, my grandson loves junior monopoly. I like it better because it doesn't last so long!

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    1. I thought about getting Virginia the junior version, but opted for the full meal deal instead. And yes, Galen, I think we can learn valuable life lessons in all sorts of things when we keep our eyes and our hearts open.
      Love and blessings!

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  14. What a WONDERFUL analogy!! Still love playing games, but try to not take it seriously! Good for your bright granddaughter. She may become a "Takeover" specialist in the future!
    Blessings, My Friend!

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    1. So glad you liked the analogy, Lulu! Yes, God only knows how Virginia will turn out in the future, but she is a bright one and always eager to learn new things.
      Love and blessings!

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