How to Defeat a Knight

How to Defeat a Knight

(A guide for dragons)

1. Begin by finding a field in which you can excel.
2. Next find a weakness in said knight.
3. Begin attacking that weakness with a strong force.
4. All the while you are attacking, find another weakness, maybe two.
5. When the knight begins to overcome your attack on the first weakness, attack the second while maintaining his attention on the first front.
6. Laugh as the trick works and you catch a knight while he is off guard.

I have encountered a dragon who had found these steps in an ancient scroll from the original dragon. He proceeded to attack me using my allergies to wear me down. While I waged a full on battle with my allergies, he used two of my other weaknesses (security and my girls) to launch attacks on two weak fronts. After being violated by a break in, I found that my feeling of security was gone. I had just enough defenses to counter this attack, but had my legs cut out from under me when my two girls came down with high fevers. The dragon stood over me beaming and trying to decide where to deal the death blow...

One thing the dragon failed to account for is that buried next to that there is another Writing in existence that I have become acquainted with. It is a Shield that cannot be penetrated, and with the utterance of a small prayer, I looked up to see the dragon's smirk leave his face as my shield flew into place and with one swoop - it was over.

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

Psalm 27:1

I picked myself up and dusted myself off. Then I knelt down and gave praise to He whom protects me.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears

Psalm 34:4

Turns out a little virus can knock you down, but you just have to get back up to your knees and keep on keepin' on.

And now, with another dragon slayed, I'm back to my mission...

Blessings in disguise...

It has been a long time since I took a time-out from my mission. I really intend to get back to this more often, but I have been very busy. Life has dealt me some blows - I thank God that He has blessed me with the battle gear I need to make it through. Our family has pulled together and become a much stronger unit. That is what separates success from failure in families. When life pulls out that 2x4 and smacks you upside the head, there are two ways to respond. The first is to lose faith, to develop an attitude of "Why me?" and "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" The second is to remember that God will not deal you a deck that you can't handle. Look at the cards He has given you. Even if you feel like you have a pair of 3's, bluff - the devil doesn't know any better. Stare him down knowing that if all God gave you was those 3's, the most that anyone who is against you has is a pair of 2's.

Despite the rough times we have had recently, my wife and I can't help but be amazed at how incredibly blessed we are. Throughout the turmoil that was last fall, I managed to get a job I love, that has better pay and benefits. We have two beautiful little girls who, though they have their moments, are becoming amazing young ladies. We have a new dog, who we are finally getting to enjoy outside. And to top it all off, God willing, this summer we will welcome our third daughter into our home.

Sometimes God blesses us in ways which we can't quite explain. At the time, they may not seem like it, but in retrospect, they are blessings. We almost bought a house last summer, which given the fall we had, would have become more of a curse than a blessing. God closed that window, which turned out to be a trap door. I guess it turns out that He really does know what is best for us. I don't always like what the cards look like, but in the end, I know that the deck is truly stacked in my favor.

Gotta love poker metaphors, right? And now, enough of card games - I'm back to my mission...