Wednesday Wisdom:What I Learned While Playing that One Game on My Smartphone
I want to start by saying I never play games on my smart phone. Never. I'd rather do more people-y things. But Wizards Unite, the Harry Potter Version of Pokemon Go? It's kinda people-y.
Earlier this week Dan and I went on the annual getaway that we try to squeeze right in between Vacation Bible School and leading Preschool for our denomination's district camp meeting. So I can take a deep breath and remember what it's all for instead of eating Tums like they're M & M's. This is the third time we've picked the retro, historical Hotel Valley Ho, just a short walk from Old Town Scottsdale. I did a lot of things. We swam, we went to the gym, we went shopping, and we ate...so much. But I also spent a lot of time reading a book, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church and, ironically, playing Wizard's Unite on my phone. I even talked Dan into playing. If you're not familiar with how these things work, you follow a GPS type map that takes you out and about to where different items can be found. Kind of like a high tech scavenger hunt. And there were a lot of awkward moments like when the bell hop was sure we were lost because we kept walking down a dead end street on purpose.
Something about reading this church leadership book and playing this game for three days lead to some interesting times of inner reflection. And I realized that I had learned five important things from this game.
It's Better Together
It's entirely possible to play this game by yourself. If you're not afraid to walk down a one way street by your lonesome. But you know what's way more fun? Playing it together. A few weeks ago I grabbed one of my friends who really needed a few hours away from the toddlers while her husband was working from home for the day. And in between errands and lunch, I drove and she navigated as we tracked down "traces" and collected points from the park and the front of the aeronautical museum. We'd both been learning as we went and shared our important insight.
This week Dan and I played Wizards Unite along the trolley route, through the mall and down the street where our favorite breakfast spot lives. And when we faced a challenge, we were able to divide and conquer the villains. And isn't that kind of how life is? This adventure best done in pairs?
Don't Waste Your Energy on Things that Aren't Worth It
A foundable! I would get excited and engage in every battle that came my way at first. But, always the strategic one, Dan would resist. "I already have that foundable," he'd tell me. "I need to save my spell energy for something I need." Because spell energies run out quickly and you don't want to waste them.
Some things in life are worth every ounce of our heart and soul. Those things are worth dropping in bed exhausted at the end of the day. But what about that toxic relationship that's just stuck and isn't doing anybody any good? Should we really read the comments section of that controversial blog post? Is that unnecessary hobby really refueling us or just gobbling our time and money? You've been there. I've done that. We should move on.
As a person who puts items on a calender that impacts volunteers, children and families at my church greatly, I have a responsibility to filter well. And I admit that I probably often get it wrong. Time spent reading Missional Renaissance this week reminded me that the programs and fillers we have prized and praised within the church for many generations, just might be draining energy needed for bigger battles. Many of the things we've cherished aren't necessarily bad. But they're energy intensive. And that would be okay. But there are Valdemorts out there to take down. There are souls that need set free. And we're just awfully tired from all these performances and programs by the time we get to them.
Take the Time to Refuel
When you're playing Wizards Unite (and I know after reading this you will totally go straight to your ap store), in order to fight the things that pop up as you're walking around, you have to have spell energy left. And the first time I ran out of energy I figured it was all over. I couldn't do anything. But then I discovered that certain things like walking and finding "Inns" that served "wizard food" could replenish energy. Sometimes I get to that point where I can't go any further. Recently I came off of a wonderful week of Vacation Bible School feeling like I was sinking. The air wasn't working in the nursery. And this is Arizona, ya'll. There were not enough volunteers. Not enough hours in my day. And I felt very not enough for not knowing how to put all the pieces together to make it all work. But Jesus said, "Come with me to a quiet place and rest." So I ate well. I drank more water than I have in a year. I stared at a water fountain and stopped to watch a humming bird hover. We called my cousin and her boyfriend and we sat in a restaurant together for almost three hours until they started putting the coffee cups out for breakfast service the next day. I poured out my heart in my prayer journal, listened to a sermon on the treadmill and spent time really, really talking to Dan. And I ate a peach shake that had a piece of cake literally sticking out of the top of it.
Interestingly enough, playing Wizards Unite, I've noticed that the Inns are often placed most near parks, coffee shops and churches. Maybe it's a coincidence. But it reminds me that those places where spiritual conversations come easily, where we're reminded of his presence and we can worship him among other believers need to be visited often.
You Have to Move
A funny thing happened this week, among so many Wizarding Inns. I completely filled up on energies. The game wouldn't even let me collect them anymore. I was forced to get off my chair and move somewhere that I could use them. There were battles to fight, "foundables" to rescue. I think there are some seasons in our life where we need to be reminded to refuel. But there are other times where we are a little too comfortable sitting back and just collecting energies, with no intent of putting them to the uses they were made for.
In Missional Renaissance, the other Reggie McNeil compares the church (meaning Christ followers, not the physical building they meet in), to an airport. McNeil jokes that sometimes "airports get confused about what they're there for"(45). "They think that if a bunch of planes are on the ground, close to the hub, and the concourse is full of people, they are winning. They apparently think they are the destination!" But he says, "The airport is a place of connection, not a destination. It's job is to help people get somewhere else." Wow. I'm afraid for too long we've believed that the goal is to get people to church when the actual goal is to go follow Christ. The church building and the services are just a part of the journey, not the goal of the journey.
And I learned something on a very practical, physical level as well. When I am worn out my tendency is to think I need to sit. I think I'll refuel with some Netflix or a novel. And a little of that's okay. But you know what? I hit my 10,000 steps Monday and it was the best I'd felt in a long time. Our bodies need to move, and our souls need to move too. Living a life of meaning and purpose will always bring us more joy than a life lived for comfort and pleasure. We were made to invest our lives in something that's worth it.
McNeal, Reggie, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church. McNeal, 2009.
Earlier this week Dan and I went on the annual getaway that we try to squeeze right in between Vacation Bible School and leading Preschool for our denomination's district camp meeting. So I can take a deep breath and remember what it's all for instead of eating Tums like they're M & M's. This is the third time we've picked the retro, historical Hotel Valley Ho, just a short walk from Old Town Scottsdale. I did a lot of things. We swam, we went to the gym, we went shopping, and we ate...so much. But I also spent a lot of time reading a book, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church and, ironically, playing Wizard's Unite on my phone. I even talked Dan into playing. If you're not familiar with how these things work, you follow a GPS type map that takes you out and about to where different items can be found. Kind of like a high tech scavenger hunt. And there were a lot of awkward moments like when the bell hop was sure we were lost because we kept walking down a dead end street on purpose.
Something about reading this church leadership book and playing this game for three days lead to some interesting times of inner reflection. And I realized that I had learned five important things from this game.
It's Better Together
It's entirely possible to play this game by yourself. If you're not afraid to walk down a one way street by your lonesome. But you know what's way more fun? Playing it together. A few weeks ago I grabbed one of my friends who really needed a few hours away from the toddlers while her husband was working from home for the day. And in between errands and lunch, I drove and she navigated as we tracked down "traces" and collected points from the park and the front of the aeronautical museum. We'd both been learning as we went and shared our important insight.
This week Dan and I played Wizards Unite along the trolley route, through the mall and down the street where our favorite breakfast spot lives. And when we faced a challenge, we were able to divide and conquer the villains. And isn't that kind of how life is? This adventure best done in pairs?
Don't Waste Your Energy on Things that Aren't Worth It
A foundable! I would get excited and engage in every battle that came my way at first. But, always the strategic one, Dan would resist. "I already have that foundable," he'd tell me. "I need to save my spell energy for something I need." Because spell energies run out quickly and you don't want to waste them.
Some things in life are worth every ounce of our heart and soul. Those things are worth dropping in bed exhausted at the end of the day. But what about that toxic relationship that's just stuck and isn't doing anybody any good? Should we really read the comments section of that controversial blog post? Is that unnecessary hobby really refueling us or just gobbling our time and money? You've been there. I've done that. We should move on.
As a person who puts items on a calender that impacts volunteers, children and families at my church greatly, I have a responsibility to filter well. And I admit that I probably often get it wrong. Time spent reading Missional Renaissance this week reminded me that the programs and fillers we have prized and praised within the church for many generations, just might be draining energy needed for bigger battles. Many of the things we've cherished aren't necessarily bad. But they're energy intensive. And that would be okay. But there are Valdemorts out there to take down. There are souls that need set free. And we're just awfully tired from all these performances and programs by the time we get to them.
Take the Time to Refuel
When you're playing Wizards Unite (and I know after reading this you will totally go straight to your ap store), in order to fight the things that pop up as you're walking around, you have to have spell energy left. And the first time I ran out of energy I figured it was all over. I couldn't do anything. But then I discovered that certain things like walking and finding "Inns" that served "wizard food" could replenish energy. Sometimes I get to that point where I can't go any further. Recently I came off of a wonderful week of Vacation Bible School feeling like I was sinking. The air wasn't working in the nursery. And this is Arizona, ya'll. There were not enough volunteers. Not enough hours in my day. And I felt very not enough for not knowing how to put all the pieces together to make it all work. But Jesus said, "Come with me to a quiet place and rest." So I ate well. I drank more water than I have in a year. I stared at a water fountain and stopped to watch a humming bird hover. We called my cousin and her boyfriend and we sat in a restaurant together for almost three hours until they started putting the coffee cups out for breakfast service the next day. I poured out my heart in my prayer journal, listened to a sermon on the treadmill and spent time really, really talking to Dan. And I ate a peach shake that had a piece of cake literally sticking out of the top of it.
Interestingly enough, playing Wizards Unite, I've noticed that the Inns are often placed most near parks, coffee shops and churches. Maybe it's a coincidence. But it reminds me that those places where spiritual conversations come easily, where we're reminded of his presence and we can worship him among other believers need to be visited often.
You Have to Move
A funny thing happened this week, among so many Wizarding Inns. I completely filled up on energies. The game wouldn't even let me collect them anymore. I was forced to get off my chair and move somewhere that I could use them. There were battles to fight, "foundables" to rescue. I think there are some seasons in our life where we need to be reminded to refuel. But there are other times where we are a little too comfortable sitting back and just collecting energies, with no intent of putting them to the uses they were made for.
In Missional Renaissance, the other Reggie McNeil compares the church (meaning Christ followers, not the physical building they meet in), to an airport. McNeil jokes that sometimes "airports get confused about what they're there for"(45). "They think that if a bunch of planes are on the ground, close to the hub, and the concourse is full of people, they are winning. They apparently think they are the destination!" But he says, "The airport is a place of connection, not a destination. It's job is to help people get somewhere else." Wow. I'm afraid for too long we've believed that the goal is to get people to church when the actual goal is to go follow Christ. The church building and the services are just a part of the journey, not the goal of the journey.
And I learned something on a very practical, physical level as well. When I am worn out my tendency is to think I need to sit. I think I'll refuel with some Netflix or a novel. And a little of that's okay. But you know what? I hit my 10,000 steps Monday and it was the best I'd felt in a long time. Our bodies need to move, and our souls need to move too. Living a life of meaning and purpose will always bring us more joy than a life lived for comfort and pleasure. We were made to invest our lives in something that's worth it.
McNeal, Reggie, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church. McNeal, 2009.
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