writing, writing, writing, writing .... rinse, repeat.
My desk and the floor around it is currently covered in Bibles and books. I keep Pandora open with classical baroque playing because it helps me concentrate. My book deadline approaches, and I had a computer crash a short while ago and lost some of it. So here's to hoping lightening can strike in the same place twice!
Oh and I have a little conference coming up called She Speaks! Will you be there?
OK, so here is the topic I'm pondering today: our competitive nature. I suspect everyone's got one - it just comes out in different ways, about different things, or to different degrees. Do you disagree? And its not always a bad thing, but it certainly can be. You agree with that?
What do you get competitive about?
# of facebook or blog comments you get?
# of followers you have?
# of people in your church?
# of points in your grade point average?
# of dollars you earn?
# of awards you - or your child - receives?
# of people in your audience?
# of compliments on your dinner party, or outfit?
# of miles you ran today?
# of sales you made?
# of pounds you lost?
# of square feet in your home?
So what gets your competitive juices flowing? A game of scrabble? A Friday night football game? A craft exhibition? A Bobby Flay throw down? Bikini season?
Does your competitive nature help you more than hurt you, or the other way around?
I can get wrapped up sometimes in the amount of traffic or comments I get. I'm probably more competitive than I realize in all those areas you mentioned Except I dont' run miles!!
ReplyDeleteI think everybody likes winning, and dslike losing so I agree we are all competitive. Not sure if it helps or hurts me more. Interesting questions to consider.
Great post Rachel. I can be very competitive at times. I love to win games. It sounds stupid but I get very into them and want to win. I also was competitive with my grades in college. I really wanted to do well and make good grades. Its not that I wanted other people to fail and I succeed, but I desired to do as well as others.
ReplyDeleteHUM, I think I came out of the womb ready to run a race, not jog. I have always been competitive when it comes to sports. So much so that my 10th grade year in basketball I spent so much time on the floor going for the loose ball that I still have scars on my knees from the gym floor burns. That hurt when the legs got to sweating. Yeah, not such a good memory.
ReplyDeleteNow cooking gets my soup pot rolling. I love to take a good challenge on. Not so much to beat someone else. But to beat myself, push me and do something that I have never done before. I loved taking on the men with ice carving. After all I felt like a pioneer for women in a kitchen full of men for many years and had to be so competitive.
She Speaks, yes I will be there. I believe there is a certain delivery coming your way. A slice of Smack Your Mama Pie. Didn't you say you had Micca as a room mate?
Guess who is my evaluator is? Micca, so think I should bring her some too?
Blessings,
Diane
Hey girl, I will see you at She Speaks, can't wait.
ReplyDeleteOK, I get competitive when I am at the gym on the treadmill and a man is next to me LOL LOL I just can't help but try to out run him. :) See you soon my friend.
Oh my, I am a very competitive board game player. It is actually pretty ridiculous. My hubby loves to play strategy games (which I end up losing every time). So one day, I decided that I was going to purchase UpWords (because his skills in spelling are lacking **smiles**). Certainly, a word smith like me can win at that! Nope, the Lord allowed my husband to win at even that. Very humbling! :-) But I will not lose my will... LOL!
ReplyDeleteIn Him,
Amy
Girls - thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteLife - you and I sound a lot alike.
Diane - Micca is my roomie, but she isn't feeling well (pray for her)so I may change rooms and let her have that one to herself to rest as needed. We'll see. You'll love her. I know she likes sweets, and who wouldn't want to try "Smack Your Mama Pie"?!
Sami- be sure to introduce yourself to me when you spot me at the conference!
Amy T.- I have UpWords too!
Praying for all of you at She Speaks; Praying also for Micca to get well.
ReplyDeleteI am competitive; but like Life; am more "self" competitive. I keep ratcheting the bar up higher particular in my quilting projects. But I am also such a harsh critic of myself, I refuse to show my quilts (even at the county fair) because I don't think they are good enough and I don't want to hear someone else agree....:)
I think it is more harmful than good. I think you end up developing a strong sense of pride and self-sufficiency and you forget that it is through God that you accomplish all things, and not through your own efforts.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9)
Have a great time at She Speaks, and may the Spirit of the Lord work among you to bring success to your efforts!
Karen
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI am praying for Micca and hope she gets the rest and things needed to feel better.
Praying for you as you prepare for She Speaks.
By the way do you bake much? I know that you appreciate the finer culinary pallet. Due to my situation I am getting rid of a lot of catering equipment and pastry/baking stuff. If you think of anything you would like or need let me know. I would be glad to bring it to you.
No one person should ever own 10- 12 inch cake pans! UGH!
Diane
Funny, that I came across this today, Rachel. I often feel competitive over blog comments (or lack there of) and then this week God showed me something. I set it so that my blog updates as a note on my facbook page. And the blog I wrote last night seemed to touch women, many women, and while the comments were nice the fact that God used my words to touch someone was much more amazing. :)
ReplyDeleteIf we have to pick one thing, I'm in trouble. I'm with Diane, in that I came out of the womb trying to beat out my older sister and later stay ahead of my younger brother. This past weekend I got so jealous and upset about a speaking engagement that went to another person. I spent about an hour "working it out" with God. (Wasn't pretty, so I'll spare you the details!) But God is faithful and He gave me encouragement through Isaiah 50:4-8...totally reminded me of what I learned at She Speaks '07. God has a place for His messages-I don't need to be competitive about these things. When the message He's given me is to be used, He'll do it...AMEN!
ReplyDeleteI'll be at She Speaks again this year..so excited. Hopefully I can meet you.
Hey Girl,
ReplyDeleteI am very competitive!
But not in physical things...a birth defect will fix that right off the bat!
I am competitive when it comes to my daughter, board games, games of wit, and detective games or puzzles.
Can't wait to see you at She Speaks! I would love to share with you what God has continued to do in my life after wearing Zoe's pink pumps! More healing!
Love ya
Pamela
I am competitive at games too... Everyone likes to win... but I do have fun just playing the game... I don't HAVE to win but I do try my best. I am also pretty competitive when it comes to reaching goals... not 'important' goals like weight loss (unless their is a contest maybe) or saving money, but goals like a certain sales goal at a Tupperware part or something silly like that!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if my competitive nature helps me or hurts me... It probably depends on the situation.
Have a great conference... and I can't wait to read your new book!