How will I respond?

If you have gone on various blogs, you would have seen that I went bowling with several good friends. (Though some were missing:-) Well, bowling is a character test for me. I love to bowl, but I think I love the idea of bowling. My scores are nothing to rave about. I am a perfectionist, so doing bad is difficult for me to accept.

In the past, I have gotten really down about myself. I have even cried on some occasions. I am not sure what I require. Is it getting this huge score and getting lots of strikes? I can't say. I can tell you that it never happens...much to my chagrin.

However, I didn't want to break down about my performance this outing. I don't suffer from peer pressure, but I don't want my friends to see me act ridiculous over a dumb game that doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. So, I made up my mind to have a positive attitude, regardless of how I did.

Well, we first went to the D.'s house and ate pizza and watched a movie. (I am not recommending this one:-) After the van finally got there, we all headed off to the Boise State Student Union. That's where we bowl, due to the fact that they don't allow smoking or drinking. We got lost on campus, though we have been there a few times. (Shifty was being a back seat driver!) Anyway, we got there and began bowling. Now, the beginning is also a test for me. I have to rent size 5 shoes. Thankfully, they had shoe laces!!!!! :-D I have had to deal with velcro before. I also use an eight pound ball. The others are too heavy for me.

So, we start bowling, and sure enough, I go in the gutter more than I want to. I do manage to get pins down, and that's what I go for. Yet I have an odd way of bowling. I go up to the line, stop, and then throw the ball. Everyone thinks it's nutty, including myself, but that's the only way I can seem to do it. Well, I do get a spare, with all ten pins going down. I was excited about that. Then, I started going down again. All of my friends gave me advice in joking manners. (I was told to do it granny style more than once.) Well, how was I doing to respond to this?

I knew what I had to do. I took deep breaths, and joked about what they said. I still would go in the gutter, and if I felt that I was beginning to get angry, I would stop and cool off. I am so thankful to the Lord that I never busted down crying. I never even came close. Also, no one laughed at me; they all laughed with me. (Or if they thought me stupid, they all had the courtesy to keep it inside.) We bowled three frames, and it was a lot of fun. We laughed a ton, and we enjoyed each other's company.

Not meaning to be prideful, but I am pleased with myself. No, not with the bowling scores, which were in the forties twice and the sixties once. I was pleased that I responded the right way this time. I think that's because I prayed on the way to the D.'s house. I really wanted to come away proud of how I acted.... And I am!