Addicted to Quests!

by Bronwen
(Saratoga Springs, Utah)

I am addicted to quests.

It's true. Computer games with role-playing, economy, and quests are my weakness.

I try to steer clear of them because I'm such a fanatic and once I start I have to conquer or I can't seem to be happy.

The last questing game I was addicted to was one such game that was complex, full of money problems, economy issues, war, and damsels in distress and I LOVED IT!

Knowing My Weakness I Asked God To...

Yes, although I feel compelled to finish the game I am self aware enough to know when it's inviting a spirit of Idleness.. and when the game calls me at all hours of the day at the expense of my children and home I can clearly see an unbalance in priorities!

So I got down on my knees and prayed for help.
I specifically asked him to help me stop playing the game. No excuses. No cravings. Please just help me to stop!

Deleted Completely.

You think I?m going to tell you that I deleted the game from my computer, huh?

Well, I didn't.

However, the next day when I found myself driven to complete the next quest I tried to open the game file and it was completely gone.

Yes. In answer to my prayer a miracle had occurred and the temptation was completely removed from my life. (Thank Heaven!)

Provinces, Order, and Experience.

Before you can fully understand the lesson that I was taught by this experience I have to explain a little bit about this game.

It was a kingdom game where I was expected to conquer, or ally with all of the provinces on the map, bring order, and gain experience through the quests that popped up along the way.

Some quests had a time limit, and some I could get to when I felt ready.

Some quests were designed to maintain order, and others were to make my character grow in experience and level so that I could then conquer quests that a lower level Knight would not be able to achieve.

My Home, a Map in Itself.

After the game was deleted and I was free to get a clear head I realized that I didn't feel the way I should about real life quests.

As a woman, mother, wife, and home-maker my stewardships include a fairly long list of quests...daily.

Some are to maintain order.

Others give me experience so that I can be ready to be a tool in the Lord's hands when he chooses to give me a higher level quest.

So I made a list of my quests.

• "Conquer the mudroom" (The catch all of all messes in my house, the laundry room, and where the pantry resides. It was a huge mess.)
  
  
• "Establish Order, and Maintain it."
  
  
• "Conquer the Kitchen"
  
  
• Etc.
  

Each room of my home is a "province" on the map of my home. Each presents a different challenge and each room has a different use to maintain the "economy" of my home.

Little Quests for Big Experience.

The experience quests inside my home (and outside of my home, but for the purpose of illustrating my point let's just keep to inside.) proved to be harder to see.

In the game, the experience quests required more thought, more wisdom, and more time.

Teaching my children to work, and to get along, and to obey require the same skills.

In the game I could "Order" my subjects to do certain things. I could be a tyrant, or a righteous leader. How I chose to lead, the words and tones I chose to use, determined whether or not rebellions would pop up that I would have to deal with and which took me away from my more important tasks.

"Will You Please..."

I learned that I can get my children to do just about anything for me, with love and devotion...and to THANK me for asking them to do it (amazing, I know. But it's true.) if I simply ask like this:

"(Child's name) Will you please help me do the dishes?"

"Yes Mommy." Big hug and a desire to go the EXTRA MILE because it makes them HAPPY!

Order AND Experience. Imagine that. With one simple, humbly put question... instead of a hard order. (The key is the word "Will")

Even my (now) 15 month old responds to this show of respect.

They KNOW! Their spirits know what is right.
They know they have the choice and they will make their own... either way.

Generally, because they are untrained they'll make the opposite choice of what they feel they are "ordered", or forced to do.

Human nature, right?

I challenge all women to take up their "Excalibur", and go forth to conquer this game that is life.
This is exciting! It's not mundane!

Our quests as women are important to maintaining order and peace. Only we have the power to effect it.

I dub thee "Woman".
Go forth and bring Honor to thy name.