When Does Failure = Success?

From REAL Men RoCK Blog  posted August 8, 2009

Sometimes we attempt to do something that doesn't turn out as we hoped.  It appears to be one BIG Failure.  Today my wife, Kat, and I sponsored a Kickball Fun Day which started with a Pancake breakfast catered by world famous Chris Cakes.

My wife dreamed the event up to help some friends who are struggling because of the husband's illness.  

Today rolled around and we had no teams signed up and once breakfast was over we found we had spent $200 to pull in $85 worth of donations for our friends.  In most people's book this event was one BIG failure.  I see it differently.  Sure we spent $200 and had no teams show up but lots of positive things have come out the whole event.

Kat is a very talented woman but for all of our marriage I have been the person who has been in the spot light.  This event was her idea and grew out of a desire to help someone else.  I am so proud of her because she not only said she cared for our friends but she tried to do something about it.  

A couple of men who did not know each other sat and talked for a couple of hours about life and their walk as followers of Jesus.

Several people who knew each other but had lost contact with each other saw each other at this event.

When we look at stories in the Bible we find times of failure or trials that God turns into success. Look at the story of Noah in Genesis 6, 7, 8 & 9, the story of Abram in Genesis 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18 and the story of Jacob in Genesis 27 through 30.  God took what looked like failure and turned it into success.  Moses, Samson and David are other examples of men failing but God using their failure to bring about His will and success.  The greatest example is the short three year period of Jesus' ministry and how God turned what looked like the ultimate failure into the greatest success.

Today my wife's event failed but out of that failure our friends know they have a person who loves them more than cash.  Two men started a new friendship and two men rediscovered old roots.  What looks like failure to most is the beginning new success in my wife's life.

I once heard someone say, "If you haven't failed you have been sitting on your butt for far too long."  Get up off the couch and get out and fail at something and as you do you will find more success than you found sitting on the couch.

I once heard someone say, "It isn't what happens to you that is important, it's what you do with what hapeens to you that counts".

What failure in your life can you allowed God to make a success?

Louisburg Herald Article

Sports - Louisburg 
Written by Andy Brown  
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 08:00 
Kat Clark had always wanted to do something like this, but she never had a real reason to put anything together.

But this reason was as good as any.

Clark, who is a Louisburg resident, has a recreation degree and has worked in parks and recreation departments before and has wanted to organize an event for the whole community. Now she is getting her chance and it is all to help out someone in need.

Kat, along with her husband Larry, is organizing Louisburg Kickball Fun Day for Aug. 8 at Lewis-Young Park, and it is open for ages 10 years and older. All the proceeds from the event go to a good cause.

Clark’s friend, Rick Duggan, an Overland Park resident, was recently diagnosed with a high level of copper toxicity in his body. At this point Duggan is unable to work his job as a self-employed carpenter. Doctors say the treatment process will take two to six months. 

Duggan worked in heavy chemicals in the grain business for many years, and that is probably the main source of the toxicity. He is currently receiving help from heath professionals and is on a detoxing program.

When Kat brought the idea to Rick about doing the fund-raiser, he wasn’t all that excited about it, but Kat did a little convincing.

“I told him he is just going to be my practice round,” Kat said. “I want to do the kickball thing on an annual basis so that the whole community can get involved. I think raising money for Rick and his wife Karen would be a great way to start it out.”

Louisburg Kickball Fun Day will stretch from the morning hours all the way until dusk. Chris Cakes will be there to serve breakfast, while Brian Jester will cater a burgers, dogs and more luncheon.

There will also be free arts and crafts for children who attend.

“I have only been trying to put this thing together for about three-and-a-half weeks, so I have had to do a lot in a short amount of time, but I hope people can come out and have fun,” Kat said. “The city was kind enough to donate the fields to us for a day, and we are hoping for a big turnout.”

To register a team, or to find out more information about the kickball event, visit http://louisburgkickball.blogspot.com.

Louisburg Kickball Fun Day Hopes and Dreams

The Louisburg Kickball Fun Day has grown out of the ideas of a small group called the WILDCATS.

This groups feels called to study God's Word and then apply it in our lives.  We do this through service to our community and others.

Our hope is to bring the churches and other organizations together to serve others, build relationships and have fun together doing it.

Our dream is that this Fun Day will grow into an annual event and be expanded to include a Sand Volleyball turnament and to promote visits to our local businesses. 

This year because of limited funds we are helping one family but our hope and dream is to be helping many families throughout the year.  We have a vision for a center with a food pantry and clothing store open on a daily basis.  In this center would be volunteers to help the unemployed to prepare for job interviews.  

As of July 24th we have people involved from the following churches:

New Life - Louisburg

Life Church - Olathe

Vineyard Church - Overland Park

Louisburg Kickball Fun Day has registered with the State of Kansas as a Not for Profit.

Kickball Fun Day

The Louisburg Kickball Fun Day will take place Saturday August 8, 2009 at the Lewis-Young Ball Fields.

Join us for an All Day Kickball event to support and encourage Rick and Karen (Manley) Duggan.

Directions: If coming from the north on 69 Highway take Louisburg Exit and at stop light turn left. Go to Broadway and turn left. Go to 271st Street and turn left. Go to Jingo Road and turn right and once at the top of the hill you will see ball fields on the left. Go to the end of the park road to fields. Registration will be at the concession stand.

Map     

Check in will begin at 7:30am

This kickball tournament is a great way to have fun with some friends and give back to the community. Please consider forming a team and entering!

Activities include:

*Kickball tournament
*Chis Cakes Breakfast
*Burgers Dogs and More Luncheon by Brian Jester
*Free Arts and Crafts for children
*Tour Louisburg sites, Cider Mill and Cedar Cove - Local information flyer will be provided.
*Make new friendships and grow the old.

This is going to be a “family fun day” at Lewis Young Park, just outside of Louisburg, Kansas in the country. It is a perfect site for an all day event: with 4 ball fields for lots of kickball games, a playground for the kids, arts and crafts activities for younger children, breakfast catered by Chris Cakes with his famous pancake breakfast and “Burgers, Dogs and More catered by Brian Jester.

We have two special reasons for this event.

* Provide a fun filled, memorable event for friends and families.

* Provide encouragement and funds for Rick and Karen as they go through a tough time.

This will be a kick off for an annual event that we see growing in size each year. We dream of helping more families as we build upon this beginning event. We can see it growing into a weekend tournament with more activities and more people.

Ways you can help….

* Sign up as a team
* Come to the Chris Cakes Breakfast
* Eat lunch at the Burgers Dogs and More
* Bring Friends
* Pray for Rick and Karen. Also send cards, e-mails and make phone calls to them

Please download the registration form and email by August 1 to louisburgkickball@gmail.com.