So, I am racing against my four year old daughter, Julie the other day. Most of the time, I let her win. Really, she’s the only one of my kids that I can still outrun. Sometimes, though, I will let her lose. I believe kids need to know how to lose. They need to know they are not invincible. Anyway, the race is on and I’m out in front. The finish line is the front porch. I hear from behind me, “Race you to the truck.”

She changed the rules so she wouldn’t lose. I felt like I had to teach a lesson about rules, but I also had to admire her quick thinking. I’m pretty sure every kid has tried that at some point.

It’s not just the kids! I was watching a “News” program yesterday. The host was interviewing an expert in marriage relationships. She is a a doctor. They were discussing the divorce of Al and Tipper Gore after 40 years of marriage. The interview ended with the words, “We must not label a marriage as a success or failure based on whether or not it ends in divorce.”

What?

God made marriage and the rules for marriage. One man, one woman, in love, until death. Those are the rules. They always have been the rules. The bride and groom commit to these by reciting them in their wedding vows.

The truth is we are losing. Marriages and families are falling apart all around us. When you are losing, the answer is not to move the finish line or change the rules. The answer is to study the sport, know the rules and prepare before the starting line.