I really had my hopes up a few months ago. Dorcas told me about a contest mentioned on Facebook that had to do with ties--ugly ties. When I quickly checked it out, it sounded like whoever was chosen with the ugliest tie would win $500.

Hey, I could use $500. I figured I had a good chance to win. I have scores of ties, some of which are ugly. In fact, when I was still with the Assemblies of God, my district's section held an ugliest tie contest--and I won! No money was involved, just a plaque certifying that I indeed did win their ugliest tie contest.

Well, this recent one sounded like $500. I just almost forgot all about it though thanks to the snow storms that hit the Eastern Shore in 2010. However, I did remember about three weeks before the deadline.

The contest allowed five entries on five separate days. I selected five ties, one of which was the very tie that helped me to win the ministers' ugliest tie contest. I laboriously took pictures of these wonders, or, perhaps, blunders. After all of this, I decided to look at the rules so I would not make any mistakes when entering the contest. By the way, this was the last week of the contest so that meant I had to start uploading since you were allowed five entries but they had to be done on seperate days.

So I read the rules to make sure I had things right. However, as I read the rules I discovered that the grand prize was $500--in ties! Also, the winner was not allowed to resell the ties! I can use $500, but not $500 worth of ties!

Well, I did not bother to take any more time to enter the contest. Except for honing my photographic skills, much of the time and energy put into the contest was wasted--all because I assumed what the prize would be.

Saul of Tarsus was on the wrong racetrack before he surrendered to Christ. Like most Jews of his time he did not realize the Law of Moses was given unto them that they might commit to the Messiah when He came and live by His principles. However, when He committed to Christ, he then realized he had the wrong goals in mind before He trusted Christ, for he writes by the Holy Spirit in Philippians 3:7, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." By the Holy Spirit, he also wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:26, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:"

I certainly hope that each person that reads this is on the right racetrack, the one that does not lead to temporary happiness, or what society terms a success, or any other earthly thing, but the only one that leads to being with Christ for all eternity. Likewise, it is best all realize that the race is won not by our own strength, but only in Christ, the only one that has ran it and finished it victoriously.

Don't be disappointed when you leave this world. Fully trust Christ now.