While watching the Winter Olympics, I had memories of watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports every weekend. The series ran from 1961 to 1997, and I can still hear Jim McKay saying, “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition… This is ‘ABC’s Wide World of Sports!’” This statement seemed especially poignant for the 2026 United States ice skaters.
In sports, we qualify and measure in terms of levels of good and bad, success and failure. We create similar standards as a society and personally to qualify the acceptance or rejection of people, objects, situations, and behaviors.
Psalm 34:10 says, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” But what are good things? Most of our classifications are a matter of perceptions or perspectives we choose, change, or control.
Grumbling or Counting
We all know the person who complains about anything and everything. Much like radioactive material, we have to limit our exposure. Nothing seems to satisfy them, and like Goldilocks, they are waiting for the moment in life when everything is just right. In the meantime, they can always find something to grumble about.
Then there are people who are always cheerful and have something kind to say. They live by the old saying, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Even in sad or complicated situations, they find that sliver of hope to hold on to and offer healing words of encouragement. They are the people who are thankful and count their blessings.
Nitpicking or Praising
Nitpicking is “the action of giving too much attention to unimportant details.” To nitpickers, happiness seems to be like a beach ball floating in the pool — just out of reach. Often purveyors of slanderous gossip, they aren’t satisfied with their own misery; they want to make sure everyone around them is miserable too.
On the other hand, praisers are those who lift us up, compliment us, offer help and support. They are ready volunteers, patient listeners, and empathetic to the emotional needs of others. They understand the liquidity of life’s circumstances and can go with the flow and are ready to throw out a life preserver to anyone bobbing under the waves.
Analyzing or Enjoying
It’s hard to fight the weight of “analysis paralysis.” When faced with decisions, we can become overwhelmed by fear, either by considering too many or not enough factors. There is fear of the consequences of a wrong decision. Fear of missing out. We become trapped by overthinking, perfectionism, and the perception that somehow we won’t be able to recover from a mistake.
Or, we can realize that life is a learning experience, a series of difficulties. If we are honest, life without challenges is totally unrealistic and boring. We can and will go on. We grow from mistakes. Every day is a new opportunity, and the sun will always rise and set. We can choose to enjoy life and have the confidence to know we can handle whatever comes. It may get ugly and difficult, but through sheer will, we humans are resilient survivors.
Good Things
Embrace true living. Count your blessings. Be a person of praise.
Enjoy the life you have. Just like Ilia Malinin got back on the ice, you too can get out there and experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat and consider it all as good things.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
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