I recently watched some children playing freeze tag in front of their house. This brought back a flood of memories when I was a child. We also, played freeze tag - my cousins and I. It seemed like it was hours of endless fun even though it might have only lasted a half an hour before we got bored or occupied with something else. But it was one of the more memorable moments with my cousins, until they moved away and I was left alone again.

Being an only child is not really conducive for the multiplayer games such as freeze tag, ring around the Rosie, cowboys and Indians, etc. So, I had to adapt or find new friends to play those games. Perhaps, that is why I never participated in sports as a kid and am only an armchair athlete. Perhaps that is why fishing has its appeal as it is not a multiplayer sport. One can only begin to think about the whys and where's. but the fact was, I was an only child and had to adapt in order to survive the seemingly long summers out of school.

But back to freeze tag - where the happy recollections are. The rules of freeze tag are quite simple. At least the way we played the game:
  • Even before the game commenced, the boundaries would be established. 
  • One person was designated as "it". This was usually done by the highly accurate "rock, paper, scissors"  version of Roberts rules. The person designated as "it" would usually be the one who lost the "rock, paper, scissors" voting. They usually were not happy about it, and thus made it their "vendetta" to win the game.
  • The person designated as "it" would run around trying to touch others who would try their best to avoid the person designated as "it" while keeping within the established boundaries. If the person ran out of the boundaries, they were instantly "frozen"
  • The person designated as "it" would try to "freeze" as many of the others as he can. If he was successful in "freezing" all the others, the game was over.
  • The others running around could "unfreeze" a "frozen" person by touching them.
That, in a nutshell is the premise of the game and its variants. Loads of fun. Well, to a kid it was. I don't think I could play that game now as I can't run and dodge as I used to, and the game just seems silly to me with my adult thinking. 




The spiritual parallels I find to the game of freeze tag are:
  • We have established boundaries set in our lives. These boundaries are there, not to imprison us, but to keep us safe. Those boundaries include the word of wisdom and the law of chastity.
  • Satan desires to "freeze" us from our earthly and eternal progressions. He knows if he can "freeze" everyone's progression, then he has won.
  • Satan is "it". He desires that everyone be miserable like he is. Therefore, he has a "vendetta" to those that accepted the plan of our Father in Heaven and have come to earth among us. Knowing that we possess the one thing that he can never have - a physical body.  He tempts us with things that can harm or damage our earthly temples.
  • We need to actively keep fleeing away from temptations no matter how desirable or how small and insignificant  they may seem, they can "freeze" our progression.
  • Although it is doable, it is much easier to be safe from these temptations with the help of others. The church is the help and safety net for us in our lives today. There is safety in numbers. 
  • Via the programs of the church, such as Home and Visiting Teaching, we have that power to "unfreeze" those who have been "frozen"; to "touch" their lives and hearts so they can begin the unthawing process.
Is it no wonder that we are counseled often to "Stand in Holy Places", to flee away from sin and temptation", and to "Put on the whole armor of God"? If we do these things, we stand a much greater chance of not being "frozen" by "it".

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