I’m Back! September 21, 2008

I got lectured today by a certain someone about slacking in the blogosphere, so here I am!  I have had a really busy couple of weeks and lots of things that were blog-worthy.  I just never took the time to write about them.  This certain someone also recommended that I not overwhelm my readers (I know there are so many of you out there!) with everything that has happened all at once (like my last post…I know, it was a lot of info!), but to give you little bits to digest at a time.  So, here’s to you, Mrs. Blog-Advise-Giver…

Church was amazing this morning.  Byron started a series called “I Wish Jesus Hadn’t Said…”  Today he spoke from Luke 6:27-36 where Jesus talks about loving our enemies.  Sure it’s easy to love our neighbor and the people who are lovable.  But what about our enemies, those who are really un-lovable?

I’ve never really thought of myself as someone who has a lot of enemies, but as I think back over the past few years, there are definitely people who I have been hurt by, who I feel have in some way betrayed me or my trust.  As Byron spoke this morning, I was reminded again that I must CHOOSE to love.  And the only way to truly love is to forgive.   I am called as a Christ follower to love and forgive those who have betrayed me.  And every time I relive the hurt and betrayal in my mind, I am reminded to forgive.

I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father who, no matter how many times I have hurt or betrayed Him, He chooses to forgive and love me. 

On another note…

We think Jackson got stung by a yellow jacket this evening.  The kids were playing outside with the babysitters while our community group was meeting when he started screaming.  His cheek right underneath his eye began to swell up almost immediately.  Heather came to the rescue with some Benadryl and it looked a lot better before he went to bed.  Poor little guy…he sure was a trooper.  He looked like someone punched him right in the eye!  (On the bright side…he’ll probably sleep REALLY well tonight thanks to the Benadryl!)

Clearing out the Clutter May 28, 2008

Yesterday Barry and I took on the dreaded task of cleaning out our garage.  It seems like we attempt this often, only to kind of push all the junk to the sides so that we can park our cars in there.  Very rarely do we actually go through what’s on the shelves and clear out the things we haven’t used in the last five years.  So, yesterday we did it.  We purged old paint cans, made a pile of things we’ll take to goodwill, we even found some things we can take back to Home Depot that had never been used…still in the bag!  Made me realize how wasteful we really are.

It also made me realize that I’m guilty of doing this not just with the junk in our garage but with the junk in my life.  I know there are things in my life that I need to purge…bad habits, activities that waste time, things that I allow to consume my thoughts.  Sometimes I’ll even admit to myself that I’ve already dealt with the junk…only for it to rear it’s ugly head once again.   Sometimes it’s easier to just push all the ”junk” to the side and ignore it.  Maybe it’s time to confront some of the junk head on, take it to the curb and leave it there! 

Most of the junk doesn’t need to be revisited.  It doesn’t deserve my time.  There’s no point in going back to it again and again and again once I’ve cleared it out.  It’s done.  Over.  Forgiven. 

Psalm 103 

12 as far as the east is from the west,
       so far has he removed our transgressions from us

I am thankful for this reminder that God gave me yesterday…even if it took cleaning out the garage for me to get it!