I Love You regardless...

I LOVE YOU regardless of how well you are performing.  Sometimes you feel uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love.  No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no.  your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out. I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions.  I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction:  Nothing and no one can reverse it.  Therefore,  your accomplishment as a Christian  has no bearing on My Love for you.  Even your ability to assess how well you are doing on a given day is flawed.  Your limited human perspective and the condition of your body, with its mercurial variations, distort your evaluations.

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place My unfailing Love.  Try to stay conscious of My loving Presence with you in all that you do, and I will direct your steps. ~ Jesus Calling

What a wonderful thought, knowing that God loves us no matter what. I taught my children that as well as my SS students. God does love us no matter what we do. We may do something that disappoints Him, but he never stops loving us. He gives us the tools to do what is right, to be good and kind and is most pleased when we do those things out of habit and character and not obligation. He is most pleased we we do something that could be considered "good" or "righteous" without boasting, or looking for acknowledgment. He wants us to do those things, on a daily basis even. He just wants us to do them without thinking about a reward of some sort. If we are doing things out of love and genuine kindness on a daily basis, when we do those things with Him in mind, we shine as an extension of His light. The word says we are made in His likeness, we are clothed in His righteousness. So, if we call ourselves a Christian, a Child of God and we behave in a certain way that is not what would be Christ-like, then what are we showing the world.

I was teaching my SS class just this past Sunday, I teach 1st-3rd graders and we were talking about how we are treat others. I told them about the bracelets my own kids used to wear WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) as well as many adults. I explained  what the letters meant and although they thought it was a pretty neat idea, they had never seen one. Perhaps, we need to dig through our closets and drawers and see if we still have one or two lying around. Im sure they would be easy enough to make/sell again. What would your day look like if you wore a WWJD bracelet for just a week, and when those tough moments came along, you stopped and thought about that question... WWJD?

As I sit here on the morning after his death, awaiting his resurrection on Easter morning, I am very soberly reminded of what He did, for you, me, the entire world. His death on the cross isn't easy to understand or envision. But with His great sacrifice of self, we have been saved from so much despair and ugliness that will come with living a life without know Him as our Savior, with dying and not having declared His as the Savior of our heart. It's never to late to pick up our lives and change, to do what;s right, to be like Jesus. To simply ask for forgiveness... Look at the thief on the cross, he was dying. Dying, and yet he spoke to our Savior and asked to be forgiven. And in one of the last things He would do before His death, Jesus forgave this man, this common thief and promised to him that he would live in the paradise that Jesus Himself was going to. How amazing is that? I have had an odd sort of connection to that part of the story for years now, as one Easter I played that thief's sister in a drama that was performed at the church I was attending. It has been years, but one of the lines was something like: "He forgave him and told him he would live in paradise with Him, my brother has been saved." It just opened a very pivotal part of the story that a lot of people may not be aware of. We know the basics (which are great) He was murdered, buried and rose back to life. But the moments like these with this common thief, or Joseph, friend of Nicodemus asking for His Lord's body, so that he could give Him a proper burial. As most well know, Nicodemus, as well as Joseph had not known Jesus as Savior for very long, yet He had impacted their lives and they were in significant pain while they mourned.

What joy and happiness, as well as triumph must have been experienced by the disciples and friends of our Lord upon learning of His resurrection! I'm sure the words of the Bible don't really hold justice to the emotions that must have spilled out from them that day. Imagine getting a few more moments with someone you love, what would you do? What would you say? Those men and women had 40 days, to listen and soak up all that Jesus had to share with them, to teach them about His Father and what they were meant to do after he left. Building the early churches, speaking to others about actually having know Christ, to call him friend. I realize we too, can call Jesus friend. Oh, but to be a disciple, or Mary or Martha, or some of the other few people who were directly involved with Him when He walked this earth... those are the people I want to sit with in Heaven and talk to and ask them hundreds of questions. As I type this, I chuckle to myself because I have heard a time or two, that we can have all these questions we want to ask when we arrive in Heaven, people we may want to talk to, loved ones we will be oh so excited to see. Yet, the glory of it all, the true majesty that Heaven will be... we will forget, those things won't even matter. We will simply be able to begin our life of eternity with the Living God whom we have faithfully served while walking the earth.

So I leave you with this simple prayer:

Lord, we thank you so much for loving us unconditionally, for covering us with your light and love, allowing us to shine for all to see. May your goodness, kindness and righteous be seen in us by all those around us. And as we walk through each day, tempted and given tough choices to make, may we turn to you for guidance, may we take that half a second to think... WWJD? Thank you for being the ultimate gift and sacrificing yourself by dying on the cross. Thank you Lord for rising again so that we can serve you as our living God.  Amen

1 Peter 5:7-8a

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind.

Oh, how I needed these words this week. After having a really awesome and #empowered first week I got attacked by the enemy and boy did he knocked me for a loop. I had fully intended joining the blog hop this week in celebration of what week one had been for me. Then Monday’s attack came and I was in for a spiritual fight as I let old demons control my thoughts.

I have been a single mom for nearly 18 years and have known the Lord since I was a small child, but it wasn’t until just over a decade ago I truly dedicated my life to having a relationship with Him. This verse is one I have turned to many times.

“Cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” and believe me, being a single mom of 4 children is something that can cause a lot of anxiety! Once I learned to give Him those anxious moments, the worries that consumed me, then my days were better. Not always perfect, but at least I got through them, one day; often one moment at a time. In those early years I learned to stop, even if it was in the middle of the day, wherever I may have been and call out to Him in prayer, asking for His guidance, love, grace, and sometimes protection. So once again, that’s what I did Monday night, I prayed, I asked you to pray with me. I needed my spirit calmed so I could process the information I had been given, try to rest, to sleep even. And I did, I give full credit of that fact to our loving God and I am thankful for this new community of women who are most certainly like myself - prayer warriors; fighting similar battles, as well as celebrating triumphs too.

“Be alert” This makes me chuckle just a bit, when I was in high school there was this guy who would always say, “be a lert, the world needs more lerts” J So the word in itself generally brings a smile to my face. But, in all seriousness it is sometimes really difficult to be alert to Him and His calling for me. I often find myself straining to hear His wee small voice, trying to ensure I am living each day according to His will for me. I am often asking Him to guide me along the path He needs me to travel, to take me where I can be best used for His glory. I do the same for my children; I pray that He will speak to them and that they will hear Him and respond accordingly, with full alertness to His Presence in their lives. It’s not always easy to do, at least not for me; my humanness gets the best of me. I fall into old habits and patterns or just get stuck, unable to move forward into His light. I felt that way this past week, I felt disconnected, certainly not alert to what I know He was trying to say to me.

“of sober mind” This phrase has duel meaning for me. As a recovering alcoholic I have learned that you can “not drink” thus being sober; however you can still have the mind of a drunk and for years I most certainly did. Today, having a sober mind means keeping it as clear as I can from the clutter of this world. Free from the chaos around me and most certainly form the lies of the enemy. It means being able to have a clear connection to the Holy Spirit. Monday I got disconnected and stayed that way for the rest of the week. Running circles in my mind, going nowhere except deeper into the pit of worry and fear. Those old demons were laughing and dancing around me. I read through my chapters Thursday night, not noting anything at the time. I just needed to let the words soak in. Today I have gone back to them and their words were able to truly speak to me. 

So as I restart this journey of not craving the foods that make me feel like crud, and craving the God who has healed me once before, I look to Him for wisdom and directing; also asking Him to teach me self control. I realize, perhaps remember is a better word, that God doesn't expect us to get it the first time and He doesn't get angry if we ask for His help a second, third or even forth time, He is happy that we are asking, because if we are asking then we are taking the time to be connected to him, staying sober and alert to His direction for us. 

We all have a past, a list of things that could define us, but God graciously made that list His own when He sent His Son to die for us. We are forgiven, we are set-free, we are accepted, we are holy, we are made new, we are loved, we are close to Him, we are confident, we are victorious; we are healed of all the damage that has been a part of our lives, including that which is self inflicted. So may we not only by our actions but by our hearts, position ourselves to Him. Allow ourselves to come to Him, even if we feel broken, because He created us in His image and even broken, we are beautiful to Him.

So... though I did not start this week #determined I will most certainly end it in that manner. #Determined to take this new found revelation of my needing to be accountable to myself and doing just that, becoming accountable to me. This will be huge, because when I eat, I feel bad, then I'm depressed and then I sit and I don't do anything and my house goes to pot... very quickly I might add. When I'm in a better place, feeling healthy and actually have energy, things get done. My house is cluttered, but clean. I am #determined to stay alert to Him this coming week, keeping my mind and my heart open to craving our glorious God.

Hello My Name Is...

 Such a simple sentence but on one particular night, it became a powerful stepping stone towards me regaining my life. 

"My name is Laurie and I am an alcoholic" 

I still remember the first time I said it, how terrified I was to utter those words, to admit to such a fault, but I also remember the sudden and overwhelming relief I felt, my secret was no longer my own. Still a secret of sorts, held inside the anonymity of the four walls I sat within; but I no longer had to deal with it on my own. By stepping through that door, I surrounded myself with people who were like me and for the first time in years, I didn't feel different. I was part of something, I felt included.

I dove in head first, experiencing a new sort of high, my new addiction was my sobriety. They recommend 90 meetings in 90 days when you are in early recovery, and thanks to an almost daily noon meeting, 3 evening meetings every week and taking advantage of technology I attended numerous online meetings as well, thus achieving far more than 90 meetings those first 90 days. I couldn't get enough, surrounding myself with "like" people, people who understood my pain, had experienced it too. It felt good, and after fighting depression for decades I wanted to feel better and hopefully stay that way. It was within those walls, surrounded by new friends who spoke regularly about their own "higher power" I remembered who my higher power was and I took Him off the shelf.

Sometimes when people who know God become angry and walk away from Him, they don't really leave Him. They actually just set Him aside, perhaps putting Him away in a proverbial "box" and placing it on a shelf. A shelf that they can have easy access to, when they feel desperate enough to call out to Him. Then when they are knee deep in trouble of their own doing, they call out to Him, begging Him to fix it; to get them out of the mess that they have gotten themselves into. I did it, I would be in way over my head and tearfully promise to not make that particular mistake again. So with me begging and pleading, He would answer my half-felt prayer and I would soon make that same mistake again.  

It was in those rooms, surrounded by different likenesses of me, I realized that God had stayed with me, even though I had been running from Him. That He not only answered my prayers, but quiet often saved me from the worst things imaginable. It was in those rooms, that I realized I needed God more than ever. And in finding God again, I also knew I needed more. So treatment became the next step I needed to take, but as a single-mom and the sole caregiver to my young children I couldn't bare being separated from them for 30 days, let alone the fact there was no one to take care of them. So I attended Out-Patient Treatment, treatment that took me 15 months to complete. Treatment with a counselor I was going to "trade-in" on day one. I was even a little bit angry at God for placing this person in my life, asking why? Today I am so very thankful for a man named Chuck, and how he helped me to get where I needed to be; sober and healthy and whole again. And for giving me the tools of how to stay that way. Then about 18 months into my sobriety, I found my church family, surrounding myself with more people to help me on my path to healing.

That was ten years ago, a full decade has passed. I have grown and learned how to be a better person. I surrounded myself with people who love the Lord, who encouraged and supported me, I have been able to build a much better life for myself and my children. One filled with happiness, laughter and love. It was tough, and I had my moments where I wanted to throw in the towel, better yet sit my butt on a bar stool and grab a drink or two, (or twenty). But I didn't, because I had a new foundation to stand on, or when need be, to fall back on. One that was God-centered and I knew if I just gave it to Him, whatever the problem was, things would be OK. Maybe not right away, God's timing being what it is sometimes; but my sobriety through God gave me a sense of calm that I still can't really explain. I can merely trust that He has it. I also have faith in what His Word tells me; that He has already written my story, every word, every sentence, all before I took my very first breath. He knows the ending, and if I trust in what He has done by giving us His son to die for our sins, my sins; then there is only one ending that matters, Eternity with Him. 

Over the years people have asked me how I do it, especially in the early years when all the kids were still so small. Time and again they would say "I don't know how you do it" I would just smile and either look up or point to the heavens, always giving God the credit. I did not do it on my own and I truly could not have survived without Him. To this day, I know that God took care of us and that He still does. We have never gone without anything we need; a roof over our heads, heat in the winter, AC in the summer, food to eat and clothes on our backs. I always had some sort of transportation, He truly is the great provider, He cares for us all. 

So now, as I celebrate this milestone I just want to take a moment to thank the people who helped me to get here.To those people who encouraged me, supported me and helped me to see a different person. A person who was bigger and better than her past. To look in the mirror and love the person that I see. Without you all, I would still be lost and alone. I wanted to try and list all your names, but I didn't want to overlook anyone. I know you know who you are, and how much you mean to me. It is through many of you that I have learned the true meaning of unconditional love, that family is more than blood or a name. God brought each and every one of you into my life, just when I needed you the most. 

Lastly, I want to thank my children for not giving up on a mom who was all sorts of crazy at times. For forgiving my mistakes and learning with me on how to become a healthy family, on how to love and forgive. How to laugh with one another and cry if need to. To be there, no matter what. I am so proud of all of you, and to see you achieve in your lives, to do things I only dreamed of - to see you have those moments, makes my heart soar with love, happiness and pride. Once upon a time, when my disease had the best of me, I thought I was a bad mom. But once I started getting healthy, only through my sobriety did I realized that I am a good mom. God entrusted me with all four of you - amazing kids who allowed me to be a mom, your mom. My greatest accomplishment in life next to getting sober, is to be your mother. Nothing else I do will ever come close. I love you bunches! 

90 Days of Grace

I've waited 90 days to write this, 90 days to express my anger, frustration, and sorrow. 90 days to share what an amazing young woman my daughter has become; correction, is. It was very quiet this fall in our household, too quiet. The quietness came about because the activity that would have had us on the go, per usual; was silenced. My daughter is a softball player, an amazing and talented one at that. But due to a series of unfortunate events, she was not allowed to play this fall. Here it was her senior season and she could not play the game she loves and was born to play. It was devastating, to say the least.

The information of the impending situation arrived through a phone call in late May and within days it was evident that things did not look good. I would spend another two weeks trying to find a solution, a saving grace. There was none. What was done was done, paperwork although misfiled, was just that -filed. No turning back the clocks, no do overs. Just a door being shut in our face, turning us away.

She did play summer ball, although each game was a bit more difficult as it brought her closer to the inevitable fact she would not be playing in the fall. I saw her give her all each and every game, the only senior most games; leading and encouraging the younger girls. I know her team and coach appreciated her. The team had success, including a District Championship. She had some amazing plays that weekend, especially that final championship game. It still brings tears to my eyes as I write these words today, because it was that afternoon I truly felt her pain and disappointment, knowing she would not be able to experience those sorts of moments in the fall with her high school team. She shared with me later that day, those same thoughts. She said with each play, she knew she would not be playing much longer; that she was almost done. The girls celebrated that afternoon small and mighty, young; but a solid team of girls who played hard and were then rewarded for their efforts. I can easily say it is one of my favorite moments of the summer of 2013. My daughter played one more weekend after that, but then chose to have her summer season finish a bit early as each and every game became harder and harder to be a part of. The fall came, the start of the high school season. I watched as my daughter attended each and every home game. Sitting in the stands, in a now supporting role. Cheering on her teammates that she should have instead been playing alongside. It hurt both our hearts, but God had a different plan.

With His Help, I Can Cope

SIT QUIETLY WITH ME, letting my fears and worries bubble up to the surface of your consciousness. There, in the Light of My Presence  the bubbles pop and disappear. However, some fears surface over and over again, especially fear of teh future. You tend to project yourself mentally into the next day, week, month, your decade; and you visualize yourself coping badly in those times. What you are seeing is a false image, because it doesn't include Me. Those gloomy times that you imagine will not come to pass, since My Presence will be with you at all times.

When a future-oriented worry assails you, capture it and disarm it by suffusing the Light of My Presence into the mental image. Say to yourself, "Jesus will be with me then and there. With His help, I can cope!" Then, come home to the present moment, where you can enjoy Peace in My Presence.  ~Jesus Calling (Nov 9)

Luke 12:22-26, Deuteronomy 31:6, 2 Corinthians 10:5

It's hard to not think about the future. And if you are used to hard times, perhaps bad habits from before you truly knew the Lord, looking forward to the future is filled with continued darkness and hard times. But as this says; all those images are false, they are not what will be, for today, tomorrow and always we will be in the company of our loving Lord. He is not saying hard times won't come, that bad things will miss us because we are His. He is saying that we will get through, He will help us get through by giving us the needed strength, wrapping us in His Comfort, protecting us from the strongest blows. He is always going to be beside us, often carrying us when we are just unable to take another step. There have been many times that someone has said to me, "I don't know how you do it. I couldn't do what you do." I smile, most often look up to the heavens and say "God, I would not be able to get through any of this without Him."

I asked Christ into my life when I was 11, and it was just that I understood what he did (for the most part) and I certainly needed a "friend" so I prayed with a counselor at camp and immediately felt a difference, some simple form of hope filled me, giving me momentary strength and courage to go through a given day.  A year later the enemy decided to wreck havoc on my life and I became fearful and unbelieving. How could a God who is loving and there for me, allow the terrible things that were happening in my life. I prayed, I begged God to change the circumstances but it didn't happen. Not quite a decade later, I just walked away. I was broken from years of abuse and I believed the lies of the enemy, and gave up on this "loving God" that had been shared with me those years ago. I made bad choices, terrible choices with my life. I endangered my life with many of those choices. But I am here to tell you that when you accept the truth of who Christ is, what He did for you on that cross. He becomes a part of your life, His Spirit a part of your soul; He isn't gone, no matter how far away you try to get, how much you push away. He is there, watching over you, protecting you; waiting for you, to choose to come home.

I did finally make that choice, I remembered who He was, is and will always be. I understood that He was protecting me all those years ago, for it could have been so much worse. Even when I was living a life so far from Him and making terribly unsafe choices, He continued to watch over me, this rebel child; a true prodigal daughter if you will. Then when I had had enough of Satan's lies, and headed back towards Him,  He opened His arms to me and welcomed me home. I was overwhelmed those first few months, I had done so many horrible things,yet I was being told and understood that He loved me, that He forgave me of each and everything.

Don't give up, don't be angry when life is harder or doesn't seem to be going your way. Trust and have faith that He is right there with you, this moment is just that, a moment; don't forget in trusting your life to Him, You have all eternity to look forward to. Lord forgive our human minds and thank you for loving us and taking care of us, always. Amen

The Love and Light, Peace and Joy of His Presence

I Am The Eternal I Am; I always have been, and I always will be.  In My Presence you experience Love and Light, Peace and Joy.  I am intimately involved in all your moments, and I am training you to be aware of Me at all times.  Your assignment is to collaborate with Me in this training process.

I have taken up residence within you; I am central in your innermost being.  Your mind goes off in tangents from its holy Center, time after time.  Do not be alarmed by your inability to remain focused on Me.  Simply bring your thoughts gently back to Me each time they wander.  The quickest way to redirect your mind to me is to whisper My Name. ~ Jesus Calling (Aug 25)

Exodus 3:14, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Psalm 25:14-15

As Christians we all know that Christ lives within us. How comforting for that reminder in the midst of struggles that we might be experiencing. To be reminded that He knows what those struggles are, that He knows what we want for an outcome in every situation. More importantly to be reminded that He knows what that outcome, His outcome is to be in each and every thing.

Its been a rough patch again these past couple months, a lot going on that was out of my control. Most of it I was able to let go of, at least I thought I was, and go forward through each day. However... I soon realized that maybe I wasn't giving up as much control that I thought. God made us in His image and created us to think, choose and allows us to be human. Human, being human is what gets me every time! Weather it be my mothering heart, concerned for my children or just everyday concerns like finances or making time to do what needs to be done. I often fail at making good choices, or the right choices at a given moment. It is sometimes easier to just sit and do nothing. Now when you sit and do nothing and take that time to connect with our Savior, then that's pretty good use of your time. That has not been me, not until recently that is. Instead I was taking those quiet moments to just stop, stop and do nothing and then the results of nothing began to rear it's ugly head.

As I force (in the beginning I needed to) myself into that quiet time with God, instead of lazy time for me. I am finding myself coming back into a frame of mind that is lifted up with a quiet strength that I have only ever found in His presence, given by His Spirit. It keeps me afloat, keeps me moving forward and I have been awakened again. Its comforting to know how forgiving God is, even with repeat offences. I have so much I want to do, so much I need to do. I am just thankful that if I allow myself to stay connected to Him, to the guiding and teaching He places in my innermost thoughts, that I will know what to do first, what might need to wait and most importantly what doesn't need to be done at all.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me in my continued imperfection.When I forget that You and You alone are in control, Gently guide me back on course of the path already provided for me by You. The path that was written before I take a step, or even speak a word. Thank you for being the great I AM, for Moses, for myself and all those before and in between. Thank you for continuing to love us and for lifting us up in our trials that those who do not know you might see. Might see YOU in us, the light that shines through us when we allow it to. Then perhaps in seeing You, they might come to know You and have You be the guiding presence in their own lives too. I pray for the hurting, You know who they are. I ask that You give them comfort and grace, and strength to meet what they are facing, allow them to feel Your Presence and be reminded that they are not alone. Amen.

When Sacrifice Means Letting Go, Not Giving Up

I can't recall when I actually started participating in the observation of Lent, and to be honest I don't believe that I was actually active in any church at the time. But somewhere along the road I did, and I shared the activity with my children. But as the years have passed, it gets harder to find something that is truly a sacrifice to give up or you just end up repeating what you have done a year or two before and it just really doesn't have the same meaning. Especially when I did get involved in a church, and did truly understand the true sacrifice Jesus Christ paid for me. It was then that giving up coffee, chocolate or even Facebook just didn't seem as worthy. Please don't think that I believe doing any of these things is unworthy, I just am feeling led in a new direction. And until just last year, I did each of these things I have mentioned, and I am hopeful that God smiled down on my attempts. However, it has been the past couple years where I have changed my focus and am following a new approach to this time of year. 

I started trying to give more of my time to the Lord, for example; by reading more of His word. Spending real time attempting to study and understand this wonderful letter of love He has given to us.  I also wanted to be giving more of my time and making efforts to be truly kind to others, to go beyond the surface and perhaps look for someone who is in emotional or spiritual need. I didn't fail miserably last year, but I knew I could do better. This year I wanted and needed to do better, my heart was aching for change. 

It was just one day into the Lenten season when I wrote my last entry. What a change nearly 28 days has been and where God is leading my heart. This year is not so much the number of who's I might be able to reach out to but a singular who that I really need to be doing just that to, and more. I have often spoke of my dysfunctional upbringing and that left me with a lot of unwanted and ultimately damaged baggage. Some of that baggage can be left along the way, some of it is still necessary and you merely have to repair it and continue carrying it along life's path. Some relationships are just that sort of baggage. You can set them down and walk away at a moment when you feel it is the best thing to do, the healthy thing to do. And in most cases, that's where it all ends. You move forward a little lighter than before, experienced, but life goes on. I have recently discovered though, that I may have tried to discard one of those pieces that merely just needed/needs repair.

Please don't think I'm cold and heartless for calling a relationship, a person,  a piece of baggage. But I believe a tangible object is sometimes necessary when trying to understand certain types of relationships, and how they function (or sometimes, not function). There are a good number of people in my life I have had to walk away from,  just like leaving behind a piece of unwanted baggage or box of unwanted things. Most of those time, what was left behind needs to be just that, left behind. God gives us the strength to move forward and leads us to places where new relationships can be formed and sometimes those new relationships can ease the pain from the past, allowing the healing process to begin. On occasion you not only miss that familiar and tattered bag, but you realize it also contains something you need, perhaps you thought it was lost and then realized not at all, it's just back there in that place you walked away from. 

As I mentioned, I was the one who walked away, closed the door, severed the ties in the relationship with my mom. It was what I truly believed to be in the best interest of all involved at the time, and looking back I would still do the same thing. In that moment, it was the only sane and safe choice I knew how to make. It was the second hardest choice I have made to date, in my life. I am learning that even a choice made partially out of anger, but mostly from fear and uncertainty, can be changed. I have learned that time may not heal all wounds, but that God heals all hearts, if we let Him. I learned that life is too short to still be angry about things that can't be changed and most often occurred out of our personal control. I have learned, that there are moments in life, moments meant to be shared by everyone and we can't let ourselves be blinded by the ugliness of emotions that only the Evil one is responsible for placing in our line of sight.

I'm hoping that I didn't realize this all too late, that I didn't blow the chance to be able to duct tape the heck out of a bag that I helped to kick around, contributing to it arriving in the battered condition it is in. That my gestures are perceived as true and hopeful, perhaps even hope-filled. My wish would be that we can move forward, without looking back. Acknowledge things yes, but to not dwell on that beat up and battered bag that represents a handful of moments in time. To know that we still want to have it around, to repair it so that we can add new memories to store inside it. Possibly even replacing the ones that may have been missed. But knowing (and praising the fact) that God loves us just as we are, after all He made us; in His likeness for that matter. We can't be all that bad, even at our worse, especially if we truly know Him and believe in Him, and trust in what His Son did for us on the cross.

Sacrifice. True Sacrifice. Christ didn't give up. Yes, He did ask for a different path, a different cup. But then, He said, "Thy will, not mine" and then He let go, let go of this life on earth, and  in doing so, taking on all our pain and suffering; most often self inflicted by the sinful nature of who we are as mere humans. He just did, He bore our sins, the ultimate sacrifice. The spotless and perfect lamb, dying for us. Even His last words, "Father, forgive them". How do we deserve that, how do I deserve that? I hope that on that day when I meet Him face to face, I am not so overwhelmed by the glory of it all that I fail to say Thank You Lord, I didn't deserve it. Thank you for your sacrifice and forgiveness. Thank you for teaching me, guiding me to do the same, forgive.

Ephesians 4:31-31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.