Break

It's been a while since I posted five lessons that the previous week brought me, and this past one has definitely brought about some pointers.  Not bad, necessarily--just not what I had expected.

1.  It doesn't matter how mad you get at someone--they still face battles you can only dream of.  
And for that reason, forgiveness has to be a priority.  I'm stomping on my own toes here, so don't for even a minute think that I'm immune from this.  When someone despises you without a legitimate reason and tells everyone who will listen lies about you, among the easiest things to do is let anger take over every thought of that person.  The thing is, regardless of what he or she did to you, that person has a life as intricate and complex as your own.  It's necessary to forego revenge in spite of an injury. I'm not saying it's easy, or that I've mastered the art of forgiving, but the more I learn in this life, the more I realize that it does a lot more good to put more value on a person rather than their injustice.

2.  When everything around you is crumbling, look for grace.
A professor told me this last year, and it rings true in nearly every situation I find myself in.  My grandfather went to the ER on the night I came in for Spring Break.  He's had several problems before, but this one is...well...just not good is probably the best way I can put that without being too open.  He has his good moments, as well as his not-so-good moments, but he seems to be improving for the most part.
Here's the grace:  I was home for this.  It's not a selfish sort of "I was home to see my grandfather" sort of grace, but rather, a blessing that I was here to encourage and support my family throughout all of this. I don't think I can easily describe the anxiety that one can feel when he or she is more than a 10 minute drive from a loved one in case something goes wrong.  It's pure agony to long to hug someone who cries on the phone with you while you sit in a dorm room 2.5 hours away.  Being able to be here to give hugs when they're needed, and not limit myself to a 7 minute phone call on the way to class has been a merciful gift from God.






3.  Correcting without encouraging is just a glorified way to discourage.  


While I will definitely agree that correction is a valuable part of friendship, so is encouragement.  If you can remember the last Bible verse you tossed at someone to tell him or her that they were living incorrectly, but can't remember the last kind word you graced your friend with, then maybe it's time to change your angle.  I'll leave it at that.




4.  You're never too young (or too old) to reminisce about the past....  
My lovely sister and I spent the morning playing old TV show theme songs and letting the other one guess what song it was from.  Everything from Barney to Gulla Gulla Island to The Rugrats, to Recess.  It's the simple things, I suppose.  "Ohh, I bet you'll never guess this one!"  "NO WAY!  I can't believe I forgot that show!!"  Sometimes that's where you've got to find something to smile about.
With that said, however...

5.  But be sure to tread past waters carefully.
The past can be filled with lots of hurt and things that do you no good to think about.  Don't live there. Let it be a detour you take, but don't let it be a rest stop.  You can't change it, so you've got to learn from it.  I know you've heard that before, but it never hurts to be reminded.


Take care.  =]