WHEN I am encouraging others in their Christian walk, I have discovered that many still carry around the feeling of guilt, because of the choices their loved ones make. “If I hadn’t been like that when they were young!” “If I had been stronger!” “If I hadn’t been so lenient and had disciplined them more!” “If I; If I!”
I DEAL in memory because I was instructed to use my brain and keep it active. Instead of crossword puzzles I decided to remember things. I don’t choose to remember bad things, nor do I choose to remember the primrose path of everything, was good. My memories have taken me to a place where I can see God working in me, to become who I am today. Choices our loved ones make, are their decisions not ours; no matter what kind of environment they came through.
MY CHOICES have kept me active in the church! I am thankful for my childhood; my siblings and for my mother and father. Was everything perfect? Was everything good? Was I ever bad? Did I do everything I was told to do and did I do everything well? One of the things I learned was that sin could take me farther than I ever wanted to go! I heard that in a line of a gospel song, sung by the Oakridge Boys! Think about it? When we play around within a circle of sin we end up with problems. Alcohol; drugs; promiscuity; lying; cheating; alone!
THINK ABOUT your choices. Were they simple? Were they difficult? Did they make you happy? Were you in tears? In jail? Alone? I discovered after Jim and I became an item, that when I was in a restaurant and Jim ordered for me, that I loved not having to make a decision of what I would eat. Now that we have been together for over 50 years, he has decided that I should order for myself. I hate having to make these decisions! I hate choosing things! I would rather wear the same style of shoe and lipstick than to make an effort to change. But sometimes change is good! Sometimes life warrants change!
I LOVE the commercial that says; “Choose milk!” You can see the tell, tale signs of choosing milk. The milk moustache! You become known by the choices you make! It may not be a moustache but those around you will know. God says in Numbers 32:23 “You have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.” Of course God is talking to the Israelites and once again He is telling them to do something and if they don’t; well, God always makes himself pretty clear. Any time we sin, we are sinning against God, and God wants us to be sure to understand that our sins will be made known. It’s like wearing a milk moustache, don’t you think?
I AM SORRY for the mistakes I have made in raising my children. I am sorry for the things I have done in the process of growing up. I am sorry for not condoning the life that some of my loved ones have chosen but I am not sorry for choosing Jesus Christ as my Savior! I have an addictive nature and know that in my heart, had I chosen some things, I would not be where I am. I am safely tucked away under the wings of my heavenly father and I love the place I am in.
AM I PERFECT? Do I do everything right? Am I better than others? What do you think? I recently read that we have a tendency to confuse the meaning of the words excellence and perfection. We can strive for excellence and many achieve that status, but perfection is God’s job! Our perfection rests in Jesus Christ! Our righteousness comes only from Jesus Christ! Our guilt is taken away because the Holy Spirit has convicted us from our sins and has given us a place where we can be called Christian.
“CREATE in me a clean heart; O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence O Lord, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10-12 Of course the song we sing is a little different than the one David sang so I just put them all together. The interesting fact here is that David didn’t have the holy Spirit within; But we do! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 6/29/11
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