Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Clean Slate - Part 1

Last fall for about a week, our oldest son, who we love very much, borrowed my cell phone. It was all good, it was my idea. The only problem was, about a week or two later, as I sat in my youngest son's music practice, due to boredom - I scrolled through my old text messages to delete them. I have a habit of checking my minutes (or I use to have this habit anyway) and the answer comes via text message. The messages can accrue quite quickly! Imagine my chagrin to read a message that clearly was not typed by me, and CLEARLY was against my belief system in oh, so many ways. And no, this did not have anything to do with sexual content, I am not a prude! But, suffice it to say that this resulted in a meeting with the parents, first Dad then Mom.

All was resolved and his father told me to delete the message.
Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Well, it was in my "Drafts" folder. I was reluctant in some morbid way to delete this message. Why? I don't know, I can't explain it. Just that way we have of keeping the proof that we are justified in our grudge, close to us, you know? Anyway, I did try to delete the message. But, I decided it wasn't possible, at least as far as I knew how. So I kept it on a "technicality" you could say. I found that loop-hole to justify my keeping this thing, that should have been gotten rid of! Things moved along, there were no more signs of trouble. Lots of good conversation and fruit of a true turn around with regards to the topic of the message. But, every once in awhile, guess what my shameful self did? Yup, I would go and look at that old message. Then shut the phone down.

Over a period of time
, I began to wish I knew how to get rid of it. I never looked at anymore, unless I came across it by accident. Then recently I found out how to delete from that folder. BUT, I still hesitated to delete, because my mind would reason, "Well what if.....? "And all these ridiculous thoughts would try to speak their part, but they sounded so lame it was easy to turn their voices off. Yet, yes, the mesage still sat there. Until this weekend. I came across the message by accident again, and I thought, "You gotta go! "And DELETE - it was gone. I thought, "Who am I to hold onto a part of his past that his father AND I have forgiven him of. Our Father doesn't keep our old messes around to remind Him! "

So, if you are hanging on to old reminders of other's or even your tresspasses, DELETE!

"He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge. He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe]."
Psalm 103:9-13

6 comments:

Denise said...

Amen!! Delete, delete.

Tiffany said...

To delete is to free yourself!-Amen! Was this part of your alabaster box post? I am challenged by your honesty. ~Blessings my friend!

luvmy4sons said...

I am so glad you deleted it. It can be so hard to move on sometimes especially when our children have disappointed us. That is great you realized how much God has deleted from your past...as far as the east is from the west is how far He has removed our sins from us! Praise God! I often tell myself that who am I to tell God HOW He is going to make this faith I have tried to impart to my children REAL...he who is forgiven much loves much....I would rather they lead PERFECT Christian lives, never making sinful choices, but I KNOW that ain't going to happen. Hugs to you sister!

She Rose Up said...

Denise - That's right - you got it! :)

Tffany - That is exactly the truth! Free myself and them! No. It would have been a good one though, it occurred a day before The Lord started impressing my heart. Well, thanks, I am challenged to! :)

Leslie - Yes! Me, too! You know, I REALLY DID forgive him...my problem was I kept wanting to remember it, and love doesn't keep track of wrongs...so it was agreat feeling to hit that delete button!

Have a great day, Ya'll!
May The Lord's voice be the loudest voice you hear today!
Maria

Sharon Brumfield said...

Hello....I understand this...because I have walked in these shoes.
Sometimes I have carried things around for so long that even after I delete it...my mind still thinks it has a right to bring it up. So I have to tell it to hush....and tell it..we are not going there.
The Holy Spirit is a great helper here for me.....He is a great reminder of things to be forgotten. :)
Can I just say.....boy have we walked in each others shoes.

She Rose Up said...

Sharon! You got that right! I bet we even have the same shoe size! :)

Big hugs, Sister-Girl!
Maria

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

What Does it Mean Anyway? "Free to Fly"...

Well, it's like this: Here are some of the Webster's Dictionary definitions of Free: a : having the legal and political rights of a citizen b : enjoying civil and political liberty c : enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination d : enjoying personal freedom : not subject to the control or domination of another2 a : not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being : choosing or capable of choosing for itself...having a scope not restricted by qualification 7 a : not obstructed, restricted, or impeded ...Now, here are some of the Webster's Dictionary definitions of Fly:1 a : to move in or pass through the air with wings b : to move through the air or before the wind or through outer space c : to float, wave, or soar in the air ... a : to take flight ...6 : to work successfully ...Examples which apply from Websters: fly high : to be elated - fly in the face of or fly in the teeth of : to stand or act forthrightly or brazenly in defiance or contradiction of

What does this mean in my life? This means that in life we are meant to be free. While historically mankind has not always enjoyed the opportunity to fully appreciate what that means, we are so indescribably fortunate as to live in a time of the greatest spiritual, physical, financial and political freedom ever known. Freedom doesn't come cheap, nor does it come easy. But the best things in life don't come that way do they? As I write this I am struck by how this sounds like a political statement, and for me this is much more of a spiritual thing, but, same goes for that (political that is). Freedom doesn't come easy. And it's worth whatever fight you have to make to overcome in your life in order to live a life that succeeds. Now the questions is - what is success for you? What is your standard? In my mind what is needed is a definite target - because you can't hit and maintain a moving target. A stable, rock-solid, anchor with no variable, yet multi-faceted. Something pure, just and worthy. If you look at any web page of news you can see that our society is certainly lacking in this area. What a great time to live as a rebel! Nowadays to be a rebel, all you have to do is be willing to engage in the battle of life, while anchored to Christ!