You Are Gonna Miss This
Fathers’ Day always makes me think, and so does Mothers’ day!
As I watch my kids continue to grow, and experience the ups and downs of their teen years and early adulthood, I think more and more on these special days.
My own teen years were full of rebellion and disregard for authority, I was after all a child of the 60s.
Of course, I knew everything and tried to present myself in a good light, but on admitting to an aunt last year that I was a bit of a handful, she turned and told me that I a was a proper bastard of a kid.
That’s why I think so much about my parents now that they have gone.
And it’s also why I shake my head at my own kids.
It’s fine to want change, to explore, but the fact is that there is a time and a season for all things.
Move too soon, and risk failure, move too late, or not at all, and live a life of regret.
We need to live our lives to the full along the way, as it is a journey.
To treat it any other way is to miss out on a lot of living!
I have a regular visitor to my blog who has regrets from the past, and who seems to prefer to live there and blame everyone else rather than move on.
This post is the only answer I will give that person, as I have moved on!
The Lesson Of The Older Brother
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the elder brother was really ticked off because their father had turned on a party to celebrate the younger one’s return.
He didn’t realize that everything that the father had was his anyway, and all he had to do was ask.
Instead, he chose to hang around out of a sense of duty, bearing a grudge the whole time.
The lesson of the parable is this: God forgives and accepts us back.
Not only that, but He sets an example for earthly parents to follow on forgiveness, and acceptance.
The prodigal son teaches us that we need to accept forgiveness and renewal in order to get on with our lives.
The older brother presents a choice too: we can hang around out of a sense of duty, and harbor bitterness because we feel hard done by.
The father teaches us grace, and forgiveness.
At some time in our lives, we may fulfill all three roles.
It’s up to us to choose between living in a morass of mediocrity, or move on and live our lives to the full!
You’re Gonna Miss This: Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins, born January 13, 1962 in Springhill, Louisiana, is an American country music singer-songwriter.
Adkins made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin’ Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville.
The Last Say!
At every stage of our lives, we’re going to have the chance to take what is at hand in our lives, and live it, for better or for worse.
It’s up to us to forgive, forget, and to accept forgiveness.
None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes. To not admit those mistakes, at least to ourselves, can only lead to bitterness and regret later, especially if it affects relationships.
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Oh so true Allan. Forgiveness plays a big role in our lives. If only more people would realise it and actually take action!
I once was in a place once where I held onto so much anger and frustration because it was always someone else’s fault that I was never ever happy with anything in my life and it would show.
It would show in my work, my family life, everything I was involved in and I would always complain to other people.
This really didn’t get me anywhere until one day, I learned to let go and to forgive. It wasn’t easy but very simple to do.
I had to take action and since I did that, my life has been so much more fulfilling. Since I stopped playing the victim, I have so many blessings in my life.
Great post!!
Alan your words are so true and we can only take each day as it is. Not quite sure how we deal with some of the pain brought on more often by our own actions and of course sometimes not.
We must try and live our lives with a love and respect for our fellow man and then we might just get by.
A great article my dear friend.
JimBob51s last blog post..Dixon Flags Qantas Merger
G’day Ange,
Thanks for sharing that! I had a similar experience, and although I tend to get tested at times, letting go of offense is a real release for me, regardless of what anybody else feels.
Unfortunately, many people live out their entire lifetime without ever learning this simple truth.
Forgiving and forgetting isn’t weakness, but rather empowers the person who forgives, where as holding a grudge, and blaming others, only hurts “the victim”.
Cheers!
G’day Jim,
This post came to me today during my quiet time when I had the thought that most of the things that have ever gone wrong in my life have had something to do with my words, actions and/or attitudes.
Being able to forgive ourselves at times of such realization is just as important as forgiving others. The trouble is that we are usually harder on ourselves!
Thanks for the visit!
Allan, this is excellent. Moving on with our lives and forgiving those who have hurt us in some way is a sign of maturity and growth. Even someone such as myself who was abused in various ways as a young girl can and must move on with genuine forgiveness and not wallow in the past.
I really believe that the best way to move on and get past the pain and hurt-filled memories is to help others who are dealing with much the same or similar situations.
People who wallow in memories of the past are only hurting themselves, and it makes being around them rather depressing for others, and may easily find themselves without close friends since their negativity and obsession with the past brings others down too.
The past cannot be erased, but the future is in your own hands.
Lin Burresss last blog post..2008 Christmas Hot Toys – Hot Toys for Christmas 2008
Hi Lin, thanks for dropping by, it’s great to see you!
You’re 100% correct, we can’t change the past, but by forgiving and moving on, we can stop that past from destroying our future.
Forgiveness is such an amazing and powerful force for both the forgiver and the forgiven! It’s no wonder that so many fail to grasp it!
Cheers!
I’ve had to learn the lesson of forgiving others, and even forgiving myself (for failures that are probably a lot less dire than they seem to me). Getting caught in the regrets of what “didn’t happen” or “could have happened” is a real trap, and even can become a bad habit.
I’m trying to shake off old thoughts now, and “take what is at hand” in my life, and “live it, for better or for worse.”
Thank you for that inspiration!
mousewordss last blog post..Running
This is so well written!! I always tended to jump on things and many times this did lead to failure. Of course that has lead to alot of things I need to work on forgiveness with mostly with those I have loved and I felt they led me to that failure when really it was me. Its all a long story!
But thanks for a great post!!
Awesome post. I love that song — and the lyrics are so true!
I’m always working on this at home too. You know if the kids were never bad I don’t know how they would learn some of the harder lessons in life. People frequently learn by mistakes. Like the Prodigal Son returning… it’s just a touching story of course but it reminds me that I do have to have patients and in the end – it’s going to be just fine. Thought provoking post. ty