"Regrets" Chapter Two

I don't know if we have any idea how the things we do can have huge ramifications in our lives. Some things we can be proud of, while others not so much. But, it's true. Everything we do or say has either a positive or negative effect on the ones we love and the world around us. Some of these things can even come back to bite us in the ?!@#!

It's mind blowing to me that we make choices in our lives that seem, at the time, like good decisions, only to realize later what a huge mistake those choices really were in the first place. It could be a job choice, a school selection, a move or even someone you marry or get involved with. Unfortunately, the price you have to pay could be higher than you ever anticipated. And, my friends, it's not worth it.

We can pay for bad decisions in many ways. The worst would be guilt, shame and regret. Let's face it, we can't change the past. There's nothing we can do about it. Absolutely, positively nothing. When you come to grips with a bad decision you've made, this is the one time when you really want a "do over"! My sister, Brenda, says, "Vik, when you look back, you get whiplash! So, don't." I love that and it's true. But, we still do it. We dwell on things we can not change, but wish we could. No amount of wishing in the world will change the past.

I'm so thankful that when I ask God to forgive me of my sins, past or present, He's faithful to do so. He doesn't even remember them anymore! He gives us a clean "slate" each and every time we ask! I don't know about you, but I'm really thankful for God's grace and mercy. They truly are new every morning! I'm also thankful that we can choose to learn from our past, not repeat the same mistakes again and have an even better life! This is so exciting to me!

But then there are the kinds of people who never let others move on with their lives. These are the kinds of people who try to keep you from forgetting anything from your past. Some of them can be brutal, cruel and downright mean. These same types of people want to blame everyone else for their problems, rather than taking responsibility for their own lives and the choices they've made. I am so glad I choose not to surround myself with these types of people! I choose to be around positive people, the cup is half full types of people! They're the best kind! And, I thank God for the perfect sister that I have in Brenda! She's amazing! She's incredibly awesome! And......she made me write that!

In the Bible, there's a scripture that says Jesus wasn't welcomed in his own home town. Many times, it can be your own family members that refuse to accept when you've made positive changes in your life. They may view you as you once were, rather than give you credit for who that person is striving to become. These people don't want to trust the good changes in others. Maybe they've convinced themselves that if they can't become better human beings, then you can't either! How tragic and untrue!

Well, thank God, not in my family! In my family, we support one another. No matter where we've been or what we've done, we encourage one another to strive for the best life has to offer. We're right there for each other if we get knocked down to help eachother get back up. I am truly blessed!

Yes, we need to accept God's forgiveness for our past mistakes, but we need to forgive ourselves as well. I've said this many times. I'm not where I need to be, but thank God, I'm not where I used to be either.

I want to become better because of where I've been, not bitter. How about you?