Forgive one Another

Yesterday was a wonderful day outside. It was in the fifties and the sun was bright and encouraging. As usual in spring, the balmy day brought nippy winds. If one could stay out of the wind, the sun warmed the clothes and the skin under it. I stood outside in Lauri and Elton's garage which has a south door and just leaned against their car ducking the wind. It was reminiscent of Florida last week but not quite.

In the morning, Isaiah and I cleaned up some things that really needed cleaning. Our sun room which we haven't accessed since it got cold had about twelve dead plants in it and a bunch of stuff I was done with and threw out. What a freeing feeling. Isaiah is a good help when he wants to be. Actually he did the grunt work and I did the straw bossing. I was very careful to be gentle in my instructions. He always says he likes a clean house and I like that he likes a clean house. He showed me this morning that on his own he had straightened two of our kitchen cabinets. Gotta love a kid like that. I hope he carries that helpful spirit into his adult relationship.

Ken was gone to a men's conference all day yesterday. To be truthful...the day was too long for me. I was so relieved to hear the door when he came home. He was tired and I was exhausted. We went to bed together and it felt so good to have him home safe and sound. I have come to depend on him heavily the last couple of months. Hopefully, I'll get some of my independent spirit back soon. I'm sure he will be as happy as I will be. He has been such a patient man for me.

Our service theme this morning was on our need to forgive each other. One of the exercises we could participate in was writing down those people who need our forgiveness. Or better stated, we could write the names of people we need to forgive. Often times when one harbors a resentment toward another, the other doesn't even realize the resentment. So we hurt only ourselves and we are being disobedient to God who said he would forgive our sins if we forgive others their trespasses. There are many references to that in God's word, the most obvious is in the Lord's prayer. Isn't it amazing how we can know these things and not act on them? At any rate there were three fires set up outside on the parking lot, we were then invited to confess our sins, forgive those on our list and then go outside and burn it up in the fire. Remember, God says he doesn't remember our sins. Now we can forget them, too.