Quote from Forum Archives on February 9, 2004, 6:16 pm

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Dear Hope Chest friends,

 

Call it irony or call it divine revelation of what is really in my heart -- but even though I sent out a Hope Chest Tidbit entitled A Heart Full of Love just this morning, mine has been more full of lava than anything today.   I could blame a host of things -- like allergy season, uncooperative/unappreciative family members, or even two digit multiplication -- but it really boils down to my stubborn refusal to take responsibility for problems I've brought on myself.   My own words about "a heart full of love" came back to mock me every time I dug myself deeper.  Jonathan Edwards' words about judging others were especially nettlesome.  Today, I was acting like judge, jury and jailer all in one.   It didn't work.  (Anger never does.)  It's better to confess my own fault and be merciful to others with theirs.  After all, if Mommy won't graciously "say sorry" for what she's done wrong, how can she expect others to be the least bit penitent for their own transgressions? 

 

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that real life happens at the Knowles house, and though I believe everything I have written, either in the Hope Chest or my books, I have a long way to go to living it out consistently.   But God's grace is abundant even for times like this.  He can bring on the new growth.

 

So if you had a really bad day like I had earlier today, please realize that you aren't alone in your struggles, that it can get better (especially after a nap, if you can get it), that sweetness is always a good companion, and that sincere apologies can go a long way to putting things on the mend.  Or, as a local church billboard says, "A smile is a curve that straightens many things out."

 

Now if you will excuse me, I have some more apologies to make around here...

 

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

http://www.thehopechest.net