The other day I saw this on someones wall: God grant me the serenity to accept the people I can not change, the courage to change the one I can and the wisdom to know its ME!
There are moments in your life that you can always remember and moments you will never forget. Ha, I know it's the same thing but let me show you what I mean. My husband accuses me of forgetting a LOT. My mom gets frustrated at me about that too. Here's what I think. A very long time ago, because I wanted to forget, I prayed that God would help me to do that. In my quest to FORGET, I accidentally trained myself to not remember. It's hard to retrain your brain, especially after 3 kids. LOL!!
But the moments I was referring to earlier are the ones that change your life. The moment your children are born, you get married, you buy your first home, etc. These are the moments you can always remember!!! And then there are moments when someone speaks into your life, causes your heart to change, frees your soul, etc. These are the moments you never forget! I remember her smell, the feeling of her sucking on the end of my finger, her dark blue eyes that everyone said she couldn't see me with but I knew she could:) I will always remember the look in Jason's eyes when he said his vows to me. And when we got in the car to leave the church and it really was just me and him! I will remember those moments and every detail till the day I die. But the moments that you never forget are the ones that change you from the inside out. I may not remember the date, the weather, why I was there, who was with me, but I can tell you that I'll never forget when my father-in-law said these words, "There will always be people in your life that you can not change no matter how hard you try. The only thing you can change is the way you give them your forgiveness."
He said the people in your life that will always be a part of you whether it's a spouse, a parent, or even a child, you can choose to live with bitterness towards, because they will not change, or you can forgive them today, and then again tomorrow, and the next day, and so on. The only way to feel bitterness in your heart which causes you to become more and more angry and sometimes about things that don't even matter, is when you choose to not forgive. Most people that hurt you don't even know they are. It is only you that can change and in that free yourself to love unconditionally. Doesn't mean we'll never get hurt but the answer is forgiveness. He said that most likely these people will never even ask for your forgiveness but you choose to forgive them anyway. Sad truth is, a lot of the things we think they do are not even wrong, and our critical picky spirit tries to put a sinful name to what we think it is they should change:/
My life has never been the same since that moment. And a couple days ago when Cooper came home and told me that she had given someone this advice, "If YOU keep being nice, they will eventually stop being mean! And even if they don't, being mean back will only make them meaner!", I teared up and then I thanked God because, from seeing who she is, I knew my heart had truly changed that day. It wasn't just something I believed. It really is who God has made me to be!!! And that is how my heart stays happy:))
Nothing without Jesus!
-Suzanne
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