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| Etch-a-sketch |
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31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
I'm thankful that God keeps the list of my sins on an Etch-a-sketch and not on stone tablets.
When I ask sincerely for forgiveness and repent He forgives and forgets.
It is a struggle for me to do the same. I have blogged about this before and probably will do so again. I find that forgiving someone when they ask me to is easier than forgiving someone when they don't ask. The next step of forgetting their transgression against me is so much harder though.
Is it really possible to forget? Are human minds designed to do that? Maybe in this case "forget" means to treat them as if you have forgotten?
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| To add a comment to "Etch-a-sketch" |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Very good point Randy. |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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I remember my anatomy prof saying that there's only so much physical space in your brain for all your memories. And when all the space gets filled up, to store new memories you have to let go of another memory. (like a computer hard-drive). Our brain tends to be pretty practical too, usually letting go of the "useless" memories.. keeping only the ones that we need to survive. So this made me realize that when I hold on to a memory of someone I can't seem to forgive, it's because I've made a conscious decision to hold on to it. And then what's the good in that? :) |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Carebear: Do you find it difficult to stop thinking about something when you try to stop thinking about something? I sure do. It seems like when I try to stop thinking about it I think about it more. Maybe the best way to forget is to fill your mind with good memories or good thoughts about the person? Make a list of all their positive attributes or all the good times you have shared together? |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Phillipians 4:8 |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
DyEllen: Excellent! |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Oh absolutely! The practice of focusing on one thing verses another is definitely not one of my gifts. But I think your suggestion really helps.. thinking of the things that are praise-worthy. Good thoughts! |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Randy i can so relate and with me I have a harder time forgiving myself. ( and believing our Lord sings over me with all my yuckiness sometimes) But as hard as we try to be Christ like its the fleshly mind that can get at us with yucky thoughts...Positive thoughts are the best thing I think as well. You are a blessing!! ♥ |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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Carolyn: It really is easy to dwell on our own mistakes or shortcomings isn't it? I wonder how much more we could accomplish for God if we didn't waste brain cells on feeling guilty or inadequate?
Grace: I'm not sure my wife would agree about me being an encouragement and blessing, but I really appreciate you saying that. I know that I probably couldn't hold the office of Treasurer at church if you weren't there doing all that you do. So, I'm going to say "same to you but more of it!" ;) |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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This is good stuff guys. I am a dweller, and it bothers me deeply if someone hurts me. I try to forgive and forget, but like many of you I can't stop thinking about it. On the outside it seems like I am over it but on the inside I dwell, and dwell. I hate being like that, I just want to get over it already. I am going to keep Phil. 4:8 close from now on! |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Jamie: Do you think we should be more transparent and maybe share with someone, or even as a group, what we're grudging over? Is there a way to do that without hurting the one we may be grudging over or by making ourselves too vulnerable? |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| I think for me it would be hard to share, because I wouldn't want other people to think bad of someone or even think I am overreacting which I'm sure has happened many times. |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Great post, Randy! |
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| February 19, 2008 |
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| Randy: I won't say that I don't dwell, because sometimes I do, but sometimes I feel like the hurt has been moved to another part of my brain. Day by day it just gets further and further away from my current thoughts. Like a big cut that inch by inch heals. The pain that is associated with that memory doesn't cause the same reaction or hurt as it once did. I can empathize with someone going through a similar hurt. I can recall how it hurt me, but I don't have that same pain as I once did. |
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| February 20, 2008 |
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Wendy: That's a good point about the pain not being the same.
Randy & Jamie: I agree, we should go to those people when we feel we have been wronged. We shouldn't have ought between us. It might be hard, but it needs to be done. |
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| February 20, 2008 |
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Kathy: Thanks!
Wendy: Thanks for sharing. I think you're right. Usually most wounds get better with time. It's those chronic ones that do the most damage. It's hard to remember sometimes, but we are to be thankful to God for all things. All means all and that's all all means (see I do listen Pastor Bob!), so even the things we consider bad God is working for the greater good.
DQ: I usually avoid conflict if I can knowing that in my past it usually gets worse and stays there. I'm referring to some relationships with family members that apparently are not believers. I will work on keeping short accounts from now on though! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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I heard someone earlier today say that they don't forget anything - they simply "misremember" them. I think God forgets. He forgets our sins. What are we doing keeping score?
Great blog, Randy! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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Speaking of misremember...My dad likes to tell the story of when I was first learning to write I had a little spiral notepad and I wrote on the cover "My memember book".
I'm glad our names are written down in God's memember book! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| Amen! |
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| February 21, 2008 |
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WARNING: RABBIT TRAIL!
Randy, I saw your title and started thinking and well, one thing lead to another and I found a "sketch that you have to see. It's an update on a painting that was done a few years ago. the scenery has changed now due to urban sprawl apparently.
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| February 21, 2008 |
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| Starry starry night... Clean-up on aisle 5. Aerial photos provided by Goodyear... |
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