Forgiveness

My beautiful wife had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. I asked her what she had learned in her thirty some odd years on this earth. She didn't have to consider the question very long. Her answer was one word,

"FORGIVE."

I've watched what an unwillingness to forgive can do to a person and even an entire family. It slowly eats away at you. It controls you. It keeps you up at night. It destroys relationships.

I've also seen forgiveness set people free from long time bondage. It releases you. It strengthens you. It brings sweet rest.

There is a reason God tells us to be forgiving and it has very little to do with the person we are forgiving. It is because He knows that when we forgive we are set free! And He was serious and clear about it:

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

And the thing is, it's a choice. It's not an easy choice sometimes, but it's a choice nonetheless. It's a choice that forces you to step outside of yourself. It's a choice that keeps you from fretting about petty things. It's a choice that allows you to live life to the fullest, unencumbered by the weight of resentment.

If you are carrying around resentment right now, you are torturing yourself. And what's worse, the very person you can't seem to forgive is controlling your life! Forgive, move on, and if you can't do it alone then get help. Confess it, pray about it, own up to it. An unwillingness to forgive is just as bad as whatever sin you are having trouble forgiving!

And if you don't believe me...well, I forgive you!

Thus endeth the sermon.

Cruisin'

Steph and I just returned from a very relaxing cruise. We met some very nice people, ate great food, read, hung out by the pool, snorkeled, shopped and...well...I'll stop my list there. What happens on a cruise stays on a cruise, right?We are so grateful to my parents (Papa and Rose) for keeping the girls for a whole week so we could get away. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine's and Stephanie's birthday!
Another year older and more beautiful than ever! Looks like that guy she's with has put on a few pounds though. Must have been the cruise food.

Hope all is well in your world.

Super Bowl Observations

1. Rex Grossman: Awful. I'll stop there before I start cussing.

2. Payton Manning: Great quarterback. Love his commercials, hate his whiny, baby face when things are not going well.

3. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith: Hated that one of them had to lose. Two Professionals who expect their players to act like professionals too. What a concept.

4. Abilene: How about the Key City getting some props last night! Two Abilene Cooper grads and one ACU grad on the field and even CBS Producer and ACU grad Lance Barrow got a mention from Jim Nance. Nice.

5. Commercials: Ho-hum. Have our expectations gotten too high?

6. Most Uncomfortable Moment: My sainted mother laughing a little too hard at the Doritos ad with the check-out girl commenting on the different flavored chips. It's just not right for the grandmother of 8 to laugh so much at thinly veiled double entendres.

7. The Weather: Welcome to sunny Miami! Who cares about the players. How about some love for Billy Joel and Prince who fought through the rain (insert your own joke about Purple Rain here) to perform for the love of sport and America! They were troupers!

8. Opening Kick-Off Returns: Is it just me or does it seem like the team that runs back the opening kick-off for a touchdown in a big game often loses the game? See Ohio State's Ted Ginn, Jr., 2007 NCAA National Championship.

9. HD: Worth every penny.

10. On with the Show: Or should I say, "The Dance" or "The Madness." I'm a fan of the Super Bowl, but in my world it is only a warm up act for March Madness. I can now turn my full attention to my favorite sporting event of the year. The Super Bowl is a nice warm up and the Masters is an awesome cool down, but the main event is nearly upon us. Ladies and Gentlemen, start your brackets!