forget

Memory loss required

/ kstrick7 / 2 Comments

memory loss

Memory loss is a major concern in our society.  Why, there are pills boasting improved focus & mental faculty.  Medicines to improve short term & long term memory loss are in abundance.   Remembering how to complete daily tasks is essential in life.  When you are having a conversation with someone, it’s especially helpful if you can remember what the subject is.  Just the other night my husband & I were talking.  Our Miss Neenee came in the living room, where we were.   She asked a question, then went back to her room.  We looked at each other for a moment.  Then, my honey said,

“What were we talking about?” 

I paused for a moment & said, “ I haven’t got a clue.”  

 Those are probably times you want to be able to recall what’s a goin’ on.  Other things that I do, that are a smidge aggravating, which is caused by lapses in memory, are:

  1. Losing my keys. Which are always in the last place I look. Funny how that works out.
  2. Forgetting to put in my contacts. On my drive in to work: “Is that a police car? Are those lights on top of that car? No, that’s a luggage rack. Whew.”
  3. Forgetting to take my hormone replacement. Which is specifically only good for no one around me.
  4. Misplacing bills. Not just your regular ol’ I can pay any time in the month bill. The water bill is my most popular misplaced bill. Luckily, I have made friends with a lady in the office, at the water department. Bless my heart.
  5. Losing my phone. More often than not, Miss Neenee gently says, “Mama, it’s in your hand.” Hey, those things can sneak up on you.
  6. Forgetting what I am doing. I’m making a sandwich. I go to the pantry to get the bread. I look into the laundry room. I forgot to put the clothes in the dryer. I go to putting the clothes in the dryer & I pick through the clothes to leave out some things that need to be hung up to dry. I don’t have a hanger. So, I go back to my closet to get one. On the way, I walk through my bedroom. There’s that bill I was looking for. I go back to the kitchen to get an envelope to put it in. Wait, why is there lunch meat sitting on the bar? Oh yeah, I’m making a sandwich. Sheesh.forgetful zazzle

As much as I need to remember things, the apostle Paul says there are some things we need to not remember at all.

Phillipians 3:13 …but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, (NKJV)

Things that have happened to us in a negative way, are not worth remembering.  We need to forget how rude, stubborn, & hateful people can be.  Sunday, our preacher, Bro. Brad said that people who are know it alls, hard headed, & can’t get along with types will experience much heartache & difficulty in life.  They don’t think they have anything to learn.  They don’t see themselves as needing any improvement in their lives.  They never really realize how their ways keep them from healthy relationships.  They are never ready to accept their own part of their issues.  Because hey, how could anything ever be their fault?  The situation is always somebody else’s doing. They miss out on the happiness, that being around others, can bring.  They miss out on all the richness God would add to their lives, only if they would humble themselves.  All because being judgmental, hard headed, & above their fellow man, are qualities they practice frequently.

We must strive to be humble, gracious folks.  We have to know that we can just as easily not have enough – than have plenty.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (NKJV) 

What if the Lord only blessed you with what you were thankful for?  What if you were the only thing that was holding you back from true blessings & riches from the Lord?  According to James, first you do your part, then the Lord will do His.  So, you kinda are.  Let’s make sure we forget to be stubborn.

Not a real good way to be humble.

Not a real good way to be humble.

You never know what life is going to throw at you.  We must understand we must react with love & concern for others.  And always be mindful that God doesn’t owe us anything.  He gives good to us, however, can take it away, as well.

Job 1:21  And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

We need to forget to have a hard heart.  No matter how people treat us.  We have to be what God wants us to be regardless.  We need to forget to be resentful.  We need to forget to have hatred in our hearts.  It’s just not worth the blessings you will miss- without all that there.

I am so very glad you came by to visit today.  I got an exciting call from my aunt today.  She said she had picked a big bucket of okra for me!  All I have to do is go get it after work.  I sure hope I don’t forget it.  😉 Until then, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo creds: michaelkonick.com, zazzle,

Attitudes are contagious.  Is yours worth catching?

Why we don’t have to forgive & forget & what we’ve been doing

/ kstrick7 / Leave a comment

Well, hello my online peeps!  I hope all ya’ll are having a wonderful day.  I have been busy doing lots of summer stuff here lately.  We had our Super Saturday VBS at our church last Saturday.  We have had youth group events, going to the movies, summer devotionals, shaving cream wars, etc.,.

Exhibit A

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit B

 

Miss Neenee went bowling with the Girl Scouts & will be going to a movie with them, next week as well.  My beautiful niece has been at my house, visiting from a faraway land.  My sweet husband has been grilling lots of wonderful stuff.  We have a birthday to celebrate this weekend.  My grandbabies have been coming by for visits.  Of course I have been as accommodating as possible.  My daughter in law was telling Mr. Sweetie Pants just last night to quit writing on the kitchen floor with a magic marker.  Well, Lord have mercy, that’s what Mr. Clean is for.  Mr. Sweetie Pants kinda gets away with a lot at my house.  And when I say a lot, I mean everything.  Except back talk.  We don’t do that at my house.  Everything else we can pretty much handle.  I have been doing my best to keep up with my 100 days of scripture.  With that, my Sunday School lesson & Wednesday night class I have been studying my Bible.

I try to be attentive to what people are saying.  Words mean a lot to me.  I really take them to heart.  I guess that’s why I get so irritated when people use words in a hurtful, disrespectful, or uncaring way.  Words can’t be unsaid.  And forgetting what someone has said to me or my family is something I work on daily.  That’s why when my uncle said this the other day, I took note.

 He said, “The Bible teaches forgiveness.  It does not teach to forgive & forget.  Man said that.  Not God, because God knows we are human.”

I had never considered that.  So, I did what I normally do, when someone makes an expounding statement, like that, about the Bible.  I go look it up.  Here is what I found out.

William Shakespeare in King Lear made the statement, “Pray you now, forget & forgive.”king lear

 

In the Bible, the apostle Paul had a big problem with forgiving & forgetting.  It all had to do with himself, too.  Before Paul became a devout Christian, he persecuted Christians.  He never got over that & what he had done to the church.  You can tell by how he addresses it all.

I Timothy 1: 12-13 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (NKJV)

His former life humbled him.  He understood that he was a chosen vessel.  However, he did not take it lightly.  He talked about his past openly.

Acts 22:220 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death,[b] and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ (NKJV)

He did not let his past cripple him of his service to the Lord.  He did not say, “I’ve done too many bad things, the Lord will never forgive me.”  Or “I’m not good enough to serve the Lord.”  He made mistakes, but then got him some gumption & did what he was supposed to do.  He did not let his past sins hold him back from doing what was right.

The Lord knows we are human.  As humans, we make mistakes & are not perfect.  For our sakes, we should be willing to put things behind us & move on.  Paul finally got to that point,

Philippians 3:13-14 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.(NKJV)

God is the only One capable of selective erasing events from His memory.  When we receive Christ’s forgiveness, He acts as sin hasn’t happened.  We aren’t made up that way.  We are commanded to forgive.

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.(NKJV)

Forgetfulness is a much needed discipline of our emotions.  Which is hard, because we are stubborn creatures.  But let’s be stubborn for the things that matter.  Like our faith & family.  It’s a good thing to put things in their place & focus on what is to come, rather than where we have been.  You have got to have some peace somewhere.  Not dwelling on how someone has wronged you is a good way to put things to the side.  Then, peace will come.

I am so glad you took time to visit with me today.  Our weather has been oddly FANTASTIC.  July in Mississippi is normally hot, humid, & unbearable.  A big thank you goes out to whoever ordered the awesome weather we had on the 4th of July.  That was stinkin’ wonderful.  We were at some of our friends Tuesday night.  Just sitting in their backyard enjoying the cool weather.  I had on a long sleeved shirt.  It was crazy.  I’ve so enjoyed you today.  But for now, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

respect the bubblw

photo credits: Pinterest, someecards

 

It’s Not Easy

/ kstrick7 / Leave a comment

my grace

It’s Not Easy

To apologize

To begin over

To admit error

To keep trying

To take advice

To be unselfish

To be charitable

To face a sneer

To avoid mistakes

To be considerate

To endure success

To profit by mistakes

To keep out of a rut

To forgive and forget

To think and then act

To make the best of little

To subdue an unruly temper

To recognize the silver lining

To shoulder a deserved blame

But It Always Pays!

This was taken from Bulletin Digest. It is a short little read, but has a powerful meaning. I hope everyone is having a blessed day today. I just wanted to stop by and say a quick hello. I will be sure to visit longer next time. I have to be going for now, because I should be washing clothes.