Happy Wednesday and Happy Birthday Bruce!

We celebrated Bruce’s birthday at home tonight with Geni, Travis, Lamar, Jackson and our grandog, Penny.  I cooked and purchased a cake from Nothing Bundt Cake.  I highly recommend the cakes.  They are delicious.  Tonight was our favorite…Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting.  Totally delish!!

I have begun classes at Brite this week.  So far, all classes seem as if they are going to be really great - a lot of work, great professors and wonderful friends, old and new. 

Prayer:  “Father, give me a heart of forgiveness that does not hold a grudge or look to be offended. As an act of my will, I choose to forgive those who would cause me offense or harm just as You have forgiven me for the harm and offense I have done against You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

“And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.”

Luke 11: 4A

Tonight I am going to share the story that was in my meditation.  Corrie ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place, tells the story of being taken captive and placed in the concentration camps. The guards leered, humiliated and degraded the women as they walked into the showers.  After her time of captivity she thought that she had forgiven all those who had done her so much harm.  She went on to preach forgiveness.  One night, after one of her speeches on forgiveness, a man came to shake her hand.  She remembered him as one of the guards in the camp.  She recalls this meeting saying, “My hand froze and I could not forgive.”  She believed she had forgiven all and could not forgive when she met this guard.  Her action to this response was to pray, “Lord, forgive me, I cannot forgive.” 

How interesting that she should pray for her own forgiveness instead of asking God to forgive the one who had so humiliated and degraded her.  When she prayed for her own forgiveness she recalled the “ice of hate melted” and she was able to forgive the man because she had been forgiven. WOW!  This is a woman who understands God’s grace for herself and others.

A Facebook piece has been floating around lately.  It is Mark Lowry, gospel singer and funny man who said, “I don’t have time to hate your sin.  So just let me hate my own sin and love you.”  Sounds like a great way to live to me. 

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Wish Bruce a Happy Birthday. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.