Promise yourself to be strong that
nothing can disturb your peace of
mind. Look at the sunny side of
everything & make your optimism
come true. Think only the best & expect
only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past
& press on to the greater achievements of the
future.Give so much time to the improvement
of yourself that you have no time to criticize
others. Live in the faith that the whole world is
on your side as long as you are true to the best
that is in you. Christain D Larson
It's interesting, the moments you play over and over again in your head. The big ones, that changed your life forever. And, the little ones, that changed your life forever. Some are momentous, like the birth of a child, getting married, buying a house, ect. And others, you would rather forget. I talk / blog a lot about my own personal growth - basically, because I feel like I have, and will continue to forever, grow. From where I stand, I think that is a pretty good place.
Looking back as a teenager, I did some pretty dumb stuff - I would put bets that the majority of the population, as teenagers, would admit to not always making the best decisions. Some make it out by the sweat of their brow - I never really was a bad kid, but I did like to break a few rules. As I believe, most teenagers do to some point. I have told my mom a few of the stories. She half laughs, but she really shakes her head at the bad decisions we made growing up in her house. I told her I use to sneak out. I only did it a hand full of times, but I always left a note... just encase she realized I was missing, that she wouldn't panic. It looked something like this: "Dear Mom, I came home, but left because of xyz. I will be back. Sorry. Love, Megan."
In collage, I was a really good. Even more so when I moved away to a University. I didn't go out. Those large crowds make me nervous. I stayed home, a lot. That is good and bad - I missed out on some fun, but also a lot of hang overs too.
After collage, up until the point of finding out I was pregnant, I was in a hurry. Always looking for the next best thing. More schooling for a different career. A better job. One boyfriend to the next, wondering if he was Mister Right. Trying to make them into Mr. Right. Friends and family would joke as each one of my siblings got married. The punch line always being, I wasn't married. Odds are my younger two siblings (much younger) will be married before me. Truth be told, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have that life but I will patiently wait for it to be right, not rush it and pretend. Brayden shifted my life. Slowed it down by showing me how quickly it passes. When you have children, you get it. I had someone say that to me last weekend. He said, "I didn't understand before. But now, I have her (his 4 month old daughter) and all I want to do is rush home from work and play with her before she goes to bed. I get it now."
It is frustrating in life, when you are judged for decisions / actions of your past. After all, no one has walked on your road, or in your shoes. People are quick to judge, but not very good at learning. I am not perfect. I bet, you aren't either. And, I still judge - but I am catching myself as I do it. I tell myself, almost outloud, I don't know thier story. I am working on leaving the judging to God, rightfully where it belongs. I am not without sin or poor judgement. Most people have made a least one mistake. One moment in life they wished they would have handled differently. But, where are you now? Are you better than you were yesterday, a year ago, or ten years ago? Growth and learning, is the benefit to making mistakes. Grow. Learn. Then move on. Smile and close the door.
Walk along someone. Talk with them. Learn about them. But, don't judge them. Love them. We all have a hard road.
Not trying to get preachy, but here are a few verses. Just something to think about.
"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." John 8:7
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." Peter 4:8
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" Colossians 3:12