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Category: Wisdom

Let Bygones Be Bygones

Let Bygones Be Bygones

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Let Bygones Be Bygones 3The past controls too many people.

They will not let bygones be bygones. Instead of letting the past be past, they spend all their time remembering.

  • Some remember great things they did but can no longer do.
  • Others wish for the simpler, easier life when they were younger.

Far too many think about all the wrongs done to them.

  • Their family or friends hurt them.
  • Their boss treated them unfairly.
  • They lost money.
  • They never had a chance to improve their lives.

Everything that happens affects us.

Many people do suffer unfairly. Others live with painful memories. Some allow anger to control their lives. They hurt others because they feel hurt.

Life’s not always fair. We must decide how to live with that fact.

Will we learn from the past but live in the present? Only then can we look forward to the future.

Let’s not allow the past to control us.

Let bygones be bygones.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” (Isaiah 43:18 NIV).

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Ride the Fence

Ride the Fence

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Ride the Fence--blue jay
Courtesy of morgueFile

Ride the fence reminds me of a favorite scene in the old movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. The main character, George, walks back and forth in front of Mary’s house, hitting the fence with a stick and mumbling. Mary leans her head out the window and asks, “Have you made up your mind?”

While physically hitting a fence, George was emotionally riding the fence. He hadn’t decided whether to visit Mary. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do about his life goals.

George wanted to travel. Mary wanted a home in their small town. Mary wanted marriage. George did not. Others saw that George was falling in love with Mary. George denied those feelings.

We get nowhere if we physically sit on top of a fence. To move forward, we must climb down on one side or the other. The same is true of our emotions.

Like George, if we ride the fence, we will probably stay upset until we decide. We need to take time for good decisions. We have to emotionally get off the fence.

Have you made up your mind about the direction of your life? What receives most of your attention? What goals have you set? Do those goals match your beliefs?

Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose (Psalm 25:12 NIV).

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A Chip Off the Old Block

A Chip Off the Old Block

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A Chip Off the Old Block 2The tiniest wood chip contains the same basic makeup as the original block, simply smaller. Often people refer to a child as a chip off the old block. No one questions the child’s heritage. Similarities to the parent may include the way they walk, talk, gesture, and behave. Personalities of the parent and child often match one another as well.

We have little control over our physical appearance. We can use makeup, eat and sleep well, and exercise. A few people receive costly cosmetic surgery. Yet, many of our physical features are beyond our control.

Although a person’s nature reflects genetics, we choose whether to control our behavior in most circumstances. We decide who we mirror in our actions and attitudes.

Choose wisely.

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart” (Proverbs 27:19 NIV).

Something’s Fishy

Something’s Fishy

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Something's Fishy--fishNo one likes to smell fish left in a hot car, on the beach, or in a trash can. They stink! Only people who cannot smell escape the fishy aroma.

Getting rid of that odor is almost impossible. We rub. We spray. We open doors and windows. We do everything we know to do, but the smell remains.

In much the same way, we sometimes face situations that don’t seem right. We may not know why, but the negative feeling won’t go away.

  • A friend asks us to join an activity that makes us feel uneasy.
  • Someone offers an opportunity that sounds too good to be true.
  • We sense danger but can’t see why.

Those fishy situations disturb us for a reason. By trusting our instincts, we may avoid many future problems.

Flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11 NIV).