Forgiveness

Forgiveness.

That is the greatest gift God has given me.

Forgiveness for all the wrong things I have said, done or thought and all the wrong things I will say do or think in the future. He gave me that gift even though I don't deserve it.

I have accepted God's forgiveness but it is hard to forgive others.

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

How can I pray this prayer unless I forgive?

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Matthew 6:14-15

A couple of days ago I saw this video on Mommylife:

I could honestly say the first five of those things about my parents. (Thankfully not the sixth and seventh.) But what about the eighth (final) one? That is very difficult and something I have been struggling with for a long time - particularly since having a child of my own.

I find myself wondering how someone can go from loving their child unconditionally to not? How did things change? Or did they ever love me? Why me? Are they even aware that they treat me differently to my brothers?

I recently read the writings of one blogger who claimed she didn't need to forgive her parents because they need to repent first.

I disagree.

But it still isn't that easy.

I was still thinking and praying about this when I saw a YouTube link posted in the comments on Amanda's recent post.

(A copy of the lyrics can be found here.)

Who am I to withhold forgiveness? I who have been richly blessed with a forgiveness I am unworthy of? Listening to that song reminded me that I have no justification not to forgive (unlike God who is perfect).

Yesterday I still wasn't ready to do so.

But today I did.

I thought I couldn't let go of all the wrongs but that was not true.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Philippians 4:13

After all, who am I?

I feel such a weight off my heart.

"Rejoice in the Lord alway"

Philippians 4:4a

My Web Wanderings (weekly)

• At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2: The “Frugality” That Nearly Drowned Me

  I found this a very useful article in terms of making the distinction between frugality and hoarding. Ithas definitely helped me in my ongoing decluttering quest!

  tags: homemaking, frugality

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Halloween Ponderings

Halloween has been on my mind for a few weeks now thanks to a not so lovely display of horror masks, devil's forks etc. in our local Coop. Through Heather's Halloween post, I found this interesting article on whether Christians should celebrate Halloween. I do actually agree with a lot of the points Dr Bucher makes but in my experience, whilst the activities of trick or treating and Halloween parties may not be morally objectionable, the obligatory costumes which go with them are.

Aside from needing to prevent Little Girl from grabbing the devils forks and Halloween sweets every time we go to the shop, the only thing different to last year is we need to decide how to deal with trick or treaters. I think the first two years we were married we happened to be out on Halloween anyway and after that people didn't bother so we never had to deal with them. This year however, we live in a house which most people in our estate pass on the way to school and they will have noticed that we are new people in our house so there is a high likelihood of people calling.

We could view people coming to our house asking us to give them something as an opportunity to give them something of greater worth than sweets (which rot your teeth) and give them say a children's story bible:


I know some people give tracts but I think a children's bible is probably more likely to be kept and read and has more content in it too. We are unsure whether it is a good idea to encourage what could be considered to be begging* by giving anything out at all even if it isn't what they are expecting but in Acts 3, Peter healed the beggar who asked for money.

The alternative of course would be to just not answer the door but this seems like such a waste of an opportunity.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 6:2

*Since this has been a bit controversial I feel I should add a bit of clarification. When I used the term "begging", the definition I had in my mind was something like this: "Begging is the practice whereby a person obtains money, food, shelter or other things from people they encounter by request." (Which can be found at the bottom of this page.) I was not trying to imply that trick or treaters are beggars in the usual meaning of the term "beggar" any more than a person who runs once a year could be considered to be a runner. Also the trick or treaters I am talking about are unaccompanied children knocking on the doors of random strangers who have done nothing to solicit such calls - I am not talking about children accompanied by their parents calling on people who have indicated they welcome such calls. My only experience of trick or treating is the former and I have never come across the latter in real life. I am sorry I caused offence with my choice of words.

A clump of cells?

A lot of "pro-choice" or "pro-abortion" people seem to justify abortion on the basis that the "foetus" is "just a clump of cells".

Even at eight weeks this "clump of cells" doesn't look very "clump of cell"-like to me.

Ten weeks: does it look like a clump of cells to you?

At sixteen weeks this looks like a baby to me.

At 18 weeks, this unborn baby would still be a potential victim of abortion for another six weeks.

I wonder, if women considering abortion were shown these pictures, how many would still choose it?

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."

Psalm 139:14-16

My Web Wanderings (weekly)

• eustas - European Stevia Association

  tags: Nourishing Traditions

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Summer Days

Since I haven't written much since we moved house, I decided I'd try to get back into things by doing a picture post of our summer.


Our (wild overgrown) garden when we moved in:


It came complete with wildlife which kept Little Girl well occupied in observation.





A trip to Beamish. (This is an old coal truck used to bring mined coal up to the surface.)



Slowly getting sorted out after the move...


Sleeping in.


Waiting for the ferry to Skye.


Summer holiday in Skye.









Hmm... I must look up that flower.














Back home sorting out the tomato plants.


Playing in a tamed part of the garden.




Canning tomatoes. (Not our own, they're only just ripening now.)




"Helping" in the kitchen. (Unsolicited.)

My Web Wanderings (weekly)

• A randomised controlled trial to compare methods of milk expression after preterm delivery -- Jones et al. 85 (2): F91 -- Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition

  tags: Breastfeeding

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.