Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m ready for this new day after my time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, a good dose of His Living Word, and a hot cup of coffee. It’s not so cold but raining this morning and my heart is missing the sunshine so since I can’t enjoy the warmth outside, I’ll enjoy the warmth of the flowers instead. I determine to enjoy each new day…rain or shine…hot or cold and my glass is usually half full. This time of year it can go from the feeling of a warm summer day to frost on the fields and then back again from one day to the next. I am confident that the sun is always waiting just behind the clouds to warm things up and that nothing is predictable in the Spring in Virginia…and such it is with Life. When you think about it, Isn’t that just the way it is in this Journey of life?

Some people don’t look for the sunshine because they enjoy having frost around their hearts. They refuse to allow the warmth of the Son to melt it away the cold as if they’ll somehow lose their strength if they let it go. They strut around with a cold heart as if it’s something to be proud of and they have every excuse for why they refuse to let go of the offense. These people can hold on to something someone did to them like a snapping turtle year after year, refusing to let go as if refusing forgiveness will (in some twisted sort of way) get even with the one who wronged them. Their emotions can flare up in a heartbeat as they recount the wrong and they relive it as if it was yesterday. Some even wish for horrible, hurtful things to happen to the one who caused them pain. They carry the weight of unforgiveness around like a sack loaded with rocks and no matter how weary they become from the weight or how injured they become from the stress, they refuse to let it go. Unfortunately for these people, their glass is always half empty, and they would never know what it means to be content with a few flowers in place of the sun.

I know that when I go before my God and ask for forgiveness for my wrongs, they are as far as the East is from the West. The Ultimate price was already paid for me and my sins and I find indescribable comfort in knowing that as soon as I confess them, they’re forgiven. Remembering this is the key to being able to forgive others too. I’ll NEVER forget what a “wretch” I was before Jesus found me, and I’ll never grow tired of embracing the Price He paid for my Sins. I didn’t earn it. I didn’t deserve it. I could never have paid it on my own. So, if He could save a wretch like me…if He could lay down His life to pay the Price I couldn’t pay myself…if He could meet me where I was and Love me just as I am, WHO DO I THINK I AM TO WITHHOLD FORGIVENESS? The Key to being able to extend forgiveness to people you don’t believe deserve it is to NEVER lose sight of the price He paid for YOUR forgiveness. His Rules are pretty simple – if you want His Forgiveness then you better be willing to extend it to someone else no matter what they’ve “done” to you.

I’ve experienced some serious wrongs in my life and I’ve been labeled a “doormat” as I pick myself back up and then “let it go” over and over again. I’ve heard every reason on the planet for what I “should” do to make the wrongs right…instead, I leave the reckoning up to God. The Bible says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” so I can’t think of a better way for the wrongs to be made Right than to trust the Living God with the outcome. He knows it all and He will have the ultimate say and it’s His forgiveness that matters the most.

I’m an imperfect woman striving to live a Life that is a good reflection of my King. I’m determining to look at the Bright Side, and my glass will remain half full all the days of my Life. I’ll do my best to “plow my own field” instead of concerning myself with the “fields” of others. I won’t carry a grudge or refuse to forgive someone that wrongs me today and I’ll do everything in my power to let the Light of my Faith on this rainy day. I’ll be satisfied with a beautiful jar full of flowers in place of the sunshine and I’ll be focusing on the Nourishment these flowers had to grow into something beautiful. I want to be like the flowers – clinging to the basic things to find Nourishment, Strength, and Growth. As long as I keep reaching for the Son, I’ll find everything I need.

Just think…He reached my Heart with just a few flowers. Imagine what He can do for you.