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Girl Meets God
by Melissa Mathews
The boy said to the girl: "These aren't the names they call each other now."
Last night our family of six was in a van headed to a party of old friends. We are on vacation in Missouri enjoying family and people from our former church.
And as vacations would sometimes have it, shortly after we got in the car, I had this moment of irritation. Sitting here writing, I can honestly say that I absolutely cannot remember what caused my aggravation. I lay in bed last night for 20 minutes trying to remember what happened, and I couldn't then either.
As I said, we were riding in the van, and I got irritated by something. My first response was "If you only knew how many times…I should keep a list, and show you how many times…"
At that point, my thoughts screeched to a halt.
"…it keeps no record of wrongs."
"Oh, shoot. Why did I have to remember that verse again?!"
"Love…keeps no record of wrongs." (I Corinthians 13:5)
"Arghh. There's goes my list. Now I'll never be able to remember all the times Scott has done me wrong."
And so thirty seconds later, I had forgotten the offense (which was probably no offense at all) and moved on to enjoying my vacation.
So you wives (or friends or sisters or brothers), if you have a long list of sins that you are waiting to roll out at the next available confrontation, I have a few other suggestions for that roll of paper.
Do with those sins what God does with ours: "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
Forget those offenses. Whatever happened this morning that upset you, whatever happened on your honeymoon, whatever didn't happen on your birthday. Forget it. Wad that list up and throw it in the trash. Do not bring up the past, do not brood, do not mope, do not remember. Forget the bad.
Instead of a list of wrongs, keep a list of rights. Every time your husband hugs you, write it down. The next time he takes out the trash, put that on the list. If he calls you at lunch, add that too.
And then, when you lie in bed at night trying to recall the wrongs, you will only remember the rights. Then you can scoot over in the bed, snuggle up, and …well… you know.
Scott and I have been married 22 years and currently live in Northern California where we are beginning year five as church planters. I also teach 12th grade English and love it.
I would love to hear from you. Email me anytime at melissa.g.mathews@gmail.com
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