It's Too Early For Scary Moments

11 October 2016

 
Yesterday started like any other Sunday . . . up early . . . made biscuits for your mom and me (don’t listen to your Aunt Mimi about my biscuits) . . . went to church . . . lunch with your great Grandmother . . .

Today’s sermon was on Jonah . . . you know, the guy that got swallowed by the fish . . . and “second chances.” Here’s the thing: Jonah was reluctant to do what God told him to do, but God wanted Jonah to do something really important. Jonah resisted . . . God got insistent . . . Jonah complied. Jonah didn’t get a “do-over” . . . we never get those . . . you can’t exactly go back and fix mistakes . . . but he got a second chance to do the right thing.

I can tell you that grace offers one of the most important lessons you’ll learn . . . accepting it and giving it. Humility is a tough lesson to learn . . . I know . . . I’ve been blessed to have been given many second chances in my life.

As you make your way through this world, I’d like for you to remember this: “Thought precedes action.” There will be times when you have a knee-jerk reaction to something which may or may not result in dire consequences . . . maybe you’ll say something out of anger and hurt somebody’s feelings . . . you might swing a fist in a fit of rage (I hope not) connecting with and damaging someone’s nose . . . you might get in your car and drive way too fast because some guy or girl really made you mad. BUT . . . there is always that split second . . . a fleeting thought of right and wrong . . . where you get to decide to keep those words to yourself . . . shove that fist in your pocket and walk away . . . look at your speedometer and realize that driving at 120mph is stupid. Thought precedes action, and you, kid, alone are responsible for your actions and reactions.

There’s this story I’ve read a million times, and I’ve tried very hard to keep it in mind when I want to say or do something that will ultimately be hurtful:

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.” The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said “I hope you can forgive me father for the holes I put in you.” “Of course I can,” said the father.

 Maybe you’ll get a second chance to do something right . . . maybe you won’t . . . but if you do, don’t waste it. You will have been given that second chance through grace.
Back to Sunday though . . . that scary moment. Your mom hadn’t felt you move all day but didn’t really think about it until early evening, and she got scared . . . yeah, it scared the hell out of me too. We made our way to the ER, and though it took a moment for the nurse to find your heartbeat . . . as we all held our breath . . . we finally heard what sounded like a herd of horses! Yeah, there were sighs of relief! Guess you were just snoozing . . . after all, being born is hard work!!

“Every second a seeker can start over, for his life’s mistakes are initial drafts and not the final version.” ~ Sri Chinmoy