Memories and Parts

One of the things I recognize about myself is that I have a short memory and I’ve come to realize that a short memory is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because generally I don’t remember the wrongs people have done to me and it’s a curse because generally I don’t remember the good either. As my wife says every day is a brand new day for me.

I know people who are just the opposite… they remember everything bad and good. I guess that’s a blessing and a curse too.

I read a psychology book the other day where a Psychologist made a diagnosis that his patient suffered from “memories”. The patient couldn’t let go of the horrible things that had happened to them and those memories caused both an emotional and a physical affect upon them.

One thing God’s word tells us is that he can cleanse our consciences for us and he provides several mechanisms to achieve that. I’m not saying that it’s easy or that it happens overnight but I believe everything that God says and believe that he’s a great healer.

I guess the best way to be is to have a short memory of the bad things folks have done to us and a long memory about the good things they’ve done for us. I’ve got a feeling that God has forgotten all my short comings and treasures the good things I have done. Oh to be like him.

We’ve all got parts. God has his part and we have our part. Take a look in the scriptures and learn your part and all will be… well with you.

Lost Friendship

Several years ago at Parkway when I was a young Deacon one of the Elders took me under his wing and showed some interest in me. We would go visit members who needed to be visited and plus we were just good friends… we ate together, we fished and we played dominoes. And then one day some trouble visited the church and he and I ended up on opposite sides of it. We were never in direct conflict with each other but it changed our friendship.

Shortly after that he retired and moved off. I missed the comradeship I had with the old man but I guess what I missed more was just calling him on the phone and talking… I still miss that. I was afraid he didn’t like me anymore and it bothered me… bothered me a lot. I asked a close friend what I should do and they said… “If he liked you he would call you”.

But then I thought… that’s a two way street and decided I don’t care if he likes me or not… I still like him and I’m going to call. Boy howdy I’m glad that I did because it was just like old times. We would talk about the church and the people and I cherished that I had my old friend back.

The old man is dead now and has been dead for a while but I haven’t forgotten him and I’m glad that I did something to make his last years a little easier.

If you’re walking in the same shoes I was you might give some thought to doing a simple thing like picking up the phone and making a call it can be awfully good medicine for a broken relationship.