Sorry Saturday: Let's Focus on Letting Things Go

We have been in Tennessee this week. Before we left I made arrangements to change our monthly Writers Group meeting. I put it in the paper that we'd be meeting a week later than normal. I saw a couple of group members during the week and checked with them to see if it would work. I made a mental note to call Betty because she had offered to bring refreshments on May 2.

I told myself several times that I needed to call her so she didn't waste time making something for our meeting.

You can probably guess what happened. I was visiting with my parents on Tuesday night and got a phone call at about 8 p.m. I jumped up and answered it to hear Betty asking if we had Writers Group that night.

My heart sank as I explained that we were postponing until next week and I had forgotten to contact her. I apologized all over myself and asked her to forgive me. I'm sure I rambled on for way too long about how sorry I was. She reminded me that she wouldn't be able to come next week because of another commitment she had. We hung up and I kicked myself all the way back to the couch, feeling terrible.

I forgot about it until the next day when I was taking a walk. All of a sudden I remembered my mistake and a wave of regret washed over me. I had to make a conscious decision to let it go.

I didn't deliberately neglect to call my friend. I said I was sorry. I determined to write a big note in the future so I don't forget to make important phone calls. 

It would do no one any good to keep beating myself up over my mistake. I'm sure Betty wasn't too happy with me on Tuesday evening, but if I know her, she got over it quickly and moved on.

I guess I am improving in this area. In the past I might have cried and let my mistake ruin way too many hours of my life. Now I can look at it more objectively and move on. 

We have to learn to do this so that we can live happy, fulfilling lives. 

This was a minor error that inconvenienced someone. What about more serious mistakes that cost us or someone else lots of money? What happens when a mistake we make leads to someone's injury or death? Are we supposed to hang onto those situations and never forgive ourselves and move on? Will that do us any good?

No. It doesn't do anyone any good. Of course, we apologize. We make restitution if possible and we learn from our mistakes so that we don't commit the same errors in the future. 

After all of that, we let it go. We accept God's forgiveness, forgive ourselves, and move forward in faith.

We're human, so we're going to have lots of opportunities to practice the skill of letting things go.

"...one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal...." (Philippians 3:13b-14a NIV)

Do you hold onto regrets? How can focusing on God help you to let things go and move forward with more joy and faith?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on VBS

Every year I say I'll help with Vacation Bible School.

Every year I regret that decision as VBS week gets closer. I start getting stressed out about getting ready (or not getting ready, since I'm a big procrastinator). I start thinking that the hassle is not worth it and I wish I would have let someone else do it instead of me.

Every year I'm so glad I helped with VBS after the week is over. This year was no exception. I've helped with Bible Stories for the preschool VBS for the last several years. This year I agreed to do the Puppets/Bible Story.

I hadn't done puppets before, but it was so much fun. The kids had a blast as they got to make the puppets talk and help tell the Bible story each day. We had stories about Creation, Angels telling the Good News to the shepherds, the Israelites being freed from captivity, and Jesus making a blind man see. 

The kids loved it, as you can see. What always surprises me about VBS is how much I learn. Oh, I've heard all of the stories before. I know them well. But when I have to tell them to preschoolers, it makes me understand and appreciate them so much more. God's love for us, Jesus' miracles, the way the Bible helps us live and love God...all of those things are reinforced in my own heart. I hope I can pass that along to the children, too.

One of my favorite parts of this year was talking about Jesus setting the captives free. I brought a big paper chain and spread it out in a circle in front of the kids. I explained that sin can sometimes hold us captive, just like the chain. I had the kids put their hands through the links in front of them and pretend they were being held captive.

The children listened carefully as I talked about how sin sometimes looks ugly, like some of the links in our chain. Sometimes it looks kind of good to us, and I pointed out some links made of pretty patterned papers from my stash at home. 

No matter how it starts out, sin always ends up holding us captive and getting us stuck.

After a while, we all said "Jesus sets us free!" and broke those chains. 

I hope it made sense to the kids, but it sure convicted me of some things I had been doing mindlessly and reminded me that Jesus can set me free from any sin that is holding me captive.

I also did the opening and closing times this year, and one of the special parts of the morning was having a few preschoolers come stand by me and help close in prayer. 

I keep praying that their week at VBS will stick with them and help them grow in their faith in God.

With faces like these, how could I not want to help with VBS every year? I'm pretty sure I'll be back again next summer...ready to learn right along with all of those preschoolers.

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."  (2 Timothy 3:14-15 NIV)

Do you dread teaching or leading a group at church or in the community? How can focusing on God help you to enjoy it as you learn just as much (or even more) than the people you are teaching?