I had quite an adventure today. I rode the city bus for the first time. Ever. In my life.
Little Bit and I left our place at about 6 this morning. The roads were dark. Not a whole lot of lighting. There were actually quite a few people out at 6 in the morning. There were joggers, walkers, dog walkers, and of course lots of drivers.
So Little Bit and I are walking along the dark road to the bus stop, which was a little less than a mile from our place. As I am walking, I hear quick foot steps coming my way, which of course puts me on edge. It was just a runner in a bright orange jacket. Then there is the sound of dog footsteps. And of course his owner. Every time I hear a noise, I'm like "whoa", "what's that", "don't hurt me", "ahhhh". You should have been in my head. I am sure it was hilarious.
So we finally make it the bus stop. I am so focused on the soon to be arriving bus that I am not aware of what is to come. I once again hear feet pounding in my direction. When the woman in orange is less than 2 feet away from me, I practically screamed. I think I scared the poor woman. She stopped running.
"Are you okay?" She asks.
In a whining voice I replied, "Yeah, I'm ok. I am just really nervous because I have never ridden the bus before and I am a little scared and I am not sure of what to do."
The world stops for a few seconds with the next words out of her mouth. "Would you like me to pray with you?"
I think I finally let the air out before I answered her. "I would love that."
The bus ride was very smooth. Well, I am not sure I would call it a smooth ride. But there were no kinks in the bus ride. Little Bit laid her head on my lap and curled up beside me. People were friendly. Well, some of them. The others I am not sure of, but I think it was best to keep it that way.
Overall, I had a good experience on the bus. I had nothing to be worried about.
Haha. Yep. Absolutely nothing. Didn't God tell me that already? He said in Matthew 6:34 to not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow can worry about itself. And in John 14:27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Well. I failed that test, huh?!
But the verse that really got me: Proverbs 12:25, "An anxious heart weighs down a man, but a kind word cheers him up." I was so anxious that I didn't even see the woman coming. But not just her kind word, but her kind gesture cheered me up. It took away my anxiety. And she reminded me that God was still near even in my time of fear and anxiety.
God provided the right person at the right time to provide the right words and the right actions. This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The Unforgotten Errors
It was 1993 and I was in the 5th grade. Thanksgiving was here, as was a rare snow/ice storm in Dallas, Texas. Along with Thanksgiving came football. This game was the Cowboys against the Dolphins. I remember that game quite well, as do most people who watched it that day.
The Boys were ahead, not by much, with only a few seconds left on the clock. The Dolphins kicked a field goal, which was then blocked by the Boys. While they were celebrating, Leon Lett went after the ball, only to lose it and the Dolphins regained control of the ball and kicked a successful field goal for the win.
Cowboy fans were devastated. But I remember when I went back the school the following Monday, each one of us 5th graders wrote a letter to Jimmy Johnson to let him know we still supported the Boys and how we weren't mad at Leon Lett. I don't remember everything I wrote in my letter, but I do remember saying how I did not blame Lett for the lose. It could have happened to anyone. We actually received a response from Jimmy Johnson. It was pretty awesome!
Twenty years have passed. Yet if you Google Leon Lett, you will find this story. He was an excellent player who made a few mistakes in the game. But this mistake is the one that is highlighted in his career. Nothing he can do will change it or erase it. It is forever in the minds of the fans, players, viewers. It has gone down in history.
His mistake will not be erased out of the books.
Nolan Ryan was one of the best pitchers on the Texas Rangers. While he pitched for the Rangers, he had 6 shut outs and 939 strike outs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. And he is currently the owner of the Rangers. But according to his stats, he has committed 90 errors over his whole career, 5 of which were in Texas. (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanno01.shtml)
As great of a player as Nolan Ryan was, he still has errors attached to his record in baseball. They cannot be erased or hidden. They are there for everyone to see.
I am a player on the team human race. Have been for a few decades now. My stats are being recorded in a Book in Heaven. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But something that is amazing about my stats versus the stats of Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan: When I repent of my errors and ask for forgiveness, they are erased from the Book. 1 John 1:9 says "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness."
It doesn't matter how much Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan ask for forgiveness. It doesn't matter how much they repent of their errors. The mistakes and errors will always be listed on their stats. Their mistakes will always be remembered in the sporting world.
But God is a forgiving and just God. Yes, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 2:23), but God sent His only Son to die on the cross for us so that our sins can be forgiven. So we can have eternal life (John 3:16). "Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are like crimson, they will be like wool." Isaiah 1:18. God will throw our sins into the depths of the sea to be forgotten (Micah 7:19).
But there is a catch. We have to ask for our sins to be forgiven. We have to confess our sins. And not to just anyone. To God. And to whomever you have hurt/offended/sinned against.
I pray that my stats are clean in the Book and my name is written in the Book of Life. This is only possible By God's Amazing Grace.
The Boys were ahead, not by much, with only a few seconds left on the clock. The Dolphins kicked a field goal, which was then blocked by the Boys. While they were celebrating, Leon Lett went after the ball, only to lose it and the Dolphins regained control of the ball and kicked a successful field goal for the win.
Cowboy fans were devastated. But I remember when I went back the school the following Monday, each one of us 5th graders wrote a letter to Jimmy Johnson to let him know we still supported the Boys and how we weren't mad at Leon Lett. I don't remember everything I wrote in my letter, but I do remember saying how I did not blame Lett for the lose. It could have happened to anyone. We actually received a response from Jimmy Johnson. It was pretty awesome!
Twenty years have passed. Yet if you Google Leon Lett, you will find this story. He was an excellent player who made a few mistakes in the game. But this mistake is the one that is highlighted in his career. Nothing he can do will change it or erase it. It is forever in the minds of the fans, players, viewers. It has gone down in history.
His mistake will not be erased out of the books.
Nolan Ryan was one of the best pitchers on the Texas Rangers. While he pitched for the Rangers, he had 6 shut outs and 939 strike outs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. And he is currently the owner of the Rangers. But according to his stats, he has committed 90 errors over his whole career, 5 of which were in Texas. (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanno01.shtml)
As great of a player as Nolan Ryan was, he still has errors attached to his record in baseball. They cannot be erased or hidden. They are there for everyone to see.
I am a player on the team human race. Have been for a few decades now. My stats are being recorded in a Book in Heaven. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But something that is amazing about my stats versus the stats of Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan: When I repent of my errors and ask for forgiveness, they are erased from the Book. 1 John 1:9 says "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness."
It doesn't matter how much Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan ask for forgiveness. It doesn't matter how much they repent of their errors. The mistakes and errors will always be listed on their stats. Their mistakes will always be remembered in the sporting world.
But God is a forgiving and just God. Yes, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 2:23), but God sent His only Son to die on the cross for us so that our sins can be forgiven. So we can have eternal life (John 3:16). "Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are like crimson, they will be like wool." Isaiah 1:18. God will throw our sins into the depths of the sea to be forgotten (Micah 7:19).
But there is a catch. We have to ask for our sins to be forgiven. We have to confess our sins. And not to just anyone. To God. And to whomever you have hurt/offended/sinned against.
I pray that my stats are clean in the Book and my name is written in the Book of Life. This is only possible By God's Amazing Grace.
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