do-overs
April 25, 2009
Remember do-overs? Like when you were playing a board game as a kid and the dice rolled onto the floor… You’d call a do-over and just that easily you’d get a second chance.
I want a do-over.
Except, if I’m being truly honest, I wouldn’t know where to start over from. How far back should I go?
But it doesn’t really matter, does it? Because in life I don’t get any do-overs. I only get make-it-rights.
And I’ve got a heck of a lot to make right.
And this game can’t be won. Only played.
…I know how that feels, a bit. If I got a free do-over right now, I think I’d rewind the last month and a half. But since I can’t, well, I’m just going to work on fixing it, too. Well put, my friend.
@atangie says:
My kid asked me, “Why did God save Jonah if he was so disobedient?”
It might feel like you are swimming in bile, seaweed is wrapped around your head and you are crawling around on your hands and knees in the darkness of the pit of fish guts. Technically, every sin merits a death sentence. But His mercies are new every morning.
Maybe you would not have chosen this particular mercy method (fish guts, darkness and seaweed). Can I dare to say that this is all going to work out for your good? That is the truth. That is the promise.
You might actually be on the floor, looking frantically for the dice, right smack dab in the middle of the biggest do-over of your life.
I hate that you are hurting. I hate that you have been wronged. I hate that the enemy has attacked you so strongly. Even stronger than that hate is how proud I am of you. Alece, I am so proud that you have not given up. Alece, I am so proud that you are searching for answers. Alece, I am so proud that you are going through this. I am proud of you, Alece!
There aren’t do overs, but there is redemption.
@danielleH says:
You challenge me and amaze me each day on g & g.
You know, I used to think I’d love “do overs” because I do things so differently, however, good and bad, those things I did wrong or screwed up or wish I hadn’t done, they make up the total of me and without those experiences, I wouldn’t have, by the grace of God, more wisdom or insight for moving forward and teaching my children. I had to forgive myself for the past and move on. God doesn’t remember it, why should I allow satan to bash me with it. And, now, these things are part of my testimony to God’s greatness in my life!
Such truth in what Melissa said, it’s about redemption. I am constantly amazed, especially now, in my life, how God is redeeming things that went wrong or were screwed up by my choice or as a consequence of others choices. Either way, redemption is AMAZING! … and so are you, sweet Alece! :) Praying for you sister!
at least 10x a day I say “I wish I could do that over” when it comes to parenting.
Having kids makes you even more aware of the fact that you DON’T get do-overs.
*sigh*
@coloraturajoy says:
me too…
here’s the thing: if you went back for your do-over, you’d go back to being the same person you were then… the one who hadn’t lived through enough life to know that what you were doing might not turn out the way you dreamed.
the beautiful thing about moving forward instead of looking back is that you now have life history. it may be painful history, it may be unfair and unjustified and unwarranted, but it’s yours. and you get to learn and grow from it. and, as i’ve told you from the beginning, you are going to find the strong, confident, worthy, precious, beautiful woman that’s always been inside of you and you’re going to learn to wear her proudly on the outside. and then you’ll be ready for your next adventure… the one that this life experience is preparing you for.
just know i’m cheering you on now, and i’ll be cheering you on then.
i believe in you.
But sometimes, you just have to learn to live with what you cannot do over or make right.
And in those times? His grace is enough.
as hard as the black hole period in my life was a few years back, two positive things came out of it,
1. i have greater compassion for people who battle depression and anxiety.
2. i am much more thankful for each and every day in my life.
He is always faithful and He is with me always.
and, alece, He is always with you.
i love that quote mammmmmma-bird alece “i only get make it rights”
it’s a quote that lives on because that’s what we have to keep telling ourselves.
i love you.
@moweezle says:
I completely understand! I totally want do-overs all the time, and I’m really wishing for one right now too! argh.
yeah – do-overs would be so nice sometimes!
Aww but Nor, I think it can be won…..
Even though I feel like I may have lost on some days (most days) I remember that through Christ it’s won. Knowing I have Him everyday, reminds me that I have won over anything that tries to take that joy from my life. I hope I conveyed what my heart was trying to say. ;0)
i’ve decided that as painful as it is, i’d rather work through all this then get stuck in it for good. there are times where it is very tempting to just sit and wallow—and believe you me, i’ve given into the temptation plenty of times—but i know this isn’t somewhere i want to still be years, months, even weeks from now. must.keep.walking.
there is always redemption is a phrase that is continuously on my heart.
thank you for the reminder.
even though i’m not a mom… i think i know what you mean…
Absolutely, Raisin Bran. In Christ, we certainly do have victory. But since we don’t have “do-overs” I kind of just “play the game,” you know? ;)
i feel like i’m at the biggest crossroads of my life. and i so desperately want to fear God more than i fear anything i’m facing…
thank you for praying for me…
“God grant me the serenity…”
i’m realizing how much i hate it when i can’t fix something. control issue? hmm… add it to the list!
this much i know is true: “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted…” – Psalm 34:18
always friend.
and maybe this is silly, but I find changing wording in my own mind helps me approach life differently sometimes. Like, maybe instead of fearing God more than you fear what you’re facing, you could love God’s comfort more than you love the comfort of hiding inside yourself from the world.
Love and comfort makes it easier for me to step out in faith than fear does. It takes less courage. But again, maybe that’s just something silly that only works for me :)
i like the way you switched it around. fresh perspective.
for me, so much always boils down to trust. if i feared God more than all this—and i don’t mean i should be afraid of Him—i would know and trust that He has it all under control. that He is righteous and just. that He sees, knows, cares, and has my best interest in mind.
as long as i’m afraid of what i’m facing, than i know i’m not trusting that He’s bigger than any of it. He needs to be so much bigger to me and in me than i’ve allowed Him to be.
“the Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall i fear? the Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall i be afraid?” – Ps. 27:1
welcome to the grit, mister zig!
thanks! (i’ve secretly been here for a while… just hadn’t left any comments ;) figured I’d show my face today) :)
just because i always wonder what makes people de-lurk: why this post? why today?
i’m glad you showed your face!
I’ve often wondered what causes people to de-lurk on my own blog – I guess for me it was that I identified with this post A LOT! Not that the others were not good, just something about this one made me nod in agreement. Figured it was an appropriate time:)
well hopefully now that you’ve come out of hiding, you’ll pipe up more often!
glad you’re here, Z!