A Rolling Stone

I had a pebble in my boot today. How does a pebble get in knee highs, anyhow? Especially mysterious is the fact I didn't feel said pebble until well after lunchtime. Where was it all morning?

Once that pesky rock made itself known, it harassed me all day. Stupid as this may be, I was mad at that rock by the end of the day! {Why didn't you just take your boot off and remove the pebble, genius? you may be thinking} Um, well, knee highs are... well...knee highs. Kind of a pain to take off, especially at work in front of everyone.

That little irritant trudged around with me through work and errands. A rolling stone gathers moss. Annoying pebbles gather sock fuzz. And grow. Jab. Poke. Kind of like...

{accusations} {assumptions} {off-handed comments}
{wounds} {sadness} {grudges} {hurt}

I could have removed that pebble. I could remove the above heart irritants as well. But sometimes I don't. Because...

{pride}

"Everyone will see me back down. I'll look weak."
"If I {forgive}{let go}{never mention it again}...he/she wins."

Truth is, my metaphorical pebble irritates me, not those with whom I'm offended. In the long run, I'm angrier, agitated, and limping through life. That's when I need to hear {obey} the voice of...

{humility}
"Forgiveness is notable, honorable and exudes great strength."
"Big whoop if he/she 'wins.' You're the real Eye of the Tiger if you forgive."

We received the sad news Elizabeth Edwards passed away today. Much can be said for her zeal for the United States, love for her family, and courageous battle against cancer. Yet this simple, profound, act is what I will remember most: John was by her side. I'm going to state the humanness here, okay? In our eyes, she had every right to refuse John the gift of her presence. The gift of saying what needed to be said (for his sake, not hers). The gift of comforting their children. No one would have blamed her. Yet, amazingly, Elizabeth had the courage, dignity, and humble grace to take her knee highs off and remove the pebble.

In light of all she endured

In light of all Christ endured

In light of what matters eternally...

I'm unzipping my knee highs. My pebble(s) has collected quite enough fuzz. How about yours?

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them... ~Mark 11

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ~Matthew 6