This is a photo of my daughter, creating a heart out of the sand in the dunes on the coast of Oman – one of the most beautiful, natural places I have ever been. 

              “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ,                           God forgave you.” Eph. 4:32

Have you ever been so angry that you just can’t see straight? You cannot hear your friends and loved ones when they even suggest something contrary to your justification of your anger? This is where I have been. I have been angry. Angry for a myriad of reasons both valid and completely irrational. I have run the gamut of “if only. . .” and “what if I had just . . .” and many other ridiculous thought patterns that have no constructive purpose in moving me forward through this (apparently very angry) tiny little section of time in my life.

I may have been hard hearted and resistent, but if anyone can get my attention, it is God. The theme of forgiveness is running through all that seems to touch me right now. My God is screaming at me to forgive through literature in my classroom, through the novel I am reading for fun, through my personal Bible study, in the book my school has been assigned as professional development, commercials, memes, even a cleverly placed STOP sign when my head is swimming in angry prose- I mean you name it, FORGIVENESS is a running theme God is placing before my every turn. I know He is doing this so my heart is free to heal and free to love my children in the way they deserve and need and – well, just free to be myself through the power of forgiveness so that I can be His servant in ALL of the roles He has assigned me.

In her book, Add more -ing to Your Life, Gabrielle Bernstein shares some advice she gave to one of her Life Coaching clients, “I made it clear that if her desire was to change her life and be set free from her resentful patterns, forgiveness was in order.”  I am my own obstacle. Wow. Ok, then I am the ONLY one who can get over myself!

I forgive. I forgive it all.

I forgive the real transgressions against me.

I forgive the ones in my head, made up to avoid facing my real anger or to avoid taking responsibility for my own life.

I give the anger over to God to transform into positive energy.

I will find my inner Pollyanna again and she and I will tackle this world of ours with fun, laughter and love once again!

And, since I ABSOLUTELY hate the saying “One day at a time” I will simply say that I look forward to planning my tomorrow as I live today in peace and in positivity!