Dealing With Regrets

I have used this phrase made popular by Dandy Don Meredith on Monday Night Football in the 1970's many times. Dandy Don, known for his wit and his heavy Texan accent, stated "If if's and but's were candies and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas!" Obviously, whether Dandy Don originated this statement or it came from someone else, I am certain the reason it was stated first was all about regrets. Something happened and someone responded, "If only I had done this" or "But what if I had gone down this path?" I could spend hours perhaps even days thinking about poor decisions I have had in my life. Some have been life changing. Some have changed the lives of others. Some were good. Some were bad. Some have made me say, "whew!" Some have made me shout with joy. Some have made me cry. All however, have made me into the person I am right now. Am I the best I could possibly be? I am far from perfection. To assume so would mean that God is finished with me. If (there goes that word again!) I believe in the Word of God, it tells me that I continue to be a work in progress. So shall I live with regrets or shall I anticipate rewards? If scripture in verses like Philippians 1:3-6 are true, then the best is yet to come! Verse 6 in this great passage states, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." This presupposes a good work has been started, in spite of my misgivings, shortcomings, and regrets. So we have to press onward and upward! The Philippian theme of a greater future continues in chapter 3 with verses 12-14. Here is my paraphrase: "Forget the past. There is nothing you can do about it both good and bad. But you can keep going. You can have hope. You can know that God has a purpose and a plan for your life! So press on! Don't stop! You have a huge plan from a huge God because of a huge sacrifice made by His Son." Therefore, when I allow myself to begin to regret, I shall strive to become more like Paul who has determined that in all states...yes even the most regrettable, I will be content and I will rejoice. Why? Because living with regrets stinks! Been there. Done that and I have several of those t-shirts! My prayer is this: Lord help me to live in your will, your way, your wisdom and with no regrets.

Horses and Horsepower

Recently I watched the 1969 version of TRUE GRIT on AMC. John Wayne just can't be beat! As I watched this great western, I watched as the character portrayed by Glen Campbell (the Rhinestone Cowboy)shoots the horse out from under the bad guy. I remember thinking, "don't you know that PETA would have had a field day with this movie!" Then later on in the movie, John Wayne's horse is shot and falls on the Duke, leaving him just out of the reach of his Winchester. Of course, he is able to retreive his gun and shoot the bad guy as well as get out from beneath his fallen horse. After watching the movie and totally enjoying dreaming about being a cowboy, I turned over to ESPN to watch the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the race where modified Porsches are driven by Indy, Grand Prix, and NASCAR drivers for a 24-hour period. I must admit that being a cowboy is still a dream but so is being a race car driver!As I watched, I saw one driver stall his car in a curve because his clutch went out and then couldn't start it because his battery had died. His chariot had failed him.

In this adventure from horse to horsepower, I found myself reflecting on my recent reading in Psalm 20:7. The passage in the NIV reads "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." The Duke and the bad guys in True Grit trusted in their horses. The professional race drivers were trusting in their chariots and their horsepower. Both ended up in predicaments that indicated failure. Fear, disappointment, and many other emotions prevailed. I could not help but think about the many horses and chariots I have had in my life in which I have placed my trust. Relationships, paychecks, vehicles, toys, selfish desires, all of which had led me down a path of disappointment. The Psalmist once again reminds me to place my trust in the name of the Lord. If I could trust just the name of the Lord, is it possible that I could also trust the Lord Himself? The answer is a big YES! Lord, help me to not put my trust in horses or horsepower or things that I could label as such, help me trust You completely, wholly,and with the understanding that it is You that works for the good of all things of those who are called according to your purpose. Thank you for being such a God that just with the mentioning of your Name, lives are transformed!