I've taught so many youth over the last 14 years on the importance of forgiveness. It's time to practice what I preach. I am guilty of getting so upset with people that I get caught in the He said/she said of the gossip, the stories etc and I loose sight of what I am called, as a Christian, to do....forgive. Does this mean that through forgiveness I will forget about the hurt? No, but I cannot move forward and enjoy the riches of the kingom without taking that first step.

Forgiveness does not come when the person who wronged you says "Oh wait, I get it....I hurt you, I'm sorry" It starts with you forgiving those who have hurt you, asking them for forgivness because of your actions after they hurt you and then forgiving yourself. It starts with you.

I told my Confirmation 1 students that we are like little worms on the hooks of sin. The sin that was committed by us, or to us, keeps us from swimming to safety. To the saftey of the arms of our loving Creator. The hook represents the pain caused by and to us and the fish swimming around the hook represents even more sin that is just waiting to take a bite into our souls. We have a choice. We can hold onto the pain, the hurt, the suffering and remain the bait for sin, or we can let it all go and free ourselves and he happy!!! Holding onto it only leaves us open to be devored once again by sin.

While I know this is not the easiest thing to do, to just let go, I rest in the comfort of knowing that I can let it go. That I can choose to let it sink me into anger and resentment or I can let it slide off my shoulders. I can let go...let God...and you know what? When I take it back from him...I can let it all go again. For he knows I am imperfect, yet I strive for that perfection.

So...forgiveness starts with me.....So long friends, until tomorrow...I'm off to go forgive....(wish me luck)