Why I blog...

I find it funny that so many of us keep these on-line diaries, AND THAT OTHER PEOPLE READ THEM! I know when I was a kid, I would have DIED if anyone had read my private thoughts. (I'm not sure why I would have found it so embarrassing... kids are weird I guess.) Anyways, quite a few people check out my ramblings, and I have no idea why, but the beauty of it all is that we stay connected as well as connect to new people.

When I check out the stats, I have people from all over the world taking a look at what I and others have to say and I think that's cool. (I wish all who visited left a comment so we could have a more two-sided conversation, but that's another post.)

Anyways, off to more pertinent matters. Today, I was contacted by a friend who had been contacted by a friend that I knew from high school days. She referenced me specifically mentioning that although there was much animosity between us back then, so much has changed and she wishes things could have been different. She has been reading this blog and has expressed a desire to have the weight of hard feelings lifted.

Of course I responded to her directly and she wrote back with extremely kind words. She is following Christ and has made a nice life for herself.

It's amazing how much things that happen in high school affect us! I look at my life now and think, "Why in the world would I ever bear animosity towards someone from so many years ago? I'm a grown-up now!" Yet I guess those hurts in our most formative years go deeply. So I had to search my heart and ask, was I still holding onto it? Honestly, my first answer was a surprising, "Yes." But I immediately thought, "That's insane. She is my sister in Christ. She is no different from me! We are both imperfect and striving to be more like Jesus. What right do I have to hold any grudge AT ALL?!?"

Seeing my own black heart brought tears to my eyes.

It took about a half a second, but I let it go... and she so generously did the same. (Thank you, God, for this amazing opportunity.)

That's why I blog. My life is an open book and God is using it to form me into His image.

Sometimes it's painful.