Great message for people like me who have a hard time forgiving.
HOW HEAVY IS YOUR BAG?
One of my teachers had each one of us bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. For every person we'd refuse to forgive in our life,we were told to choose a potato, write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.
Some of our bags, as you can imagine, were quite heavy.We were then told to carry this bag with us everywhere for one week,putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to our desk at work.The hassle of lugging this around with us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget, and keep leaving it in embarrassing places.
Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated to a nasty slime. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for keeping our pain and heavy negativity! Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and while that's true, it clearly is also a gift for ourselves! So the next time you decide you can't forgive someone, ask yourself...Isn't MY bag heavy enough?And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him , so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
- Mark11:25-- Author Unknown
3 Things I'm Happy for:
One of my teachers had each one of us bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. For every person we'd refuse to forgive in our life,we were told to choose a potato, write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.
Some of our bags, as you can imagine, were quite heavy.We were then told to carry this bag with us everywhere for one week,putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to our desk at work.The hassle of lugging this around with us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget, and keep leaving it in embarrassing places.
Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated to a nasty slime. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for keeping our pain and heavy negativity! Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and while that's true, it clearly is also a gift for ourselves! So the next time you decide you can't forgive someone, ask yourself...Isn't MY bag heavy enough?And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him , so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
- Mark11:25-- Author Unknown
3 Things I'm Happy for:
- Having a great time with the ladies on ladies night out (in). It was a great mix of people and it was so much fun getting together after hours and enjoying each others company.
- Still feeling pretty darn "OK" on this new medicine. Haven't' got the results back from my blood but if it is as good as how I feel then I'm pretty sure I can tolerate this medicine and get on with the rest of the process to get me on the transplant list.
- 3 days in a row doing my 10 minutes work outs. Don't think at this moment I can move up to 15 or 2o minutes; but heck it's only been 3 days.
posted by Carmen San Diego @ 8:09 AM
3 Comments:
At 11:04 AM,
Laura said…
That's a good lesson, Carmen! I sure don't want to carry any moldy potatoes around with me! Now, if they were hot McDonald's fries, that would be another thing. ;)
I'm glad the new medicine is working out so far! And 10 minutes of working out is better than 0! Maybe you can always try to do 2 10 minute workouts - one early, one later, before trying to move up to longer times.
At 2:15 AM,
Granny said…
What a great story. It's true though. Holding a grudge accomplishes nothing. The grudgee probably doesn't even know it.
At 7:28 PM,
TeeCee said…
What a great story, I'm going to repost it on my blog (which I abuse)!
I never get to read my own blog (I cheat and email posts at random times) but I enjoy your blog when I do get to read it.
You're amazing!
Post a Comment
<< Home