Second Chances

I’m really thankful that no one can hear the thoughts that bounce around in my head.

Sometimes my face gives me away, but I can act differently than I’m thinking. I can slander someone in my head and say something out loud that only sounds like love.

It happens when I’m scrolling through Facebook. It happens when I go to church on Sundays. It happens when I’m trying to take care of my beloved boys.

Like, hallelujah. You all don’t know how mean my mind is.

Today is Monday, and I want to start new. I want to start rooted. I want to start thankful.

I was reading in Colossians and came upon this in chapter 2:

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. [Colossians 2:6-7, The Message]

So, our thoughts are scattered. We may be rejoicing or grieving over what happened this weekend in Washington D.C., both Friday and Saturday. We may be scared. We may be looking at others with thoughts that are running wild, without love.

This is a crazy time.

But we’ve got this. We have Christ. We’re deeply rooted in Him. We’re constructed upon Him. We know the faith. We can live in the freedom we were given.

And we can praise God.

Rooted. Thankful.

I’m thankful today for second chances. I’m thankful that my mean, sometimes ignorant, thoughts only bounce around my head, heard by myself and God. I’m thankful that I’m given a second chance to actually speak in love. I’m thankful God is full of second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chances for me. His grace is unyielding.

With my own boys, I only give them so many chances to listen to me before I discipline them. I want them to hear me, to obey, and to respect me as their mom.

I have much to learn from my Father.

There’s beauty in how He is so kind to us, how He gives us almost endless chances to do the right thing. To say words in honest love and to be people who actually bring honor to His name. He deserves the honor, doesn’t He? After all, He gave us more chances than we’ve ever given anyone else.

It’s Monday. I’m rising up from my bed, with my feet intricately constructed upon His gifts of grace to me.

Rooted. Thankful.