Weren't we all teenagers at some point in our lives?
Notice I'm not asking how long ago that was!
Did you ever do anything you felt REALLY bad about?
(OK, I better see every hand raised out there in Blog Land!!)
I can recall one incident so vividly, it’s like it happened last week.
My dad and uncle owned a business in Pasadena. And at some point in time, they decided that it was a good idea to lease two company cars – two brand-new 1970 Pontiac Firebirds. I'm pretty sure that this was my "hot shot" uncle's idea!
My dad's car was awesome!
One night, I needed to borrow a car to go to a church party. OK, I'm 16, the ink is barely dryon my driver's license, and my dad lets me use HIS car. He actually offered it to me!
I know!! Honestly, what was he thinking?!
After picking my jaw up off the floor, I graciously accepted…
"OK, Dad, if you insist."
I went to the party, and when it was over, a bunch of my friends and I thought it would be coolto drive over and see a boy that I had a secret crush on – because I was behind the wheel of a radically "hot" car.
We thought this was a great idea, because nothing screams "GOOD DECISION" like a car full of 16-year-old girls!
Anyway, we got to talking, got to flirting, and time ran away. When I finally headed home, my 11:00 PM curfew had disappeared in a teenage fog of…
Oh, he's so cute!
Do you think he likes me?
How's my hair look?
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
OK, so now it’s like 1:00 in the morning, it's pouring rain, and I have to park the car in the garage. Our driveway was very steep, and Dad parked his car on the right-hand side of the garage, so you had to make kind of a sharp turn at the top of the driveway, just past a retaining wall.
You KNOW what's coming, don't you?
Yes, I made that turn, just a LITTLE early, and heard the most awful sound as "brand-new" Firebird met concrete block wall. Man, it still hurts today.
I tried backing up…SCRAPE.
I tried going forward…SCRAPE.
The car was sorta stuck on the wall.
In a panic, I finally just gunned the engine and the car leapt forward, almost piling intothe corner of the garage. I got the car parked, and looked at it. There was a huge dent, andmassive scratches right through the paint, all along the whole side of the car. OH MAN! I quietly entered the house so I wouldn’t disturb anyone's sleep…
OK, OK, yes…I was trying to sneak in! You guys are awful strict!
I was almost to my bedroom when I noticed my mom sitting alone in the dark, shivering with fever and chills, sicker than a dog with the flu, waiting up for me.
I didn't sleep much that night.
The next morning I got up early, bringing all $200 in my savings account, to confess to my dad what I had done to his car. He told me to keep my money – he would "take care of it."My dad didn't get mad, he didn't punish me – He forgave me.
Jesus told His disciples a similar principle about forgiveness, and it's found in today's "Bible Pick 'Ems":
"If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks for forgiveness, you must forgive." (Luke 17:3-4)
Jesus took forgiveness very seriously – it was His whole mission on earth.
Can we do any less?
"…and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12)
"'Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?'
'No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!'"
(Matthew 18:21-22)
(Linked today with Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays, and Peggy at Super Sunday. Please feel free to hop on over to my other blog during the week - Sharon Sharing God)
"When in doubt, search God out!"
Blessings Sharon...
ReplyDeleteCan't say I remember my teens like you do!!!???
But my hands up for my 20s to
"Did you ever do anything you felt REALLY bad about?"
Even a car accident trying to miss dogs doing it in the street, I ran up on the curb... it would have been better if the dogs went there, not me but it was in a car my dad let me use and also a car accident in a downtown stoplight with all Spanish speaking passengers that I was bringing back from their driver's license exam... and another one during graduation party visits when I asked my brother to drive and we got hit and spun up onto the front lawn of someone.
So glad that Jesus' mission was FORGIVENESS and His limit on forgiving... LIMITLESS!
That's His aMazing grace... so thankful
when we are forgiven over and over again!
Better yet when it's our dads.
What a beautiful example of forgiveness with your dad. Glad you weren't hurt and did not need to use all your savings for recompensating for damage done.
The one that I raised my hand about does not have that kind of compensation but God's grace was above and beyond when I came to Him with my wrong, asking for forgiveness... it was God who recompensated me with a doublefold blessing to cover me for my grievous sin which could not be undone, though I tried, only making my wrong worse... God was able to take that MESS, FORGIVE me, restore me and bless me just because I came with a repentant heart that ached to make it right somehow and really needed God's direction and forgiveness. God was/is aMazing how He chooses to answer us and save us from our SCRAPES, our nail wounds... our foolish mistakes, even our flirtations with the world that lead to "coming home late in the rain"...
unintentional messed up parts in our life journeys... made WHOLE through Jesus Christ and His awesome mission of Forgiveness. How great is Our God that holds us and blots out all our failings!
Another glimpse into your past...a little fun and a forgiven scrape but written with such profound wisdom making it fun and forgiving, pointing us to Jesus and the 70X7 ... I think I might have exceeded this back in my teens.
Love ya' girl and such a gift you have in writing and sharing a blast from the past,
Peggy
Sounds like a "heavenly" father to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteWow Sharon... The thing that jumped out for me was your amazing parents. Both your mom waiting up for you even though she was sick....& your dad's forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing to have wonderful parents.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless,
Ginger
You were truly blessed with wonderful parents.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was always a little more forgiving than my dad.
My earthly father has always been full of grace where I'm concerned. I wish I could say I've been that way with my kids. I suppose I mostly am but there have been plenty of times when they received a good tongue-lashing for their mistakes.
ReplyDeleteHow thankful I am for the grace of God that reaches long and wide, high and deep. He's been so good to me.
peace~elaine
Wow, what a great understanding dad you have. I never had an experience like this - thank goodness, but I think if I had my dad would have acted in a similar manner. I'm so glad we have a heavenly father who forgives all our dents and scratches.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Charlotte
Oh how many times my parents forgave me. What an awesome example you gave us on forgiveness.
ReplyDeletePeggy - Couldn't agree more. There is nothing like the unconditional and unlimited forgiveness of our Lord. He gives without hesitation. I was lucky to be forgiven this "mishap" by my earthly father - but there are so many times that my heavenly Father has made me whole again.
ReplyDeleteGayle - This was one of his finer moments!! And it was a fine earthly example that pointed me to the truth of the forgiveness of my heavenly Father!
Sarah - My parents were (and still are) great! They taught me many things - and their loving examples were integral in forming and developing my faith.
Ginger - Yes, it is. And I'm so glad that they're still living. They gave me a great example to follow when I became a parent. And I am thankful for their influence on my faith journey.
Alice - Truth be told, my mom was a softie, and my dad was pretty strict. But, this time he was very calm. When I asked him why he wasn't going to punish me, he said he thought it was enough to let me know how very much I had disappointed him and my mom. He was right - that was the worst. (I feel that way when I disappoint God, too).
Elaine - We all make our mistakes with our own kids, don't we? I am also glad for the Lord's love - long and wide, high and deep. He is the Author of forgiveness. The One who never remembers our sins...
Charlotte - Yes, our heavenly Father forgives us all those dents and scratches. He's also forgiven me of a few times when I've actually crashed the "car" of my life into a big, brick wall!
Ken - I'm glad you enjoyed this. Isn't it a blessing to be taught biblical values by loving parents? We have to learn to pass it on.
GOD BLESS!