Compassion Forgiveness Restoration

It's funny-I've spent the last few hours avoiding writing this post.
I read something yesterday that was disturbing, which prompted this.
A man was caught with child pornography on his computer.
The man worked in government.
The man committed suicide after leaving a measured, completely rational suicide note.
He claimed that he had been abused as a child, which scarred him emotionally.
As an adult he was functional, detail oriented, one who was always in control.
But when he first saw child pornography, as he wrote in his suicide note, he "didn't turn away."
Suddenly he was not in control anymore. And it destroyed him.

Why I am posting about this? That note.
He explained clearly what had happened to him, what he had done, that he regretted his actions...
and that at the next opportunity he was going to kill himself.
Functional. In control. Rational. Suicide.

Here's the thing-no matter how black our sins, they CAN be forgiven.
God forgives sinners. Jesus Christ came to make that Salvation possible.
Even for pedophiles.
For anyone haunted by guilt (which means all of us, as we are all guilty of something) it need not destroy you..

I once knew an assistant Pastor who was later discovered to be a pedophile. He ran away, and I had promised that if I ever saw him again, that I would give him a beating.
That is all over. Now I'm more of the forgiving type, as God has forgiven me for so much.
No sin is greater than the Grace of God. If you are living with a secret hurt, if you have carried some issue inside for a lifetime which makes you feel unworthy of God's forgiveness...it's been paid for by Jesus Christ, and there is Forgiveness available for you.

Speaking Of Old Stuff...

Yeah! I was doing mirror 'selfies' back before there was a Pinterest, before any Facebook, back when the
"Internet" went by the name "DARPA".
So there, America!

More Of My Old Stuff

I've decided to put more of my older work online, at both this blog and FDW.
This is a song written back in B.C. (Before Computers).

Holy Of Holies

Holy of Holies,

Be not far from me-

I pray that you answer at my call

(Hear my cry)

I pray that you answer at my call.

It is of the Lord’s Mercies that

We are not consumed,

Because His Compassions fail not

(Never fear)

Because His Compassions fail not.

The Lord is my portion

Saith my soul-

Therefore I will trust in Him

(Only Him)

Because his Compassions fail not

(Never fear)

I pray that you answer at my call

Hear my cry:

“The Lord IS my Portion”.

Best News Of The Day

You know me through these posts. I've loved Baseball for longer than I can remember. In the late 1980's/early 1990's I began watching WTBS and WGN while living in Vegas. Specifically, MLB-the Braves and the Cubs/White Sox. Even back then I had no use for New York teams, so I never invested much time in WOR.
But I became a Braves fan, and, when Tommy Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery or Greg Maddux was pitching, they usually won. Maddux came in later, but he fit into the rotation quite nicely.
Congratulations to Glavine and Maddux for being voted into the Hall of Fame. Well deserved!

Thumbprint Meta Ikon

Sometimes an image pictorially exemplifies an emotion. Case in point above.
Whether or not the dog is happy, it LOOKS happy, and that shows how I feel
right now.
You may have heard of the "Peace that passes all understanding" with which Christians
are Blessed through Christ.
Here's the thing-if you were to look at my life, dissect all components...you might not see much
reason for happiness or Peace.  Logically, I should be UN-happy. 
But I have Peace and I am happy.
Cynics might ripost with:"Truly happy people don't proclaim it-Doug must be putting on 
a happy face to hide the truth."
Nah.
A few posts ago I wrote one of my darker items, the "Christmas Angel Parable". It was about a very real someone who does not share my Peace and happiness.
But even if such sadness and darkness are a part of my life...I am still at Peace, and am still
happy. 
Even if I can't figure it out.
May God Bless you in this new year.