Lent Day 7 (Wednesday)

Exercise:  cycling 15 miles.  My intention was to ride a lot longer than this.  Instead of riding downtown I went to the Donaldson Center (SC-TAC) and rode some of the country loop.  Instead of being warm and little wind, it was windy and felt cold.  I'm glad I went, as I had a lot to prove to myself.  I'm so looking forward to April and the new season of Tuesday night country loop rides.

Verse:

Proverbs 17:9-10

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

⁹ One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
    but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
¹⁰ A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows into a fool.

Thoughts:  Strangely enough it took me a while to find a bible verse tonight.  Typically throughout the day the theme of these posts has generally come from my experiences throughout the day.  Today, not so much.  I know that I've read this passage multiple times in my life, but I actually spent the time to read this particular one through various translations;  Not only to find the one that I thought fully conveyed what I'm feeling, but the one that I think really hit the heart of issues.  I personally tend to like to beat myself up over my own mistakes.  Two months or two decades, the things I've done (or haven't done) are always a handy weapon for the Enemy to use when I'm down.  I didn't go out and exercise on a particular day, I ate too much stupid stuff before dinner, I didn't say the right things at work.  The list is almost endless.  I need to be reminded often that while I can remember all of these crazy things, I don't need to hurt myself over them.  Until I can accept my flaws and my mistakes, how can I expect to improve on them and be the person that I'm supposed to be?  It's more than that, though: I need to make sure that what I'm saying to others conveys what I want in myself;  I need to be the example of God in my actions to others.  Even further, if others want to bring up my flaws as a way to keep wounds fresh, as a way of manipulating and controlling me, maybe they are people I don't need to be around.