Stop and Smell theTulips

My daughter has a decorative sign hanging in her home. It says, “we were together i forget the rest”.   She’s had it for several years, since my first grandchild was not quite a year old. That baby  is now almost 7 years old.  

When I first saw the sign in her house, I read it, and interpreted its meaning in my mind.  I immediately thought that I had made my daughter’s childhood so unpleasant that she only wanted to remember things that happened since she had been with her husband.  I had pangs of guilt and sadness, wishing I could go back and make things better for her.  I did not say anything but every time I saw that sign, those feelings of self condemnation, remorse and regret crept into my heart. 

A while back, the topic of the sign came up in conversation. My daughter said, “oh there is a story behind that sign”.  She then began to tell me how she and her husband along with the baby took a trip to a tulip farm several hours away to celebrate her first Mother’s Day.  It was supposed to be a perfect little getaway and they would have pictures taken in a field of tulips with their sweet little family.  When they got there, everything went wrong.  The baby screamed all night long. So much that the front desk of their hotel called to see if everything was ok. My son in law had to drive the baby around town for about an hour to get her to sleep each night of their stay.  On top of that, it rained and was cold for their entire visit.   

On their way home, after a few more mishaps, they stopped at a petting zoo and saw the sign in the gift shop.  They knew they had to buy it. The best thing about the trip was that they were together, and she wanted to forget the rest.  It gave them a good laugh and they purchased the sign.  I was so relieved when she told me the story behind the sign.  I had carried that shame around for 5 years for absolutely no reason!

What did I learn from the story of the sign? 

1. EVERYTHING is NOT about ME.  

2. I do not need to self condemn.

1 John 3:20 “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”–Even when your own heart is heavy with shame, God’s understanding and grace are greater.  

What shame are you carrying today?  If you are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation!  You are forgiven.  Forgive yourself!