Hi Marilyn !

It is as if you read my mind!!! I was reading a very interesting article yesterday about The Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923 where 1.5 million people were killed by the Ottoman Turks and how to this day there is an outstanding  grudge between the two. We also have an example of the Germans and Jews, Black and White and Catholic and Protestant. When is it all going to end? With the progress we have made in medicine and all other sciences we still to this day cannot treat all men like brother. God Bless you Marilyn and to all my Brothers and Sisters! 

Your so right grudges and bad thoughts definitly drag you down. If at all possible leave your grudges before you go to sleep. Reminds me of a story from years ago. A guy was watching a fellow at work and everything that could go wrong that day did. By the end of the day he was definitly extemely frustrated and angry. As he was taking me home to dinner that evening I almost begged off as I could visulaize the scene as I had been there.Walking up his walk he stopped at a tree and began touching it's branches. Afterwards we headed into the house and he was ll smiles and we ened up having a great evening. I had seen the day the had been through and finally had to ask how he could be so calm immediatly upon arriving home.  That's when he told me about his trouble tree. Before he went in the house for every problem he had had that day he touched a branch and left it there bu morning the problems of the day before didn't seem as big and were just forgotten. We all need our own trouble tree

Thank you Marilyn,

This is the very most important subject on the planet FOR ME.

I believe that God gives us gifts to use and forgiveness is the one he gave to me.

WOW, We've got a saint here!

No, We have no saint here. I have done and said things in my life that I'm not at all proud of. I have watched things happen that I should have stopped. I've failed sometimes to be loyal to loved ones when I knew they were wrong but still expected my support. No, I'm just a regular chap, lucky and I hope, a well balanced person who really loves people.

I'm the first one to say that political correctness has gone too far and destroyed long-held beliefs that held society together for centuries, but when it comes to forgiveness I see the world and weep.

I don't expect the world to see everything the way I do. I have no problem in forgiving as long as the person doesn't go on to repeat the same thing  again and show no remorse, even then I sometimes have the feeling that they are ill and need help.

What is hard for me is to see a member of my family hurt by somebody who I later forgive when I understand but I have to accept that the other members of my family might not feel the same. I am then in difficulty.

Yes I forgive easily, I forgive with I hope, understanding and I do it not because it feels good but because I know what it's like to be sorry and not forgiven. I really do only have a handful of people in my life that I dislike and that is usually because they continually hurt others for what seems only personal satisfaction or gain. I JUST DON'T understand this.

God has given me challenges, God has given me decisions in my life that I did not want BUT I am one of the most fortunate people alive. I have forgiven myself, I teach others to do the same AND I have the GIFT of forgiveness.

You should be jealous of me if you can't forgive, because it is the most destructive thing on this planet (even worse than hate or jealousy) because it never ever ends anything, but prolongs it.

 I Praise God that I have this gift (but being human it's not 100%) but I continue to work on it.

I pray for forgiveness, I pray that everyone can learn to do so but most of all I THANK GOD.

Roger

You are very right Marilyn. Holding Agrudge can also hinder your spiritual growth. Sorry Guys ( && Ladies)  but it's true. God says to forgive 7 x 70= Never ending Forgivness.
Thanks Marilyn for allowing me to express my feelings on the whole ordeal. Let it go & move on.
GOD SAYS!!!

Thank you for a very good lesson! Sometimes we get so caught up in our grudges it affects the other aspects of our lives and pushes those we love away! Let go and peace will  take you on it's gentle wings and everyone will breath easier!

As Always, God Bless!

Sincerly, Susan