Leaving the City of Regrets, by Larry Harp

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I meant to post this January 1st…but I was at a conference and it slipped my mind.  Nonetheless, it’s still January, and early enough in the year for it to do somebody some good 🙂  I reread it each year, and find it to be a blessed reminder.

http://www.phnet.fi/public/mamaa1/regrets.htm

Leaving The City Of Regrets

By

Larry Harp
I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I’m talking about my annual “Guilt Trip.”
I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been. No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town.
As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year’s most important event, the Annual Pity Party. I wasn’t going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there.
First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol’ Wish and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterday’s. There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share.
Then Shattered Dreams would surely make and appearance. And It’s Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don’t Blame Me and I Couldn’t Help It.
Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and subsequent “pity party” could be canceled by ME! I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn’t have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN’T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. Knowing this, I left the City of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I’ve made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them.
So, if you’re planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please cancel all your reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a place called, Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts are so very helpful. By the way, you don’t have to carry around heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. If you can find it — it’s in your own heart — please look me up. I live on I Can Do It Street.

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Treat Tenderly

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T

Treat hearts tenderly ~

R

Remember they’re fragile, may not be much resilient…

E

Even the wizened, encased in ancient armadillo armor

A

Are vulnerable:  deep abrasions, agony from arrogant embraces, all due to awkward

T

Trust placed in those unworthy…scars tattooed by cruel magic spells of Truth-disabled.

Treat tenderly all hearts.

©Sand Lashelsea, 2017 ~ All rights reserved.

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Heart to Heart Conversation

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Sheep know Shepherd’s voice

Love’s words recognizable

Even in half-sleep

Heart to heart conversation

“I’ll not fail you, nor forsake”

©Sand Lashelsea, 2017 ~ All rights reserved.

King James Bible
And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.  Deut 31:8

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Weary Year Finally Ends

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/finally/

Limping toward last hours

Wrinkled calendar meets end

Frayed triumphs tear-blurred

Blind faith, hope, dreams clutched in bag

*To be redeemed in New Year

©Sand Lashelsea, 2017 ~ All rights reserved.

*The Lord’s Encouragements:

New International Version
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” ~Ecclesiastes 7:8

18 “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. 19* “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.  Isaiah 43:18-19 ~~  New American Standard Bible

27 And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28* And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.… Romans 8:27-29 ~~  Berean Study Bible

In the Almost Lost

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In the “almost lost”

Faith clings to mountain, weeps, waits

(Doubts…) prays God’s rescue

‘Midst this “almost” soul decides

Persevering trust or Death

~

During “almost lost”

Heart is no less radiant

Volcano-burnished

©Sand Lashelsea, 2017 ~ All rights reserved.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/almost/

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Call For Extravagant Hearts

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Extravagant hearts

What whole world needs in New Year

Desp’rate souls languish

Big money, small consciences

Self-consumed “all about me”

©Sand Lashelsea, 2017 ~ All rights reserved.

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