Skip to main content

Forgiveness ala Elizabeth Smart

Surprisingly so "People" magazine had a nice small article on Elizabeth Smart and her forgiveness of the two monsters that kidnapped her. I'm going to paraphrase, although it is very close to a quote.

Elizabeth said that she has forgiven him but that doesn't mean she's going to hang out with him or write him supporting letters.

I love this statement. Her description of forgiveness is right on. So many people confuse forgiveness with acceptance, they are very different things.

I have forgiven the whore monger that I was married to. That doesn't mean I accept that there was any excuse for his actions, nor does it mean that I want him anywhere in my life. My forgiveness of his hurtful actions mean that he isn't allowed to harm me anymore with the choices he made.

It's like putting a computer virus in a "quarantine". It's away from your OS, it can't trip up your PC, but it's never allowed back into the fold.

Don't look down at someone because they haven't outwardly embraced an individual that hurt them, that doesn't mean they haven't done the internal work to forgive them, it just means the door is shut.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Protein Brownies Review

First of all I am not trying or wanting to be a blogger that is touting their idealistic lifestyle nor do I want to be an influencer.  I am just a person who likes to blog and share a small glimpse of my imperfect life.   I am saying all of that because I am posting unedited pictures of my cooking.  Most of my pictures are un-edited.  I crop to keep certain details out of pictures.  Like I cropped a couple of these photos so you cannot see the chipped countertop on the edge of my stove.  Come to think of it I shouldn't have cropped that.  I cannot be the only person who has a chipped countertop.  Oh well Onward! I did some online shopping at Target.  I miss Target.  I mean I really really miss Target, it is one of my very favorite stores.  When we are not in a pandemic I love that I can order online and walk in a pick it up.  It keeps me from experiencing the bloated cart that comes from cruising Target aisles. I wanted some baked goods but I did not want to waddle after the

In anticipation of my 40th birthday

These are just a few of the things I've learned... Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it. If my dogs don't like you, there's a good reason. Wearing the right size bra makes all the difference. I'm not as secure as I appear, and neither are other people. Keyless entry remotes are very helpful in finding your car in a parking lot..honk and look. Red wine makes me sweat. If you can't say anything nice, come sit by me, I'll do my best to keep you out of trouble. I am my own worst critic and the only one that matters. If you think about someone far more than they think about you, you need to re-think your thinking! And my own personal motto.... Pray like you mean it, Love like you mean it, so you can live like you mean it. Later, J

Today's list of what is on my mind

1: Will our society survive ourselves 2: Do we even deserve to survive; why are we, as a country, society, still not understanding why hate has no place in our hearts. 3: Protesting doesn't include riots 4. Protesting doesn't include looting/rioting 5: Free persons protest; criminals loot/riot 6: Protesters are not criminals because they protest; two different groups of people; not to be judged as one 7: My mom scolded me harshly for ever using the word "hate" said about a person or group. 8: Many of us are tired; exhausted; tired of anxiety about illness and exhausted by grief. 9: I want to go to the forest 10: I want to go to the ocean 11: I want people to value other people; you don't have to like everyone or agree with them, just accept they are equal. 12: Black Lives Matter.