I guess we all would have liked to do things a bit differently ...perhaps have a delete button for certain portions of our lives.

Yet, isn't that the beauty behind being open and honest about it??

If we make a mistake, we can share with others our understanding of what that mistake was ...and perhaps spare them from making the same mistake.

Of course, that is dependent upon the fact of whether we know what the mistake is.  All of us make mistakes that we may not realize are mistakes.

Also, if we feel the mistake has potentially hurt someone ...we can go to that person, admit that we are not happy with the way things went, and then work to reconcile or remedy the situation. Seeking forgiveness is very powerful, and is often much appreciated.  

Many mature individuals will dismiss the offence, and say, "Think no more of what has happened  ...forget it!"  

And they feel the hardship was worth the now renewed understanding, and they may even feel their friendship is even stronger now as a result of the difficulty.

Yes, it's something like the story of the butterfly ...where it would not have the strength to fly, if not for the struggle it goes through to get out of the chrysalis. And who doesn't look with wonder at the beauty of the butterfly, as it flutters and floats with such ease and effortless grace.

And how much are we like the hungry caterpillar ...consuming life, not knowing of the transformation God wants to perform in us??

We are to live life to its fullest ...through Him, not ourselves. But, it takes all our effort to do so ...or we make it harder on ourselves, and at times we quit trying.

I've often thought of different scenarios:

A person works his way up the ladder to success ...then forgets his roots, his friends, and what he used to be.

A person is born with parents of great success and wealth, his parents pass on, the wealth is all his, he is taken by an opportunist promoting the promise of more wealth, and he loses it all.  He is an angry and bitter man.

A person works his way up the ladder to success ...does not forget his roots, helps out his friends, and creates several businesses that employ lots of people.

A person is born with parents of great success and wealth, his parents pass on, the wealth is all his, he is taken by an opportunist promoting the promise of more wealth, and he loses it all. He is now living at a shelter and eats at the local soup kitchen. He is grateful for what he has and always has a kind smile for everyone.

A person feels life is not fair and he should have what other people have. He decides to do something about it. But, what he does ...is not a persistent resolve to work diligently to save to get what he wants. He has a job paying $12/hour ...and he even qualifies for some government assistance, but he likes to party too much and misses too much work. He gets a gun, and he will use it to get what he wants ...what he should have and what is deserving of him.  He gets what is deserving of him. He now has a place to stay with no rent, and he gets free meals ...in his cell.

For every scenario that you can imagine, there are multiple responses by individuals within those life situations. People often like to excuse themselves or others that they empathize with.  They feel their environment is responsible for what has happened to them ...and they feel that excuses their actions, and any reactions they may have. 

But, there are those who do not make excuses ...and they feel they have to take responsibility, and also accept their lot in life. They do accept the fact that they feel at times like giving up, but they do not give up.  They try to improve their life, but if it doesn't happen right away, or if it never happens ...they try to grin and bear it.

The fact is, some people work their way up the ladder of success and some people fall off the ladder ...yet, neither is as significant in life as is our choice of how we react both to our former and latter condition.

What would you say if everyone's name was put into a hat ...I mean, everyone's!?! Well, with the world population well-exceeding 7 billion people, that would be a big hat. So, what if everyone's name in the world was put into a computer program ...and randomly we would be assigned a lot in life.

Would you enthusiastically embrace a program like that?

A person in Syria may jump at the chance to have the computer choose them any alternative life ...as well, would many people living in neighborhoods saturated with violent drug culture, whether here in the U.S., or in hot spots such as Columbia.

There are those who have criticized the 1% in our country, while giving the impression that they are to be hated.  The top 1% of the very wealthy, that is, to be despised.

There is another 1% in our country ...the ones who are doing, in comparison, as poorly as others in the worst parts of the world. That leaves over 90% of the people in our country who are doing better than in lots of places in the world ...yet, they are not grateful, nor content. Much of our problems seem to be that of a comparison issue.

If I could only do it all over again ...

Well, I most wholeheartedly wouldn't want to  ...

I've made enough mistakes, and I wouldn't want to chance making more.

It's not that I consider myself stupid, and wouldn't learn from my mistakes ...it's just that I believe doing it all over again would mean that perhaps I wouldn't be making the mistakes I've learned from, but may be making a whole slew of different mistakes that I may not have learned from.

I'm glad God did not create me as an angel. I wouldn't want to have to trust myself that I wouldn't aspire to become an entrepreneur ...to start my own business.

Some of you may not like the name entrepreneur, nor quite know the make-up of one. Let's list a few:

1. You have the idea ...you decide what direction you want to go.
2. Ambition ...you decide how far you want to go with it.
3. Willingness to take risks ...yes, that's you!!
4. "I deal the idea!" You call the shots when it comes to decision-making.
5. Play many roles ...you oversee the many aspects of what your idea involves.
6. Ability to avoid burn-out.

If you consider how Lucifer fits into this definition of entrepreneur, it fits quite accurately, except for #6, in the end.

Of course, Lucifer needed followers, otherwise it doesn't work. It's not a comfortable feeling, but I have to admit that it looks like a workable plan ...that, if I'd been an angel, a plan I may have fallen for.  And that would have made me a fallen angel.

I know of some men who say their wife is an absolute angel, and that is sweet to say, but problematic. I know they aren't saying this literally, but some have stated this to be the case before the Flood, and also a possibility of happening after the Flood. If we are to believe this was the reason for the Flood, are we also to believe it to be somewhat like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz ..."I'm melting ...I'm melting!!"??? (her & water don't mix)

And it's not like the TV show, Bewitched, of the mid-60s ...where your mother-in-law is a witch. Or when they were expecting a child, not knowing whether Tabitha was going to also be a witch or not.  

They may all be likable characters, but only the fallen angels would esteem to marry humans, if God allowed it.  I don't believe He would, yet if you feel you've married an angel ...you likely should jump on board with those conspiracy theorists, and think your in-laws are aliens or plants (those who pose as someone they are not) ...sort of like put here to torment us with their flair of distorted reality.

Some scholars have said only the righteous angels are called the sons of God ...but, for those who believe angels mated with humans, wouldn't that be unrighteous??

There are references (Hosea 1:10; John 1:12; Romans 8:14; Philippians 2:14-16; I John 3:1-2) to human believers, as sons of God. I see this as much more plausible ...that the 2/3 angels that did not fall, and the human believers, both who will be in heaven, as the sons of God.

But, back to my confessions of weakness ...and it's easier to accept knowing what Jesus said to the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

What I must also say now, is that I've heard people say they would have liked to have lived during the time Jesus walked on earth.  

Not me.

Nearly all of the apostles suffered violent deaths ...and several were crucified in some way like Jesus was.  But, their message was not primarily about death ...but, of His life and also resurrection.  There are many brave soldiers who die for their country ...and the motivation for that is to defend against the evil, and allow others to live. And we should live somewhat in a way that Abraham Lincoln spoke of in his Gettysburg Address: 
"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom ..."
And that freedom that they fought for, was in part for the many freedoms they aspired to obtain here on earth.  But, how much more so, is the freedom Jesus sacrificed His life for.  He died so we could live ...for Him.  And that may include being killed , but it doesn't have to. 

And again, I'm not sure I would have supported Jesus.  If I hadn't heard Him speak, and I had only heard of Him causing a stir ...well, honestly, I might have said, "Who does He think He is ...claiming to be God!?!"  And it's not something to boast about, but rather humbling to admit I may have been one of the ones who opposed Him.  

Certainly, I would not have been in favor of the treatment Jesus received. If I felt He was arrogant, I would not have voted for Him ...as I don't let my emotions trump my beliefs, in reacting to what is right and what is wrong.  And if I thought He was crazy ...well, I'd think there was a reason.  After all, I've worked with the mentally ill, and I was known to be a compassionate person.

But, I realize that I am the one with the mental block. It took the kind, gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit to think it through. In truth, it may have been difficult to think clearly with a Roman army breathing down my neck.

Though I may have been one of the ones who rejected Him a couple thousand years ago ...when He returns, I will not be likewise deceived. I am so thankful I have the Bible. It shows me how wrong I could have been, it tells me that I can turn to Him when I still am, and it makes it clear about His Second Coming.

Yes, I'm glad I can read His Word, the Bible, and that His Holy Spirit has shown me truth.

It seems like Satan had a head start.

In the Book of Job, (Job 1:6; 2:1) it says that the sons of God presented themselves to God, and Satan came also among them. But, much before that Adam & Eve tried to hide ...not presenting themselves, and the serpent was there too.  Also, when Cain and Abel presented themselves to God, with an offering ....God encouraged Cain, but also warned him what could happen if he let sin manifest itself.  (also First John 3:12; Jude 1:11)  

After Cain killed Abel ...it wasn't until Adam was 130 years old that Eve gave them Seth. 

Then when Seth was 105 years old, he had a son ...at which point it is said they began to call upon the name of the Lord again. Seemingly, 200 years transpired ...where they did not call upon God.  The violent death of Abel, at the hand of the other of two sons, seems to have caused them to lose much of their hope and direction.  Hard to imagine a world going on for 200 years without any attempts to seek out God.  What would that kind of world look like??

Our country has made huge strides to oppose God's ways. Over fifty years ago our not so Supreme Court ruled to remove prayer as the important beginning of a school day.  Nearly at this same time, evolution was brought into schools ...to be taught without opposition. No alternate points of view would be presented.  I can't imagine fifty more years, let alone 150 years beyond that. And I hope I don't have to imagine it, as I do imagine Jesus will return before then. 

Speaking of being able to do it all over again ...God did a couple do-overs. But, God did not opt for a do-over because He made a mistake. It was done for our benefit ...and our understanding.

Howbeit, not all of us understand.  But, often we don't want to understand things. How much invested time do we put into something we are interested in??

It seems like there is always a debate on whether it is better to start out with having everything ...or to work our way to accumulating things, or knowledge.  God chose to create the angels first ...and He had a plan, even before the rebellion took place.  Nothing is unforeseen with God.

Creating us ...as humble creatures, was much a part of the plan. Not as humble as evolutionists would claim, as we were created very capable and very intelligent, we were just lacking in wisdom.

Wisdom comes from God, and when we turn from God ...our intelligence, as well as our capabilities, can only become our enemy.

The Flood seems like a do-over, but it is provided as a proof ...and perhaps a preview to the Final Judgment.

The birth of Jesus was not a do-over, but a do-right.  You'd be dudley wrong not to follow Him.

His Second coming is not a do-over, but a done deal.

What's the deal ...

It's the best deal, yet to be the best, it had to also be fair ...equally fair.

And as most things, when some people only seek to benefit at the extent of others ...that is not fair.

You want the best??

Then let's go it together ...with Jesus.