Forgiveness

I know a lot of people in the Church of Christ realm know the Shavers. Kenny was a minister in Mansfield for a while and a counselor at Sooner, Elaine was the camp registrar and Seth and I were in the same age group. Tragically Elaine died in a car accident the fall after my last year of camp. In her death though, I learned one of the most valuable lessons about forgiveness, and tragically I remembered it for several years and then forgot to remember. At Elaine's funeral, Larry Henderson told a story about Elaine and Kenny after they were first married. Kenny poked fun at Elaine at a party not really thinking much about it. In the car later, Elaine told Kenny how it had hurt her feelings and Kenny apologized. Years later Kenny used that story as an illustration in one of his sermons. When they got home Elaine asked him if that really happened. She had no recollection at all of the event. Elaine knew how to truly forgive and forget. I hope that I can learn to put that back in my life and use the model that Elaine set which she learned from Christ.

In my silence I would love to forget
But restitution hasn't come quite yet
And with one accord I keep moving forth
I stretch my heart to heal some more

It used to be all I want to learn
Was wisdom trust and truth
By now all I really want to learn
Is forgiveness for you

As my seasons change I've now grown to know
When one's heart creates, one's soul doesn't owe
So I wash away stains of yesterday
Then tempt my heart with love's display

It used to be all I want to learn
Was wisdom trust and truth
By now all I really want to learn
Is forgiveness for you

-Forgiveness, Collective Soul