I've gotten a few comments in the past few weeks on my blogs. Thank you guys so much! It is so encouraging for me to hear that my blog helps or encourages someone else. I've tried to respond to them, but for some reason, Google won't let me. :( But I wanted you guys to know I did get them and read them and they make me very happy everytime I see them. Thank you so much for your feedback and encouragement. You guys are incredible! :)
-A Christian Teenage Girl
Friday, October 14, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Thank you Jesus for GRACE!
So this week I was shown true grace in an incredible way. I got something that I did NOT deserve. Here's the story.
I have a favorite band. My favorite band is Anberlin. I LOVE Anberlin. And I looked at Anberlin's schedule and found out they were going to be in my town. The part of town they were going to be in was in that scary part of town that I would NEVER go to by myself, and my dad ALWAYS goes to concerts with me. I said "DAD. DAD. ANBERLIN IS GOING TO BE HERE IN A FEW WEEKS. CAN WE GO?!" I told him the dates, and his face fell. "Well, Rachel," he said "I'll be out of town that day. I don't think it will work." (See, my dad has been going to see his pastor/mentor every weekend. His mentor is 5 hours away.) "Well can't you change your flight?" "No. It will cost me $150. I can't." I tried and tried to work it out for us to go see Anberlin, and every date had SOME sort of complication with it. I begged and begged my dad to make something work. I treated him coldly when he finally said, "NO!" I complained and was short with him, and made it clear that I was upset that he would NOT take me to the concert. When I saw that I was really hurting his feelings, I thought about it. I realized I wasn't mad at my dad for not taking me-I was upset at OTHER things that had gone on that day, and was taking it out on him. I apologized. I said "Dad, I know what you're doing every weekend is from God, and so I'm really sorry I treated you badly for not taking me to that concert. I understand. And I'm not really upset about the concert. Other stuff has upsetted me today, and I was just mad about that. Can you please forgive me?" he said yes. The next day, he sat me down and told me to relook at the tickets. When we found them, he said "Get me my credit card." He bought the tickets right in front of me. He then looked at me and said "Now, Rachel, I want you to know, I'm not doing this because you acted badly yesterday or because you had a bad day. I'm buying these tickets because you asked me to forgive you for treating me like that." We talked some more, and I said "But dad, what about your plane ticket? How did you fix that?" He just said "I haven't yet." I realized what a chance he was taking. He bought the tickets, confirming that he WAS taking me-whether he had to pay the $150 for the plane or not. I was incredibly grateful that I have such a good dad.
Later, he called the airport and talked to them. It turns out, when he called the airport the first time, the woman said "You can't change-it will be $150." But actually, you had 24 hours after you booked the flight to change your flight for free. My dad explained this to the person he was talking to that the woman was mistaken and that he should have been able to change his flight. He also kindly asked if he could change it now with out paying $150, because he would be flying the same airline consistently for the next year. The person said "Hold on sir." When they came back, they told my father he was right-he could change the flight, but he would have to pay $50 for the difference in first ticket and the second ticket. Understanding, my dad agreed. He excitedly told me "I worked it out! We're going to that concert!"
I sat and thought even more about that. With the way I had treated my father before, I did NOT deserve those tickets. I didn't deserve ANYTHING. I treated him terribly! But with grace, my dad bought the tickets-giving me something I did NOT deserve. And the God, in HIS grace, made it able for my dad to not pay $150 to change his ticket. God showed me grace also. I didn't deserve any of that. But grace made it available to me. And that is the beauty of the love of God. He gives us things (like salvation) when we DON'T deserve them-showing us grace-and doesn't give us things (like death and hell) when we DO deserve them-showing us mercy. God's love-his grace and mercy-always leaves me speechless and grateful for Jesus and his love for us. Thank you, Lord, for that!
I have a favorite band. My favorite band is Anberlin. I LOVE Anberlin. And I looked at Anberlin's schedule and found out they were going to be in my town. The part of town they were going to be in was in that scary part of town that I would NEVER go to by myself, and my dad ALWAYS goes to concerts with me. I said "DAD. DAD. ANBERLIN IS GOING TO BE HERE IN A FEW WEEKS. CAN WE GO?!" I told him the dates, and his face fell. "Well, Rachel," he said "I'll be out of town that day. I don't think it will work." (See, my dad has been going to see his pastor/mentor every weekend. His mentor is 5 hours away.) "Well can't you change your flight?" "No. It will cost me $150. I can't." I tried and tried to work it out for us to go see Anberlin, and every date had SOME sort of complication with it. I begged and begged my dad to make something work. I treated him coldly when he finally said, "NO!" I complained and was short with him, and made it clear that I was upset that he would NOT take me to the concert. When I saw that I was really hurting his feelings, I thought about it. I realized I wasn't mad at my dad for not taking me-I was upset at OTHER things that had gone on that day, and was taking it out on him. I apologized. I said "Dad, I know what you're doing every weekend is from God, and so I'm really sorry I treated you badly for not taking me to that concert. I understand. And I'm not really upset about the concert. Other stuff has upsetted me today, and I was just mad about that. Can you please forgive me?" he said yes. The next day, he sat me down and told me to relook at the tickets. When we found them, he said "Get me my credit card." He bought the tickets right in front of me. He then looked at me and said "Now, Rachel, I want you to know, I'm not doing this because you acted badly yesterday or because you had a bad day. I'm buying these tickets because you asked me to forgive you for treating me like that." We talked some more, and I said "But dad, what about your plane ticket? How did you fix that?" He just said "I haven't yet." I realized what a chance he was taking. He bought the tickets, confirming that he WAS taking me-whether he had to pay the $150 for the plane or not. I was incredibly grateful that I have such a good dad.
Later, he called the airport and talked to them. It turns out, when he called the airport the first time, the woman said "You can't change-it will be $150." But actually, you had 24 hours after you booked the flight to change your flight for free. My dad explained this to the person he was talking to that the woman was mistaken and that he should have been able to change his flight. He also kindly asked if he could change it now with out paying $150, because he would be flying the same airline consistently for the next year. The person said "Hold on sir." When they came back, they told my father he was right-he could change the flight, but he would have to pay $50 for the difference in first ticket and the second ticket. Understanding, my dad agreed. He excitedly told me "I worked it out! We're going to that concert!"
I sat and thought even more about that. With the way I had treated my father before, I did NOT deserve those tickets. I didn't deserve ANYTHING. I treated him terribly! But with grace, my dad bought the tickets-giving me something I did NOT deserve. And the God, in HIS grace, made it able for my dad to not pay $150 to change his ticket. God showed me grace also. I didn't deserve any of that. But grace made it available to me. And that is the beauty of the love of God. He gives us things (like salvation) when we DON'T deserve them-showing us grace-and doesn't give us things (like death and hell) when we DO deserve them-showing us mercy. God's love-his grace and mercy-always leaves me speechless and grateful for Jesus and his love for us. Thank you, Lord, for that!
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