The mistakes of the past is over so it's time we start making right choices and no more mistakes only if we think before we act. You can never make a mistake twice. Because the second time is not a mistake, it's a choice. "Ooowee"! Write that down.
It's a New Year, ‘Don't look back Part III’
Oooweee!
I'm still laughing so hard, looking at yesterday's counseling session with the 81 year-old husband and his cute no teeth, 82 year-old wife in my mind.
I still remember the words of the husband, because I spilled my coffee on my Bishop's robe, as I almost fell out my chair with laughter.
"Bishop, every time we start fussing and she starts cussing she get's so historical." I quickly jumped in to correct him, "You mean hysterical." He quickly corrected me, "No, historical, she goes back to over twenty years of what I did wrong, but can't remember what I did right yesterday." Ooowee! I lost it as I lost pastoral mode of counseling and started laughing as both looked at me wondering if I had lost my mind.
What was the problem with this marriage, this older couple of many years that just could not get it right even in their old age? The wife always lived in the past and could not see the present of her husband and what he was doing right. The husband continued, "I'm sick of you and I'm gonna leave your butt." The wife continued, "Where you think you going with your old ass." I almost fell out my chair again wondering and praying how to bring this couple together on one accord.
We are now in another week of the New Year and already individuals are repeating mistakes from 2011. I ask each of you my readers the question why? Are they just used to living in the past? Is it just that they don't know any better? Is it a misery loves company thing? Why is it that some individuals prefer to live in the past than right now. Yes, I can say all the right things and everyone will agree, but in reality there are individuals who will still live in the past than in today as well as preparing for tomorrow.
The mother of five told me, "Bishop, the kids had all gone to school. I said my prayers, was cleaning the house when I got the call. My friend on the other end started saying things to upset me about another friend of mind and messed up my entire day." I asked her, "What could you have done to keep her from upsetting you? Why did you continue to listen to her, than to say, ‘I don't want to hear that mess?’”
Before she could answer I continued asking her another question. "Why didn't you just hang up the phone instead of give her that kind of power to mess up your entire day?" She responded, "Bishop, I could have hung up the phone but I really wanted to hear that gossip." But yet when it was heard, that gossip by the woman got her upset.
When we allow others to take us back to things that will affect our peace of mind in reality we've given away our power of peace.
Over and over as a Bishop and pastor people ask me often, "bishop, why you keep your voice mail full instead of clear it out for others to leave you messages?" I answer without even thinking, "I'm tired of individuals creating problems in their life from bad choices and calling me telling me the bad results from their poor choices and asking me to solve their problems." Many of these individuals don't go to any church or spiritual institution yet often want to make me a Social Worker instead of a Spiritual Worker that God might get the Glory when their mess, madness and drama changes from negative to positive. I will not have individuals dump their trash on me this year expecting me to solve their problems from their poor choices. This year I'm keeping it "cut-throat" clear 100% in regards to individuals taking personal responsibility for their actions.
Part of not looking in the past and reliving the past is to know our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can't help others, don't hurt them. Looking in the past and pulling out the mistakes of the past is draining and hurts that individual that is trying to make a positive change. LET THOSE INDIVIDUALS GO! GET THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE!
The mistakes of the past is over so it's time we start making right choices and no more mistakes only if we think before we act. You can never make a mistake twice. Because the second time is not a mistake, it's a choice. "Ooowee"! Write that down.
As I close out I want each of you my readers to say this prayer; "Dear Past: Thanks for your lessons. Dear future: I'm ready! Dear God: Thank you for another chance." And another thing I want to say, is "everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change." Start changing today by letting go of the past and start fresh today. Remember that yesterdays mistakes and today's corrections! Amen!
Join the bishop and the In Touch for Christ Christian Center's Church Family, each Sunday morning 11a.m. sharp at the church, 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio, directly across the street from the Job Corps. Campus in the heart of the Collinwood Community, off St. Clair Ave. Find bishop also on Facebook under Bishop Prince J. Moultry or the church website at www.intouchforchrist.com. Call the church at 216 761-7100 or e-mail the bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com with your comments.
