Forgiveness?

Column 1--just copied scripture (embedded) I had to read it in three different translations first then decided on The Message.

1-2 Help, God—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy.
3-4 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped.
5-6 I pray to God—my life a prayer— and wait for what he'll say and do.
My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning. 7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for God—
with God's arrival comes love, with God's arrival comes generous redemption.
No doubt about it—he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. (Psalm 130, The Message)
Column 2: Stacy phrased edition

Dude, God, man, no way! Daddy, I'm in deep trouble and I have anxiety running through my body making my arms ache. Please God, HEAR me. Please have mercy and listen to the voices in my head trying to rationalize the gray areas in my life. My life is headed down the wrong path and it's all things that are out of my control. I know you can forgive anyone, because that is what you do. I don't know how you do it. Thank you. Please keep me close to you as so many things are spirling around me. I don't know where to turn but to you. I know you can correct every bad decision as you even saved an entire nation who had turned their backs on you. Let my life be the life you want others to see. Use me, pick me, I'm ready, and waiting. Waiting. Please show up today in the mess all around. Give me your words and make me forget mine. Save your children, and let me be one.


Column 3:

Today, I am a sinner and living in the gray area. This world is messy. There are not always "right" or "wrong" answers. God, please make yourself known today in the minds and hearts and actions of those around me and more importantly....myself. I will listen before passing sentence on others today. It's a mess. I would want forgiveness....and only you can give it. Others give forgiveness. Please let me be super soft today.

Some days are easy. Some days I can roll through everything and there are no heavy decisions at all to be made. Then sometimes I learn about things I wish I didn't know and have to chose which way I am going to act. I generally am capable of not Re-Acting as was my custom before Jesus scooped me up. Last weekend I was judging the debate tournament at LJH for Ruby. I learned alot about the different kinds of debate because I judged nearly all of them. There was something called PUFF, Oratory, Policy, Lincoln Douglas, and Dramatic Interpretation. The photo at the top is about forgiveness and one of the girls did a Dramatic Interpretation of one of the amish moms who got the news about her daughter being killed while at school. It ripped my heart. I do not think I could have forgiven the man who walked into my daughters school and killed her and her other classmates. The amish community came together and forgave. They did what God does. How? It's scary to pray to God sometimes because he will give you what you ask for in ways you didn't necessary mean. Take for instance patience. Don't pray for patience or you will find yourself in long lines at the grocery store behind a whiny kid. I'm afraid this morning I will not like what I have to deal with today. I can't shirk it. I have to deal with it. Is forgiveness what is needed, maybe not. It might be accountablity today. But please God let me have a soft heart but have my eyes wide open.