Thankful Series: Day Five (+#giveaway News)
All this month I will be watching on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and my new subscribers for my monthly-0r-so newsletter. If you tag me @JulieArduini and tell me you’re #thankful or #juliearduinithankful, I’ll enter your name to win a copy of my fiction books. This includes Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged, You’re Beautiful and the boxed set of A Christmas to Remember (only available as eBook.)
If you live in the United States, you have the choice, if you are the one winner randomly chosen, of print (except A Christmas to Remember,) or eBook. If you are outside of the US, it is automatically eBook.
I’ll add your name once a day for each shout out I receive (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, plus one total entry if you are a new subscriber to my newsletter.) You may or may not receive confirmation from me for those entries, and my random draw is final. If winner doesn’t respond after 30 days, I will choose another. I’m thankful for you.
Today I’m thankful for second chances. Sure, I’m grateful for the millions of chances given to me, that’s a no brainer. I’m a screw-up even on the days I try so hard not to be. But raw honesty time? I’m not the easiest person to deal with once I’ve seen something go wrong. If you’ve messed up with a loved one, oh, it is ON.
Second chances, what’s that now?
Please don’t misread this to believe I give open access to toxic people and situations we need to clearly avoid. That’s not what this is about.
I’m thankful that God’s wisdom reigned during a time when I wanted to pack my kids up, build a bubble house, and never let them leave. Never let them experience life in the areas where they had been hurt. When one situation seemed like an epic failure at our child’s expense, I was mentally preparing the list of where our next place would be because clearly, clearly the present place was out.
And clearly, clearly God showed me I was moving too fast.
It was our child that opened our eyes to giving another chance, and truthfully, we were beyond a second or a third chance. She was the one that explained as tough as the situation was, she was exactly where God wanted her to be.
That was sobering. Because this wasn’t a positive experience for her, or us.
As parents, we looked at other things. Who wouldn’t want to protect their kid? But every door closed. Every. It looked like she truly was called to be exactly where she was. That meant, giving another chance.
Fast forward and the place is the same, but the situation and atmosphere is not. Our child is thriving and feels safe and protected. She’s making a difference and feels part of a greater something.
Had we pulled the trigger on this and refused to listen to wisdom, I don’t think I could be grateful right now.
It took a lot of time, tears and prayers to realize this. But I’m thankful for second chances, and third, and fourth, and as many as God asks me to give.
