Capturing Memories and Handling Disappointment

So something happened this week.

Actually, it happened nearly 2 months ago, and we are just finding out about it now. It involves Logan and Morgan's wedding pictures...OR THE LACK THEREOF.

And let's just leave it at that.

And there are hurt feelings and disappointment and sadness over a moment in time that can never be recreated.

And there is anger.

Because what happens when you think things will be a certain way, and they aren't?

Or, what if you are waiting for something that never comes?

Or, what if you pay for something that you never get?

There are accidents and things that happen that are out of our control...I get that. And there are things that happen as a result of malice. And there's negligence.

And sometimes it's not clear what exactly happened.

So what do you do with all the feelings? And does our response, as Christians, when things go wrong...depend on the circumstances?

And is forgiveness is for everyone in every situation?

I believe the answers should be "no..." and "yes."

But here's the deal. It all looks good on paper...how we are supposed to act and what we are supposed to do. If you take the emotion out of it, it's easy.

But there is emotion...because there was expectation, and now there is loss...and a day and memories that we can never, ever capture again. It hurts.

And bless my sweet daughter-in-law's heart. I gave her the whole "you don't have to respond right now.." and the whole, "pray and ask God to give you the words to say.." and the whole, "one day you can forgive her..." SPEECH.

And that's what she did. She handled herself and the situation beautifully...all the while having to talk her mother and I off the ledge.

I gave her sound counsel, but as quickly as I could think, "look how good I am," I found myself thinking how I could tell everyone I knew about what happened, and how I could intentionally maybe try to ruin a person's reputation.

Oh, yes I did. And I'm ashamed to admit it. 

Because I was so mad. For good reason, but still.

And then the cock crowed.

Not really, but maybe.

UGH.

I'm a slow learner. That's an established fact. This whole week, before this happened, has been GOD showing His truth to me in example after example. From our Sunday School lesson from the book of Jonah, who took offense to something that wasn't his to take on...to a blog post I read just yesterday, on how even if no one else knows the truth, God knows...because He is the One Who sees.  And several other things in-between, God showed me how to act when things don't go my way, and I blew it. Big time.

I love my family. Capturing our special days, and our every days with pictures is important to me. I even love the "out-takes" and the imperfect shots we take...because they tend to show everyone's personalities.

Sometimes I love those shots even more than the "good" ones.

When I'm home during the day, I love to watch The Pioneer Woman at 11 a.m. Every once in a while, tho, the Food Network throws a little Trisha Yearwood in there, just to mess with me. Nothing against TY, I just really like Ree!

But this particular day, Trisha was cooking for her family...her dad and her sister and some other family members. Her dad said something that encompassed my whole philosophy when it comes to taking pictures.

During the course of the show, they were showing pictures of their family in years past. Trisha's mom has passed away, but she was in many of the pictures, and they talked about what Mama said or what Mama did.

And then her dad said this: "pictures are not for now...they are for later."

WOW.

Because, you know, even if you are at an event, you don't see EVERYTHING that is going on.

And sometimes memories are lost...and people die...and OH HOW YOU WISH YOU HAD THOSE PICTURES.

Capture your memories...for later!

Today, we are choosing JOY.

"...just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive." Colossians 3:13