Never

      "I would never!"  Boy.  I've said that a few times. How about you?  Probably the most eaten words ever spoken.  Boiled, fried, baked or grilled, they usually taste just the same.  Dry and flavorless and hard to swollow. 

     One of my 'I would nevers' happened last week. Having a backyard pool since 2002 has been wonderful. Sure it was an above ground pool and not fancy. But it was huge and great for family fun. I even swam a mile in it one day a few years back!  Other people would talk about how much work their pools were and how they wished they didn't even have a pool. I couldn't even imagine!  How could someone even think that?  I would NEVER! 

      Now it's gone. No more boys jumping off the roof in their underwear when parents are at work. No more brothers irritating sister with cannonball after cannonball. No more backyard full of kids celebrating birthdays. But it's ok. Time for a new era.  And new landscaping! 

      Sometimes when we say 'never' it's because we are judging someone else's actions.  We would NEVER do what they are doing. Thing is, we haven't walked in their shoes. We can't really say never unless we tie on their sneakers and go for a jog.

      Recently I had to eat a really big never.  Crazy thing, I had said over and over that I would never. There was no way. Then, out of the blue, I felt God leading me to do what I said I would never do. With some big time praying I finally realized my "I would never" had to be replaced with a "yes Lord".  Pride needed to be done away with and obedience had to take its place. The results?  Well they are still happening. But truth and healing have been a big part of it all.  And I'm looking forward to seeing what else God has planned. It's rough some days. But I know it will be worth it. 

     There was a man many years ago who said never. His name was Peter. He said he would never deny Jesus. But he did. Then he realized what he had done. And Peter spent the rest of his life proving his love for our Savior.  I love that story. Sometimes Peter reminds me of someone.....someone I see in the mirror. 

     Do you have any  nevers?  How did they get that way?  Fear?  Hurt?  Good intentions?  Pride?  I'm learning that some of my nevers are really opportunities.  Until recently, I never would have thought of them that way.