Owning it...

Nope, not my car.

Have you ever noticed that when someone says they, "Own it."  They are usually talking about something nice...You know.
"I own a Mustang."
"I own a Mercedes."
"I own a Ferrari."
They do not say..."I own a jalopy."  That is something that just comes into their life but they do not talk about owning it. 

I thought a lot this week about owning my past.  Looks a lot like a jalopy to me.  Then, I remembered that we did own a 3-tone pickup truck that had to be started with a screw driver.  Yup, I had to stand on the bumper with the hood up and use a LONG screw driver to make contact between the battery and the starter.  Just awesome in the winter time in Spokane, Washington.  3-tone meant the hood was one color, the doors were another color and the body was kind of a gross maroon that looked half oxidized and ready to fall apart.  I was really proud of that pickup.  We had a much nicer car but also just had an uninsured baby.  To help pay off the hospital bill, we sold the car and bought this old beater pickup.  It would some times pop out of gear if you weren't careful and I would have to retrieve it from down the hill.  Luckily there wasn't much traffic in the area.  The heater worked and that was good.  I learned a lot driving that truck...always turn the wheels into the curb on an incline that way I didn't have to go far to retrieve it.  I really can start a vehicle with a screw driver.  I learned that my kids were more important than any old car.  I learned to be really thankful to finally get back into a car with shocks and other nice things to make a drive a lot more comfortable. 

I guess my past is a lot like that old pick up.  Not much to look at with plenty of problems...but there are things that I learned from it.  For example:

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names can totally destroy me.
Kindness is worth more than all the education in the world.
Gentleness is not weak.
Protecting those weaker than yourself IS the prime directive.
People that are nice in public, but nasty behind closed doors, are not nice people.
Someone that is different is not someone to laugh at.
Feelings are important...all of them.
There are worse things than dying.  
Evil really does exist.
Respecting a child makes a huge difference in their life. 
There are some people that, no matter how nice you are to them, they enjoy hurting other people.
This body is mine to care for or abuse but I am the one that pays the price.
Not everyone is thrilled to be my friend.
Putting up with pain does no one any good.
Peace at all cost, costs everything.
Jesus Christ is my savior and I need Him.

Yea, my past is an old jalopy.  I learned a lot from it but I doubt anyone wants to trade me.