Tony and Gpa were driving down Blue Lakes when they were approaching a construction site. The work had been going on for some time but today it was really a mess. Tony said, “why do they make such a mess of the ground grandpa? It looks really bad.” Inspiration hit me. Relate this messy lot to life.

“Sometimes things have to look really bad before it can be make into something beautiful and useful. A piece of canvas can be laying around for years, *****, a mess and then someone picks it up, cleans it off to discover it will work perfectly for a painting. The spots are covered and the artist begins the first brush strokes. Soon, what was ***** and no value to anyone becomes a wonderful work of art by the masters hand. ”

“It is much like people. They can be ***** and broken, look a mess because of drug use, not living right.”

“God can pick them up, clean them off and begin painting a beautiful picture. Where once was a disaster now it beauty.”

Granted, the above is a little more but not much more, than what gpa said to Tony that day. The italic was added when gpa wrote this.

Anger, envy, strife, and unforgiveness ( your choice here) can soil the canvas of life. Words said in anger can never be taken back. All the other hurts and hangups in life can dissolve into the background when forgiveness is granted and accepted.

Forgiveness can cover many a stain and when the light reflects off our picture only the beauty of forgiveness reaches out to others. I know many forgiven people. Beautiful people.