I'm Not Mad Anymore!

This blog is a tribute to my godson who is 17 years old today.

One day several years ago when my godson was about seven years old, I happen to be visiting his family's home around dinner time.  His mother had just cooked dinner. When my godson was small, I was fortunate enough to to spend a lot of time with the family and I often ate dinner with them. I'm very big on families sitting around the dinner table and eating together because that's how I was raised.

While his mother put the fininshing touches on the food, I called the three children, my godson has a younger brother and sister, to the table. Well, my godson did not come to the table, so I called him again. He still did not come. Finally, I went to see what he was doing that was so important that he could not come to dinner. Needless to say, I was a little vexed by this time. AJ (I don't call him that but he likes this name) was caught up in some cartoon that happen to be the rave at that time. When I got downstairs where he was, I immediately began scolding him. This was a major incident between us because I never raised my voice with my friends' children and...I have only spanked AJ once in his whole life. I am somewhat against corporal punishment.

Anyway I yelled at AJ and told him to come to the dinner table. I let him know that watching a cartoon was not as important as having dinner with his family. I won the argument that day probably because I was bigger than he. But, he was fired up and we both knew it. We were both mad.

The next day, I had the occasion to see AJ again because his mother asked me to meet him when he got off the school bus. As he came running off the bus, he said some words that have stuck with me for several years. He said, "I remember what happen yesterday, but I'm not mad at you anymore." I smiled and replied, "Oh, you're not? He said, "No", while shaking his head.

How quick AJ was to forgive was touching. Isn't it amazing how quick kids can forgive and absolve wrongdoing? This reminds me of the Kevin Levar song, "A Heart That Forgives". Here is a verse:

I want a heart that forgives
A heart full of love
One with compassion just like yours above
One that over comes evil with goodness and love
Like it never happened, never holding a grudge
I want a heart that forgives that lives and lets live
One that keeps loving over and over again
One that men can’t offend
Cuz your word is deep within
One that loves without price like you Lord Jesus Christ

Check out the video:


For more info on Kevin Levar and his music, visit http://www.kevinlevar.com