Choices

Probably every country music lover knows about George Jones.  Known as "The Possum", George had a unique voice that everyone recognized.  He was a legend in the country music community.  One of his later hits was a song by the name of "Choices", a soulful song that addressed bad choices made along the way.  I can't imagine anyone hearing it who wouldn't do just a little introspection of themselves as a result.  It resonated with almost every listener in one way or another because of the message.

We humans make choices every single day in one form or another.  Many are just choices to be made about daily living...what to eat, what route to take, etc, etc.  The ones that get us in trouble aren't those daily living choices however.  We have to make those choices....unless there is someone telling us what to eat, when to eat, what road to take, what task to do next, etc.

The choices that get us into the deep weeds are generally behavior centered are they not? 

• How do I react to that driver who just cut me off?
• How do I respond to a wife that is "nagging" me unmercifully?
• Or, is my wife really nagging me unmercifully?
• Do I really want to spend time with the kids when I get home and I'm dog tired?
• Do I really want to get up and go to church as a family on Sunday?
• etc
• etc.

Here's an interesting thing about choices.....we are the ones that make those choices, but so often we try to blame the choices we make on someone or some circumstance.  An escape clause is hiding there.  Oops, I made a bad choice, but it was because.....(fill in the blank).

There is only one bottom line about choices.  Whatever choices we make, it is WE who have made them, and we have to own them as well as the consequences of those  choices.  Our best hope, if we are to be better men, husbands and fathers is:

• grow to make more and more better choices and lesser and lesser bad choices
• forgive ourselves for the bad choices we have made
• and know that God is with us each step of the way
• and that He loves us no matter what.