"how beautiful the tender eyes that chose to forgive and never despise..."-twila paris, how beautiful
this is an incredibly powerful and moving song, combining scriptural lyrics with beautifully flowing music. i have the privilege of singing it this weekend for a friend's wedding.
 this line grabbed my attention.
"how beautiful the tender eyes that chose to forgive and NEVER despise."
Jesus chose to look on His oppressors, and on all human beings, with forgiveness, rather than despising them for all the pain, suffering and heartbreak they caused Him.
i need to take a leaf out of Jesus' book here.
it is so easy to despise those i love, to hold back forgiveness and hold onto anger, offended by thoughtless, outrageously selfish actions and attitudes that others have towards me, without stopping to think that my response is just as selfish as their actions.
 sigh.
time to begin again.
tonight i'm going to make a list of things i love about a person who i'm having a hard time forgiving, so i can focus on those instead of the ways this person has hurt me.
ten thousand reasons for my heart to sing, "praise the Lord, oh my soul, worship His holy name. sing like never before, oh my soul, worship His holy name."
reasons to praise-
He gives me music
i get to sing at a wedding
He used human beings to write an incredible song!
He gave me a voice that i love to share with others
He gave me a friend who is getting married :D
He revealed and reveals every day His pure and precious love and how I need to change to be more like Him
He chose to forgive and never despise
by His grace I can forgive and let go of resentment and anger
all things are possible to those who believe!