Repentance

[Annabelli]

Yesterday, I see what mistake that I have made and I feel very sorry and I ask for forgiveness.

Today, I am thinking about the same mistake but I start thinking about the circumstances that I made that choice and pondering if I was not justified and it was not my fault. Am I taking back my repentance?

[CrimsonKairos]

If you feel you did something "wrong," then if you commit within yourself not to do it again, and you are sorry, you have repented.

If what you did was not a matter of obeying or disobeying a commandment, then it's up to you how you resolve it, y'know?

Can you tell us what you're talking about specifically?

[Annabelli]

If you feel you did something "wrong," then if you commit within yourself not to do it again, and you are sorry, you have repented.

If what you did was not a matter of obeying or disobeying a commandment, then it's up to you how you resolve it, y'know?

Can you tell us what you're talking about specifically?

When my son was 3 years old, we were in a small grocery store. I was looking at grapes or tomatoes and he ran on down the same isle and picked up three cans of .15 cent soda (one for each of us). He was coming back smiling and happy and I was just a little angry. (maybe I was just so controlling that I thought I needed to be conferred with every decision small or large) I told him to take it back and that we would buy it next. He looked devastated and took it back. A grandma standing nearby told me that I had done a horrible thing and I do believe that she was right.

After that, we both made a grocery lists at home. He drew pictures, usually cookies and cereal. When we went to the grocery store, he was allowed to choose his cookies and cereal (usually Chips O'Hoy and Captain Crunch). The only problems that we had was when he put super size packages in the cart.

On another occasion, we had a freak week in February and it was 80F. Of course he had out grown his summer clothes so we had to wear jeans and t-shirts all week. A lot of kids were running around in shorts.

The next week we were back in winter and it snowed 6". We were at Walmart and they had just put out their summer stock and he picked out some shorts and a shirt and brought them over. I think that I just flipped out.

I handled these days so poorly. Next the other child was now older and we were having conflicts about Pokemon Card purchases and Video Game Units. Then there was the popularity of fast food and McDonalds and collecting beanie babies.

Nearing 14 years old, my son said "you always make me feel bad when I buy something." I just felt like I was back in the pop can.

Whenever they talk about buying a 40 gallon aquarium and a piranha, I say okay just save a few bucks. When they walk in the door a few hours later with a 2 gallon aquarium and a goldfish, I'm okay with that until they start talking about buying a 40 gallon aquarium and a piranha. Then I'm a little ticked off.

These things have built some trenches between us. My hardest thing about being a parent is that I am not very materialist and they seem just the opposite.

Oh well, whenever people talk about repentance, I think about this a lot.

[a-train]

Man, I must be totally wicked. I don't buy my daughter half the stuff she asks for!

-a-train

[checkerboy]

I would have to say that parenting style doesn't fall under the category of things needing to be repented of, unless of course your style involves abuse of any kind. Denying children material things isn't something that you need to repent of. Maybe yelling at them because they want material things would be but it doesn't sound like you do that. There are always gonna be things that we look back on and regret but if you try to do things differently in the future I think you will be ok. You should always council with Heavenly Father over all your actions but I don't think that means everything you do or don't do is grounds for repentence.

[Annabelli]

My son didn't know what bruises were when he noticed one on his shin when he was six years old and started playing soccer. The scar on his elbow came when he ripped it playing street hockey.

The other kid lived with skinned knees for a while when he was roller blading. Once he broke his foot running through the house with his ankles tied together with an afgan.

I always thought that hiding under the bed constituted "time out."

I grounded my older son two times and he grounded himself once. I can remember grounding the other one once for sure.

[pam]

<div class='quotemain'>

If you feel you did something "wrong," then if you commit within yourself not to do it again, and you are sorry, you have repented.

If what you did was not a matter of obeying or disobeying a commandment, then it's up to you how you resolve it, y'know?

Can you tell us what you're talking about specifically?

When my son was 3 years old, we were in a small grocery store. I was looking at grapes or tomatoes and he ran on down the same isle and picked up three cans of .15 cent soda (one for each of us). He was coming back smiling and happy and I was just a little angry. (maybe I was just so controlling that I thought I needed to be conferred with every decision small or large) I told him to take it back and that we would buy it next. He looked devastated and took it back. A grandma standing nearby told me that I had done a horrible thing and I do believe that she was right.

After that, we both made a grocery lists at home. He drew pictures, usually cookies and cereal. When we went to the grocery store, he was allowed to choose his cookies and cereal (usually Chips O'Hoy and Captain Crunch). The only problems that we had was when he put super size packages in the cart.

On another occasion, we had a freak week in February and it was 80F. Of course he had out grown his summer clothes so we had to wear jeans and t-shirts all week. A lot of kids were running around in shorts.

The next week we were back in winter and it snowed 6". We were at Walmart and they had just put out their summer stock and he picked out some shorts and a shirt and brought them over. I think that I just flipped out.

I handled these days so poorly. Next the other child was now older and we were having conflicts about Pokemon Card purchases and Video Game Units. Then there was the popularity of fast food and McDonalds and collecting beanie babies.

Nearing 14 years old, my son said "you always make me feel bad when I buy something." I just felt like I was back in the pop can.

Whenever they talk about buying a 40 gallon aquarium and a piranha, I say okay just save a few bucks. When they walk in the door a few hours later with a 2 gallon aquarium and a goldfish, I'm okay with that until they start talking about buying a 40 gallon aquarium and a piranha. Then I'm a little ticked off.

These things have built some trenches between us. My hardest thing about being a parent is that I am not very materialist and they seem just the opposite.

Oh well, whenever people talk about repentance, I think about this a lot.

If my kids came home with a piranha I'd be a bit ticked myself.

[Annabelli]

They eventually got an Oscar.

[pam]

They eventually got an Oscar.

I could live with an Oscar. But then I would have to watch little goldfish eaten alive. haha

[Annabelli]

If this is my big stuff.

Once I did receive a warrant for my arrest in the mail on a Friday after 5:00 which told me to report to an office on Monday.

It did not say what the warrant was for and having a few days to think what it might be for, I realized that I had thrown a really gooey chocolate candy wrapper out the car window not so long before.

When I went to their office on Monday, the warrant was for someone with a similar name who was about 30 years older than me.

Do I still need to worry about the candy wrapper?

[pam]

If this is my big stuff.

Once I did receive a warrant for my arrest in the mail on a Friday after 5:00 which told me to report to an office on Monday.

It did not say what the warrant was for and having a few days to think what it might be for, I realized that I had thrown a really gooey chocolate candy wrapper out the car window not so long before.

When I went to their office on Monday, the warrant was for someone with a similar name who was about 30 years older than me.

Do I still need to worry about the candy wrapper?

Go pick up an equal number of candy wrappers and you shall be redeemed.

[Traveler]

If this is my big stuff.

Once I did receive a warrant for my arrest in the mail on a Friday after 5:00 which told me to report to an office on Monday.

It did not say what the warrant was for and having a few days to think what it might be for, I realized that I had thrown a really gooey chocolate candy wrapper out the car window not so long before.

When I went to their office on Monday, the warrant was for someone with a similar name who was about 30 years older than me.

Do I still need to worry about the candy wrapper?

May I respond? Some years ago I was an adult leader involved in taking about 300 boy scouts on a wilderness expedition day hike. When we returned I was notified the next day by the rangers that during our hike two candy rappers were left. I was angry beyond measure. I gathered all the scouts together and explained that we all owed the rangers an apology. We dumped or junk in the homes of someone else and we call them “wild”. I said that the reason that we all owe an apology is because we all let someone we know do such a thing. Some one may think they are innocent because that did not litter but at the same time they knew who did or they saw the litter and did nothing.

Dumping a candy wrapper is not the right thing to do. It is not kind and it is not an expression of love. But at the same time I want you to know that I have done much worse – so, even though I acknowledge that littering is wrong I will not through the first stone, or for that matter any stones. But I will encourage you not to do it any more and if you see a candy rapper where it should not be – please pick it up and dispose of it properly.

Is it possible – can we – will we – always encourage others and offer what we do as an example of what is right and when we do something wrong and stupid accept it when others are disappointed in our errors without hating them for it. And can we encourage other to do better without getting upset and angry?

The Traveler

[Annabelli]

Well, I have never thrown anything else on the ground since. (more fear than repentance I'm sorry to say)

I have helped the Kiwanis pick up trash on the two Adopt A Highway sections that they have.

There's always weird stuff on the ground, some of it blown there by the wind (aluminum foil, hats, & for some reason we find a lot of socks).

I'm really sorry that I threw the gooey candy bar wrapper out because some critter might have found it and you know chocolate is not good for them.

It was too gooey to check the block to see if I had won anything just to let you know. So it's not like I knew that I threw out a looser.

I hope it has just turned to soil composition since it was a few years ago.

If I see the Lord holding up a sign that says "Snickers Bars" then I'll know that I really did not repent.

[Andy_Plsn]

ok so im not a parent and im only 18 but we all make mistakes and when your kids make a mistake and do something wrong you make them apologize. i feel that when im a parent and if i do something that i feel is wrong i will apologize cause everyone makes mistakes or has improper judgement at times and its all about realizing what you did wrong and if you feel like you have to just apologize.

andy

[Annabelli]

ok so im not a parent and im only 18 but we all make mistakes and when your kids make a mistake and do something wrong you make them apologize. i feel that when im a parent and if i do something that i feel is wrong i will apologize cause everyone makes mistakes or has improper judgement at times and its all about realizing what you did wrong and if you feel like you have to just apologize.

andy

I just don't know if that is the same as repentance or not. I was told if a parent, in a bit of uncontrolled verbal rage" calls their child an obscene name, is horrified for doing it and apologizes, that is repentance. Is asking someone's forgiveness through apology complete repentance or do we need to also ask the Lord for repentance as well? (I don't cuss my kids but "rotten snot" came out of my mouth once.)

[MadHatter]

Yesterday, I see what mistake that I have made and I feel very sorry and I ask for forgiveness.

Today, I am thinking about the same mistake but I start thinking about the circumstances that I made that choice and pondering if I was not justified and it was not my fault. Am I taking back my repentance?

When you honestly feel bad for something that you have done and you feel you need to ask forgiveness for it. you should.

One of the greatest gifts of the human mind is the ability to reason and rationalize, But these are also dangerous tools in Satan's hand.

You ran rationalize yourself to do just about anything you want to. It's a gift given to us so that we may be able to cope and overcome weaknesses. Not to be used to create weaknesses.

Learning to overcome sins and transgressions, means never lookign back.

you do something wrong, you recognize it, try to fix it apologize and ask forgiveness. then you resolve never to do it again. and once that is complete, never look back on it, forgive and forget means you also forgetting once forgiveness has been assured.

[pushka]

The impression I got from reading your accounts regarding your children, was that the only 'sin' you could possibly have done was in getting angry at your children instead of staying calm and explaining to them why they couldn't purchase the sodas and other items. As you said, you did feel terrible afterwards, I suppose I would suggest that the way to make that into a full 'repentance' would be to try to take measures to ensure that you don't always lose your temper with your children, but that you train yourself to be calmer and to just talk to your children about the limits you may have in your shopping budgets from time to time...in an age-appropriate manner of course! I can understand if you lost your temper because you were already stressed, so I wouldn't class it as a sin as such, I don't think you were trying to take back your repentance on that occasion.

It's so easy to cultivate a guilty conscience...I know, because I've done it to myself, I'm at a point where sometimes I'm afraid to speak in case I inadvertantly offend someone...when I do accidentally do something which I shouldn't have done, and find out about it afterwards, I feel that I must try to make amends asap with the person I've done it against, yet I still can't forgive myself as such, which is something that I must overcome, maybe you have a similar problem to me?