Starting Over With a Clean Piece of Paper

I'm sitting this morning watching "Meet the Press", listening to a republican and a democratic congressman arguing over the gridlock in Washington. They've been talking about health care, deficits, the stimulus package and arguing over which party has the answer. The republican had a bright idea, "starting over with a clean piece of paper". I'm sorry that I don't recall the context, it was the phrase that led me here to my blog.

Doesn't that sound like a great idea? Starting over with a clean piece of paper.... There are a few parts of my life that I'd like to start over clean and at least one that I already have. Unfortunately starting over with a completely clean piece of paper isn't entirely possible. I can't completely start over my finances, for instance, I have to start where I am and make changes going forward. I can't start over raising my adult children, or start with a clean piece of paper with our adopted boys either.

Each of the pages of the book of our lives up until this point are filled, but each page going forward is a clean fresh page. I can change what will be written; I must forgive myself for the contents of each previous page.

There is a way to replace my entire book, though! The day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour I was given a clean book! God replaced my worn out, torn, tear-stained and dirty pages with clean pieces of paper and still does each time I ask him for forgiveness.

Do you want a new book? All you have to do is ask!