Lesson Learned

Little did I know that after reading about the cracked pot I would be using that visual to help me work through the next difficult challenge that came into my path. I got a scathing email from a board member with my networking group. Being the President, I guess the buck stops with me. It was never my intention to continue being president of the group for another year but nobody else was stepping up to the plate and I didn't want all my hard work over the last year to be wasted and the group fall apart. But leadership is tough and it's even harder when you work full time and have a family and life that you have to keep in balance. In hindsight I can see how she may have felt the way she did but I emailed her back with an apology, another attempt at explaining why decisions were made and to ask for her forgiveness. I was very angry after reading it at first. I was ready to just quit! But I took Faith swimming at the YMCA and distracted myself with a good book and prayed a little prayer that God would work on my heart to let this go and be forgiving for this email that basically critized my leadership ability. I have been struggling with this negative thinking track and I didn't want to let this issue get me back to that. God heard me. She emailed back simply that I was forgiven and thanks for the grace. I don't know maybe she felt bad for sending the email in hindsight. In any case, I had my first real lesson in loving someone you don't want to love, in letting go of judgement and just extending grace and love back. I don't know how I will feel when I am face to face with her possibly next week at our networking dinner meeting but I will be praying that God will prepare me to keep the positive thinking going and keep that visual of the cracked pot. I am not perfect. I have flaws but I have a sneaking suspision that God will use this for something good. Amen to that.