Inspiration


Messages from the Masters
Forgiving My Mom by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

I learned the wonderful lesson of forgiveness from my mother because she left us when I was eleven; I was the oldest of five.  I loved her every time she came to visit us and grew very bitter every time she would leave.  It was then that I made up my mind that when I had children, I would have my revenge.  I resolved that she would never be allowed to see her grandchildren.

And then one day, I married Gloria and we had our first child, a son.  Although my mother only lived a mile away, I knew she would never see her grandson. However, shortly after my son's birth, something happened that changed my decision forever.  About six months after his birth, a truck driver introduced me to the love of God and to His forgiveness.  I then realized immediately how wrong I was.  I went to my mother and it was then that she taught me about forgiveness, because I had to ask her to forgive me for the resentment I had carried for all those years.  After that I called her weekly to tell her she was the best mother a kid could ever have had. I took her to Europe, I bought her a home and I did the eulogy at her funeral and told everyone there she was the most wonderful mother a kid could ever have.

But you might say, "She left you."  Yes, she made a mistake, but she never meant to do it.  You see sin makes us do a lot of things that we never mean to do.  So today I can truly say that one of my greatest accomplishments was I made my mother happy.

I used to say the greatest thing you could ever leave your children is a memory that you loved your mother or father even if they left you, but then I changed that to the greatest thing you can ever do is leave your children with the memory that you loved God.  However, after more thought, reflection and experience I then I saw that I was wrong there too.  Because my children, as they grow, will see that I'm inconsistent and that at times I'm a little bit of a hypocrite too.  So now I teach that the greatest thing you can leave your children is the memory that God loves them just as they are and accepts them and forgives them.

Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones is the author of the best-selling book "Life is Tremendous" and four separate editions of "The Books You Read". To purchase these books and receive 20% off or to receive more information on Mr. Jones go to http://www.yoursuccessstore.com.

Provided courtesy of  Jim Rohn International