Best of Facebook 3: December 14, 2020

Here are some of my favorite posts from my Facebook newsfeed over the last few days. The posts are written by my Facebook Friends, the words are their own not someone else’s, and they’re published with their permission. I look for well-written vignettes that are positive, meaningful, uplifting, relatable, and sometimes hilarious. To me, these stories deserve to be preserved, published, and not left to fade away on the Facebook feed. So, job well done, ya’ll. May your words live on to encourage and entertain for many days to come. If you haven’t already, you can “Follow” this blogsite at the end of this post, and future “Best of Facebook” posts (and other fine essays and articles) will be emailed to you when they’re posted.

Forgiveness vs. justice: Letting go vs. getting even

By Keith Hughes, M.A. Pastoral Counseling
Littleton, Colorado

This is a conversation between Keith and two of his FB friends on December 9.

Keith: Forgiveness vs. justice. Forgiveness is the choice we make to let go of the things (hate, resentment …) that don’t really serve our soul. Justice just gives us the idea that the score might be even.

Friend 1: Yeah. I’d like the score to be even. Fair. I don’t like other people getting away with stuff, like the guy who damaged my car, but his insurance company grooves his story, which is a lie. So, I have to pay for repairs from the damage he caused. I’d like justice. Injustice doesn’t serve my soul either.

Keith: And, yes, justice has a real place in our lives and the world. I’m so sorry that happened, my friend.

Friend 1: Forgiveness is so huge to consider. I wonder if I’ve ever forgiven anybody about anything. As an Enneagram 4, I’m excellent about holding on to everything.

Keith: Your honesty is brave. Forgiveness costs us when we offer it to someone, but it probably costs us more in the long run to hold on to hatred. Resentment rots out our soul. Research has linked many mental health and mood disorders to anger and unforgiveness.

Friend 2: To forgive is divine; justice is the next best thing.

What 2020 robbed, friendship, faith and fight redeems

By Natalie Kirkman
Richmond, Indiana

Sitting here swirling in emotion as I have confirmation that I can close as soon as Monday on what will be my house. My house. If you told me one year ago that this would be the direction and journey life would be sending me I wouldn’t have believed it.

As the one-year mark approaches of my husband Tony’s passing, I look back on what has been a crap year for not only my family but for all of us. The one good thing I can say about 2020 is I have been blessed with caring, loving, understanding friends, both old and new, who have made sure that we were surviving our loss. Not only our loss of Tony, but other good friends have lost loved ones as well. Illnesses and other trials have certainly tested our faith, but I think I can speak for us all: We still have our faith and stand ready to continue fighting our way back to a new normal, a new path that God leads us to and through.

Chandra and Krista — I can’t thank you enough for getting me to this point. I love you. I purpose to close this horrible year on a positive note of new beginnings, with the best family and friends ever and faith that God has a plan for us all.

When Charley talked baseball

By Kirk Farley
Peoria, Arizona

Sorry to hear that my friend Charley Pride died today (Dec. 12) from Covid. Although he was a music icon, when we talked, we would spend most of the time talking about when he played in the Negro professional baseball leagues with Satchel Paige, Willie Mays, and others. He had a sharp mind until the end and would sometimes let me listen if he was working on a new song. He had a part-time home here in Phoenix but spent most of his time in Texas. I would give him a hard time about his Rangers, of which he still was part of the ownership. Rest in peace, my friend.