I Regret...

...so many things. If I tried to name them all, I'd be here all night and miss Youth Church in the morning.

A lot of regret to go around; not a lot of guilt, but plenty 'regret. I'll tell you what I don't regret though: with regret comes the chance to keep others from having regrets. So while I might not take a walk down memory lane and tell you my shoulda/woulda/coulda's, I'll still tell you those things I picked up along the way. And you can get the benefit of experiences you've never had; it's the best way to learn, trust me.

1. If you know the Lord, don't fight back against those who offend you. I'm not saying don't defend yourself, but once you know the Lord, do whatever it takes to keep in good favor with Him, even if it means taking a little abuse here and there. Because oftentimes, when we fight back, we don't realize we're fighting a losing battle; sometimes the devil just wants to bring the worst out of you.

And on that note, get saved as quickly as possible. It'll help you avoid sowing bad seeds early in life that will chase you for the duration...

2. Fellas, tell her how you feel... that girl you like, I mean. If she disses you, just take it; it's no blow to who you are, there's just somebody else out there better for you. If that's not good enough, just take pride in the fact that you're a bigger man than at least one other man in this world... which is me.

3. If you want people to be there for you, you've got to inconvenience yourself sometimes and be there for them. BUT, you've also got to know how to say 'no'. If you don't learn how to say 'no' sometimes, you'll find yourself unable to do what you need to do as you overextend helping others; if it'll make you feel better, most people aren't as helpless as they like you to think.

4. Before you go to college, make up in your mind what you're there for. I'm not talking about picking a major; I'm talking about the difference between getting an education and getting a diploma. The two are not synonymous. You don't hafta be educated to get a diploma; you don't hafta have a diploma to be educated.

5. Party with your folks while they're still here. Family, friends, strangers, we all need to party together. Cuz all of us are leaving this world at some inconvenient time.

6. Be hard-headed sometimes. Persistence actually does count for something; sometimes it's good not to know the meaning of the word 'no'. SOMETIMES...

7. Make the most of every situation. Don't get mad when things don't go your way and withdraw; stick it out and at least pretend to adjust. You can turn a disadvantage into an advantage just by your attitude sometimes.

8. Get numbers and emails. Stay in contact with folks. It's easier to not want to talk with the option of talking than to want to talk and not have the option.

9. Whatever it is you do, keep doing it. No matter how long it takes for you to be able to use it, keep practicing. There's nothing more difficult than getting your swagger back after you've put it down for a while. That "if you don't use it, you lose it" thing is almost exactly true...

10. If somebody needs you, even if you don't agree with their methods, lend a hand (unless its gonna get your hand cut off). If the ship goes down, it's no skin off you; you're not the captain. But sometimes a sinking ship is a land of opportunity as well; remember Rule #7.


It makes regrets a little less burdensome to know somebody can benefit from my mistakes. So ya'll take these and live it up for ya boy. The more you smile, the more I smile.