It all started with Facebook.

Actually, it was one of those long list posts where you are supposed to copy and paste and then check off the things that you have done. It was titled “Bucket List.” It had most of the typical things that these posts have. Here, I’ll show you.

Some of those things that I’ve actually done include: firing a gun; going on a blind date; skipping school; going on a cruise; recently coloring with pencils; swimming in the ocean; paying for a meal with only coins; making prank phone calls; laughing so much I cried; doing something that could have killed me; eating just cookies or cake or ice cream for dinner; being in a car accident; driving a standard car; getting married; driving over 100 mph; living on my own; and riding in the back of a police car. (Please remember, you do not know the whole story.)

And then the others, some of the things I haven’t done: flying in a helicopter; serving on a jury; going water skiing; driving a motorcycle; jumping out of a plane; stealing traffic signs; eating snails; getting a tattoo; nor have I been scuba diving.

To clarify, I actually went on a few blind dates and there is a huge difference between good ones and bad ones – I had both, before I met Mr. Gorgeous, of course. Prank phone calls were a childhood thing. Skipping school – well, I was actually doing a good deed – at least once. The whole cookies, cake, or ice cream thing for dinner, I have been in a hurry and grabbed a couple of cookies for a meal a time or two in my life. Yes, I rode in the back of police car; no, I wasn’t in police custody. And of course, driving over 100 mph…I plead the fifth, however, my husband does occasionally call me Parnelli. (For those of you not as old as we are, Parnelli Jones was a race car driver.)

On the other hand, why does anyone step out of a perfectly good plane that has successfully achieved lift and altitude and is capable of landing safely?

But there was one…

A few days passed and one of the things on the list kept coming back to my mind. Honestly, I’m not really sure why. That thing that keeps replaying in my mind is, “Doing something that you will regret for the rest of your life.”

I have definitely done some things that I regret. Haven’t we all?

But, regret for the rest my life? That depth of regret is not something that I’ve experienced.

Or is it?

Romans 8:28, NIV, says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This does not mean that we can do anything – no matter what it may be – and God will magically fix it. It does mean that even in my humanity and my past, the mistakes I’ve made, the sins I’ve committed, the dumb things I’ve done are redeemable by my Heavenly Father. I can be assured that He is in control. I can rest in the knowledge that He can accomplish His will and His purpose even when I fail.

I came to a personal relationship with Jesus when I was seven. However, like most kids, I was stubborn and rebelled a bit, challenged authority, disobeyed, acted disrespectfully, and in general, was an obnoxious teenager. Do I regret the way I acted? Of course.

Yet, some of that behavior, some of those struggles, and some of the choices I made as a result of living through them have helped me to become who God has made me to be. On both of the horrible blind dates I went on, I discovered things that later became nonnegotiable in my relationship – including my relationship with Mr. Gorgeous. While driving more than a hundred miles an hour, I realized how incredibly stupid and irresponsible I was acting – okay, probably after I arrived at my destination. But still, I figured it out.

I guess the reason that I struggle with the idea of regretting something for life has to do with the fact that I trust the Lord. I mean, I fail. I really blow it, but God doesn’t. He takes my stupid mistakes, my arrogant sin, and my self-righteousness, and He redeems it as I confess and give it to Him. He forgives me for my behavior, and even though I have to live with the consequences of my self-centered behavior, He uses what I have done to help me become more like Him.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Is this permission to do what I want to do without considering the consequences? Can I do whatever I choose without thinking of how my actions will impact others? Am I able to make decisions about my behavior without evaluating how my relationship with my Heavenly Father will be impacted?

Of course not.

My decisions, as a mature adult, need to be made carefully and thoughtfully. I need to spend time praying and in God’s Word so that He leads those decisions. By choosing to follow Him, I’ve chosen to serve Him and to live in a way that would please Him and reflect who He is. Therefore, my decisions need to be based on who He is and what He expects of me. I cannot do whatever I choose and expect that He will fix it.

Have I done something that I will regret for the rest of my life? Yes. I’ve broken the heart of my Father in Heaven when I’ve chosen my way instead of His. By doing so, I’ve accepted less than His best for my life.

Yes, I do regret that.