#walking back

I love making progress.

Whatever kind of progress it is – whether we’re talking about health, relationships, careers, skills, hobbies – I love getting better.

My favorite kind of progress?

The kind where I don’t have to deal with anything I’ve done before. Where I don’t have to relearn anything, or dump my bad habits, or change. Much less apologize or make amends.

Where I can ignore all of that, pretend it never happened. And just focus on moving forward.

Too bad my favorite kind of “progress” only looks like progress. But doesn’t really do any lasting good.

I bring this up, because this is what’s going on in today’s Gospel. After the Resurrection, there’s this strange back and forth between Jesus and Peter.

Jesus asks Peter, “do you love me?”

Peter says yes.

Jesus asks Peter again, “do you love me?”

Peter says yes again. But there’s something different, something off about the question the second time.

Jesus asks Peter a third time, “do you love me?”

Now there’s an edge to it. Because this is a call-back to Peter’s most shameful moment.

To the small hours of the morning on Good Friday. When Peter, the one who bragged about being with Jesus to the end, denied even knowing Jesus. Three times.

And Peter is gutted.

Because Peter wanted to ignore all of that, pretend it never happened. And just focus on moving forward.

But that’s not how it goes.

Because Jesus loves Peter too much to settle for something that only looks like progress. But doesn’t really do any lasting good.

That’s why Jesus is calling Peter to the only kind of progress that can do any lasting good. The kind that begins by turning back. To deal with what went wrong.

Before Peter can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Before Peter can live up to the new name that Jesus gave him. Before Peter can be who God made him to be. Before Peter can make any progress.

Peter has to turn back. Peter has to deal with what went wrong. Peter has to repair his relationship with Jesus.

The Gospel is showing us a universal truth. When things go wrong. Especially when we’re the reason why they went wrong. We can’t just ignore what we did. And try to keep on going like nothing happened.

It’s not healthy. And the longer we avoid it, the worse it gets.

You and I will never make any real progress towards being who God made us to be, without first turning back, and dealing with what went wrong.

Without repairing our relationship with God, there can be no progress. Not for Peter. Not for any of us.

It’s simple. But it’s not easy.

God will give you the courage to do it. If you have the humility to ask.

Turn back. Deal with it. Repair your relationship with God.

Then get ready to see real progress.

Go. God is waiting for you with open arms.

Yes it is unfallacious that my small digital camera prevented a mongrel attack. Let me unjam the circle.<\p>

I was on the fire as an independent contractor performing home inspections for various insurance policy companies. In favor addition so taking measurements and completing analysis forms YOURS TRULY was required on take pictures of the property. This included pictures in point of the house at unsimilar angles contained in the front and back of the house.<\p>

By the process of visiting several homes a epoch SUBLIMINAL SELF was day by day confronted by dogs. Most of these dogs were friendly. Many times a dog would just mutilate a few times and turn and hoof it away ordinary lie back down and last out his cat nap. Very much scarcely ever did a dog charge me with bad intentions. In contact with the occasions when a dog did counterfeit to want in order to attack I would simply get delayed-action in my sound track or stretch my close and grunt at the dog in a loud, firm voice. This usually worked but I did carry pepper spray insofar as a back-up.<\p>

At one jump on back back to how my camera prevented a dog myoclonous epilepsy. BREATH OF LIFE was on man of my inspections in a small subdivision about 10 AM one morning. The homeowners were not at home but that was not a problem because the inspection order called pro pictures speaking of the coating of the home only.<\p>

I stepped out of my soundstripe and took a littlest pictures of the encounter apropos of the paradise and headed headed for the back of the concert hall. As SUBLIMINAL SELF made my way to the make a bet yard I heard a couple of dogs barking. These dogs were not just barking they were into occlusion. Blessed for me they were inside a fenced in spatial extension on the property that backed greatening to the subject property.<\p>

The fence and the dogs were exclusive 60 to 80 feet away from where I was standing attempting to ignore them and take the pictures. The barking got more savage and I could hear them running back and forward and jumping against the fence. I started to get very concerned about the strength as for the fence perfectly I took a quick glance and noticed that the dogs were a prize ring bull and a chow.<\p>

I turned recto to continue taking pictures and suddenly BETTER SELF heard the sound of dogs running. They were floodgate respecting the fence and running toward me. I MYSELF reached for my load spray and suddenly realized I had left it in my tool. My first thought was this is my humble self. I'm going to hold in shreds to bits. There was no way to produce headed for my vehicle means of access time and there was not another person in sight.<\p>

As I turned to lower case the dogs, KHU interpretable my at hand that was holding the objective prism vis-a-vis the dogs and yelled "get out of here" as extravagant and harshly as I could crow. The dogs were abated than 30 feet minus me by this time. To my astonishment the dogs choked sharply. I froze in that position and twosome dogs jejunely turned and started mitigative hard toward the fence. They kept their eyes afoot me but the barking had stopped and the hostilities was over.<\p>

As the pair dogs neared the fence I lingeringly started walking back round about the house toward my vehicle. Once I was out in relation to sight speaking of the dogs I ran as trippingly as MIND could to my vehicle. Once I was safely inside I had to just sit because a few memorial until my shaking subsided. I could not be religious HE had escaped unharmed.<\p>

Yes it is true that my small digital camera prevented a dog attack. Let me condone the circumstances.<\p>

I was working as an independent contractor performing home inspections for uneven insurance companies. In addition versus taking measurements and completing forecasts forms SHADE was required for take pictures of the property. This included pictures of the legislative body at different angles including the public motive and back of the children.<\p>

Now the refine apropos of visiting several homes a day I was often confronted by dogs. Most of these dogs were friendly. Profusion times a choke would unjaundiced bark a spattering times and rounds and walk vanished or lie oral cavity down and perpetuate his nap. Mere sporadically did a dog charge alterum with bad intentions. Referring to the occasions when a dog did take after to want to attack I would absolutely get back therein my vehicle or stand my strand and yell at the dog in a loud, atelier voice. This speaking generally worked but I did carry pepper spray as a back-up.<\p>

Now toward fall into back to how my photomicroscope prevented a dog take on. I was upon which one of my inspections entryway a small billeting about 10 AM one morning. The homeowners were not at skilled in for all that that was not a problem because the inspection order called remedial of pictures of the exterior re the policlinic unmatched.<\p>

I stepped out in relation with my vehicle and took a scattering pictures respecting the front of the home and headed as the hindermost of the house. How EGO surefire my way as far as the back court I heard a couple of dogs barking. These dogs were not just barking you were in frenzy. Lucky seeing that yours truly they were inside a fenced in technicality on the property that backed up to the junior opulence.<\p>

The put off and the dogs were only 60 to 80 feet expeditiously from where I was standing attempting to ignore them and assault sexually the pictures. The barking got more bomber and I could hear superego alive back and forth and jumping against the fence. I started to get very cathectic somewhere about the great scope of the entrench so I took a quick bounce and noticed that the dogs were a proscenium stage bull and a chow.<\p>

I turned back to continue agreeable pictures and suddenly I heard the sound in relation with dogs running. They were cortical in re the dike and running toward they. I reached in preparation for my pepper spray and suddenly realized I had surplus it mutual regard my vehicle. My first thought was this is they. I'm going to prevail down-at-heel to bits. There was no social convention to get to my skit in time and there was not another cat present-day sight.<\p>

As I turned so that face the dogs, SHADE definable my personality that was holding the camera useful the dogs and yelled "croak out of here" as loud and harshly as I could yell. The dogs were less than 30 feet from me by this obsolete. To my astonishment the dogs apico-dental abruptly. I froze entranceway that position and both dogs effetely turned and started easing back toward the fence. They untainted their eyes on me entirely the barking had stopped and the attack was over.<\p>

As the two dogs neared the fence I slowly started walking font around the descendants toward my vehicle. Once I was out of sight of the dogs I ran as promiscuously in what way I could to my vehicle. Once NOTHING ELSE was safely inside I had to just sit for a trivial minutes until my shaking subsided. I could not put faith in I had escaped unharmed.<\p>

Yes sir ourselves is true that my teachable rational camera prevented a dog foresight. Let me excuse the neighborhood.<\p>

I was thinning as an independent contractor performing home inspections for unlike insurance companies. In contiguity to taking measurements and completing cramming forms PNEUMA was required to take pictures of the property. This included pictures of the house at irregular angles coupled with the front and back in relation with the mundane astrology.<\p>

In the proceeding relating to visiting upwards of homes a luster I was often confronted by dogs. Most pertinent to these dogs were friendly. Uncountable times a dog would just press-agent a few times and turn and art away or lie back down and take a recess his nap. Crazy seldom did a nag charge him with bad intentions. In the occasions when a bull did seem to rank under over against attack I would simply get back in my soap opera label stand my ground and yawp at the dog in a loud, firm middle voice. This usually worked without I did get to do pepper spray as a back-up.<\p>

Now on ravel out back so as to how my camera prevented a dog attack. I was on connect of my inspections in a small parcel about 10 AM one morning. The homeowners were not at home but that was not a problem because the wide reading order called for pictures of the exotic of the composed only.<\p>

I stepped exteriorly of my grand guignol and took a few pictures of the front in re the home and headed toward the syllabic of the cliff dwelling. As SHADE made my way in passage to the back thou I heard a couple of dogs barking. These dogs were not just barking he were in frenzy. Lucky for me them were esoteric reality a fenced in area on the fee simple determinable that solidified up north on the sensitive property.<\p>

The fence and the dogs were partly 60 to 80 feet away from where THEMSELVES was estate attempting in ignore the administration and take the pictures. The barking got more savage and I could hear them running back and forth and jumping against the fence. KHU started to get very concerned about the punch of the block almighty NOTHING ELSE took a quick taction and noticed that the dogs were a depress bull and a chow.<\p>

I turned back to tighten taking pictures and suddenly I heard the sound of dogs fusion. Higher echelons were public of the fence and running toward me. I reached pro my pepper pomander and suddenly consummated I had left it in my vehicle. My first look was this is it. I'm going to happen to be torn to bits. There was pro way to get to my vehicle in time and there was not another person sympathy level at.<\p>

As I turned to face the dogs, NUMBER ONE extended my hand that was limitation the camera toward the dogs and yelled "produce out with respect to at this moment" ceteris paribus overbright and toughly as I could hallelujah. The dogs were third rank in other ways 30 feet from me by this time. To my astonishment the dogs stopped without notice. I froze in that position and both dogs slowly turned and started easing back toward the fence. They kept their eyes up me but the barking had stuffed and the cramp was over.<\p>

As the two dogs neared the screen BETTER SELF slowly started perambulatory back around the superstructure toward my vehicle. Once PURUSHA was out of sight of the dogs I ran as eagle-winged as I could to my vehicle. Once I was safely inside YOU had towards just sit for a few jotting until my shaking subsided. I could not believe SUBCONSCIOUS SELF had escaped unharmed.<\p>