This morning I want to talk to you about those times when you feel that you have done something wrong. Maybe you stole something that didn't belong to you -- like maybe you took a candy bar from CVS. Or maybe you told a lie. When I was a kid a big one was telling the teacher that the dog ate my homework. Or maybe you were ugly to your bother or sister or friend. Or maybe you said something quite nasty and rude to your mother or father. Each of us at some time or another do things that that we know are wrong. We usually feel really horrible about it. And we don't always know what to do to make things right and to feel better about ourselves.

One of the reasons for having a religion is to help in times like that. To tell you that there are steps you can take, there things you can do to set things right or at least to make them better than they are right now.

1. Realize that what you have done is wrong - this is called naming. It says that lying, cheating, and stealing for example are wrong.
2. Feel bad. This is called feeling guilty. It's the way human beings are supposed to feel when they have done wrong.
3. Tell somebody what you did and how you feel. The person you choose to tell might be a parent or a friend, or it might even be one of your ministers. It helps to choose someone you really trust. This is called confession. Together with this person you can figure out the next steps.
4. You need to set things right. It invariably helps here to say that you're sorry, that you wish you had not done it and that you won't do it again. But saying you're sorry, as hard as that is, may not be enough. If you stole something you need to return it or pay for it. If you have lied you need to go back and tell the truth. If you have been mean you need to apologize. You may need help making these amends and it is important to know that you can ask for that help.

Now none of this easy, it's hard and sometimes it's even frightening. We know! We need all the help we can get. Another way of getting help is to pray -- to ask for help, to ask for clarity, to ask for compassion, to ask for forgiveness.

We also need to know that forgiveness is always there. I used to tell my sons and I will tell you, too. There is nothing you can do that would ever cause me to stop loving you. I might get sad or even really angry about what you do, but I will always love you. If this is true for me, it is even more true for God, the source of all life and love

There is a song we sing that I find helpful when I am feeling in need of connecting with God. It's "Spirit of Life." I invite you to sing all the verses with me now. You will find them in your Order of Service.