Just stop Judging...

Why is it that people assume it must be the wife's fault if a man strays?

The person who strays had a choice.
They could have chosen to remain faithful.

Seriously, what do you really think a wife must have done or not done to cause a husband to walk away?
How do you think she feels? Isn't she hurt enough without the added burdens and accusations from her brothers and sisters in Christ?

Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps she trusted and believed her man would never do this?
Is it that difficult to understand that a wife really thought her marriage was good?
When finding out is it really impossible to forgive and believe it was over and the marriage being rebuilt?

Did you already know about it? Why didn't you say something to her? Did you really believe she knew and was just allowing it?

I just don't understand why Christians judge others without really knowing anything. Have you ever bothered to ask?

It really seems unloving to decide that when one spouse decides to be unfaithful and continue to be unfaithful that the spouse who has remained faithful take the blame.

Til you wear the shoes

What  motivates someone to judge another person's actions?
Is it compassion?
Is it love?
Or is it jealousy, pride, arrogance and selfishness?


It seems to be the latter more often.

Why?

Have you really tried to put yourself aside?
Have you really?

Do you ever really know another person's motives and thoughts?

Can you consider a different perspective?

Can you admit that you may be wrong?

I think that as a Christian it is my responsibility to show compassion.
I want to be as loving as Christ.
I want to set aside my jealousy, pride and arrogance.
I want to understand people and meet them where they are at that moment.

I am sometimes successful.
I sometimes fail.

I am sorry when I fail others. I will try harder to understand.
I will give others the benefit of the doubt.
I choose to believe their motives to be good.

It really hurts when others misjudge my motives.
It really hurts when others judge my actions wrongly.
It especially hurts when it is people whom I thought knew me and understood me make judgements that are not true.

I imagine it must have been painful for Jesus when people misjudged His actions.
It must have hurt when He was judged wrongly by people.
It must have been extremely painful when Judas, one of His chosen disciples turned against Him.

Jesus was perfect. He had no wrong motives. EVER
He always set aside jealousy, pride and arrogance.
He understands and accepts me where I am at that very moment.

We can show love for others by attempting to walk in their shoes.
When we accept people right where they are at that moment we have the opportunity to show them a small glimpse of how God loves them.

How do we walk in our neighbor's shoes?
Their shoes won't fit us.
Their shoes may be uncomfortable.
Their shoes may not be our style.

It's ok.
We don't have to wear them for long to get some understanding.

Let's get practical now.
First pray daily for God to give you understanding.
When you pray for your loved ones, pray that you can be a blessing to them.
When you pray for the lost, pray that you may be a refreshing break in their day.
Pray for peace and patience.

When you are interacting with anyone try to not be reactive.
When someone says something sharp or outright mean, don't take it personally.
It is probably not about you but about them.

Remind yourself that perception is different for everyone. We don't see things exactly the same. We can be in the same place at the same time and still perceive what happened differently.
Sometimes we are very close seeing things and other times you will wonder if you were really in the same room.

It is easier to practice on strangers and acquaintances than those who are close to you.
However, we must practice more on those who are close. We need to be the hands and feet of Christ.

 

Love

Have you ever wondered about Love?

How do we follow the Lord's command to love others?

Does that mean I have to love people I don't really like?

Why?

I have been pondering Love. I want to love others. I want to be able to love the prickly ones. I want to be able to love the ones who hurt me. I want to be able to love those who don't like me. I want to be able to love those who hate me.

It sounds like it should be so easy. Loving others is a choice. I decide to love and therefore it's done. Right?

It's easy to love those who love me. It's easy to love others who treat me well. It's easy to love an obedient child.

It's not so easy when people are difficult or prickly or just having a bad day.

I have spent years trying to love others the way Christ commands.

I can't do it. I've tried and I just can't do it.

I start the day with good intentions. I end the day with regrets. It's just not easy to love others all the time.

Perhaps we need to stop trying to love on our own.

Maybe we need to stop trying so hard to do this in our own human power.

If I can surrender all of me to Christ He can love others through me.

It's a process still ongoing...

I surrender and suddenly am filled with such peace and love for others. The more I surrender the more I understand. The more I understand the more I actually feel love for others.

I don't have to try to love others anymore. Christ has filled me with His love for others and I find examples every day.

Of course there are those moments when I grab it back and try to do things on my own but God is so gracious towards me that he guides me back to full surrender.

I want you to know that you can have the love and peace that only comes from God. It is impossible on your own. You must surrender yourself to Christ completely.

Surrender your possessions, your children, your spouse. God is so much more capable to care for them than you. Surrender your thoughts, your activities, your church. Surrender it all, every day. God loves you so much. He will take care of you. Surrender your pain, your fears, your bitterness, your rage. It may take time. Surrender your time to Him. It may be hard. Surrender your will to Him.

You may lose possessions. You may lose people dear to you. You may lose your activities. You may lose your church family.

God loves you.

He will heal you and restore you.

He loves you.

You will surely lose your pain, your fears, your bitterness and rage.

God loves you.

What a wondrous thing to be free in this life. What a glorious thing to know a God who loves so much. I can only show a glimpse of the love God has for us. 

So...Are you wondering about Love?

Can you follow God's command to love others?

Can you love those who are hard to love?

Can you tell me why?

A Glimpse of Today

Ok God, I'm still waiting...

I'm just a little homesick while waiting.

Hmm

I thought I was getting to the easier part of life.

Patience my dear child. I love you and only want the best for you.

I know God but I'm getting tired. I don't want to be a burden to others. I don't want to be useless. I want you to use me somehow.

My dear husband is probably tired of waiting too. He has so much more patience than I. The trials are so much heavier on his shoulders than on mine. I will continue to be patient and wait for him to be ready. I will try to be as light a burden as possible. I will try to be useful.

Thank you God for loving me.

Pondering

Do you ever just ponder?

The Bible Study I am a part of ponders. They ponder a lot.

Is it always a good thing to ponder?

Or is there a time to ponder and a time to just accept?

The following 7 examples of pondering in the Bible should help answer the question of when to ponder.

1. Nehemiah 5:7
   I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them
   Nehemiah 5:6-8 (in Context) Nehemiah 5 (Whole Chapter)                                                               Nehemiah heard the anger and cries from the people and pondered their complaint and then acted on the injustice.                                                                                                                                                
2. Psalm 64:9
   All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.
   Psalm 64:8-10 (in Context) Psalm 64 (Whole Chapter)                                                                      The people pondered the acts of God. 
3. Psalm 107:43
   Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.
   Psalm 107:42-43 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)                                                                Pondering the loving deeds of God. His love endures forever.
4. Psalm 111:2
   Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
   Psalm 111:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 111 (Whole Chapter)                                                                     Pondering the great works of God. The ponderers were those who delight in the great works.
5. Psalm 119:95
   The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.
   Psalm 119:94-96 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)                                                                 They pondered the statutes of God.
6. Ecclesiastes 12:9
   [ The Conclusion of the Matter ] Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.
   Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 (in Context) Ecclesiastes 12 (Whole Chapter)                                                    Solomon pondered God's wisdom.                                                                                                                                     
7. Luke 2:19
   But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
   Luke 2:18-20 (in Context) Luke 2 (Whole Chapter)

 What do you think now?

I think we are to ponder the wonders of the Lord.
We should ponder the works of God.
We should ponder the loving deeds of God.
We should ponder the statutes of God.
We should ponder the wisdom of God.
We can treasure all the words of God and ponder them in our hearts like Mary did.

Annual Month of Thanksgiving Review

30 Days of Thanksgiving archive from my November Facebook page

Day 1 - Thankful for a bed to sleep.

Day 2 - Thankful for the rain. I like it even when it's cold.

Day 3 - Thankful for the sun. The Pacific Northwest is really cool. It rains and is sunny sometimes at the same time.

Day 4 - I am thankful for friends who know me so well...

Day 5 - i am thankful I have a Daddy here on earth who has shown me a glimpse of the love I have from my Abba father in heaven.

Day 6 - I am thankful for KACCLive on UStream and the Android app that allows me to view it.

Day 7 - I am thankful for my sight. I am continually amazed at the depth of my sight after surgery compared to the lack of depth before... I used to live in a TV now I see stars and clouds and even the ground.

Day 8 - I am thankful for 31 years of marriage to my best friend. Through the good times and bad, the ups and downs, sickness and health, trials and joys, in other words Life... Happy Anniversary Honey!

Day 9 - so grateful to discover the simple addition of a scarf keeps me warm all over.

Day 10 - Thankful for the beautiful view of Mt. Rainier today and so often since I've been here.

Day 11 - today is rather obvious - thanks for all who serve or have served in the military to preserve the freedoms we have in this country from being taken by other countries. I am also thankful we still have the freedom to speak to preserve those same freedoms from within...

Day 12 - I am thankful for the Body of Christ. It is the same body no matter where you go...

Day 13 - thankful that when we love others there is grace to forgive and let go...forget the past and move on together into the present.

Day 14 - Thank you for Christmas Music. Yes Sarah I noticed.

Day 15 - Thankful for those days to just catch up and get things done days...

Day 16 - Thankful for comfort food - homemade mac n cheese and peanut butter cookies - Yum!

Day 17 - I am glad to be an Aunt.

ONLY AN AUNT ~ can love like a mommy, keep secrets like a sister, behave like a friend, and love them like their own. Re-post this if you're an Aunt that loves your Nieces and Nephews (more than they will ever know). ♥

Day 18 - I am thankful my fb friends are intelligent people and know that just because someone posts 30 days of something or plays games or posts pass it alongs that they know they still get to choose what they participate in or play without any judgement or pressure from here. :)

Day 19 - I thank God for carrying me through the storms and even more for giving me peace in the midst of the fiercest storms.

Day 20 - I am thankful for my daughters. They have all grown up into beautiful women and bring joy to those around them. (It's hard to let them grow up and fly but better to allow the flying than steal the joy by putting in a cage.)

Day 21 - I am thankful for friends who care with action. Thank you Carolyn for taking care of my precious Isabella. I know it's been hard on her. I miss her so much.

Day 22 - thanks for sleepless nights ... extended opportunity for prayer and quiet time with the Word (audio of course, so I can still rest my body)

Day 23 - Thankful for sisters, birth, in-law, adopted and in Christ. I love all of my sisters and am truly thankful for their presence in my life.

Day 24 - Thankful we have a day of thanks set aside for the whole nation to take time to reflect and be thankful for our multitude of blessings.

Day 25 - Thankful for family traditions. Thank you Adams Family for allowing me to enjoy your annual tree hunt.

Day 26 - I am thankful for two hearts bonding as one even through trials, sorrows, sickness and distance.

Day 27 - I am thankful for my warm fuzzy blanket.

Day 28 - I am thankful for the knowledge to help my body heal. Now the trick is to do it.

Day 29 - thankful for the peace that truly passes understanding. It truly can only come from trusting God.

Day 30 - thankful for grace and forgiveness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heaven

 I'm in a Bible study on Monday nights.
They are studying Heaven.
It seems very complicated.

We have discussed the Creation.
We have discussed the Fall.
We have explored the Wrath of God.

I wonder why it is so difficult to understand.

This is my understanding...

God created everything out of nothing.
God knows everything past, present and future.
God already knew.
God loves us so very much that he made us even though He knew we would fall short. He knew Eve would be deceived. He knew Adam would disobey. God still loves us.

God knew he would be sorry. He knew about the flood. He had a plan all along.

God knew he would give His Son for our sin.
Yet He made man anyway.
God knew many would never come to Him. But He loves Me.

God knew I would sin. He knew I would not be able to meet His perfection but He loves me.

God loves you. God loves me.

Because God is God He must be appeased. He is our Judge. We are sinners. God must judge us with death.

God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to live as a man, to be tempted with all of the temptations that we experience as men. Jesus Christ was tempted by the world, his own earthly flesh, and Satan himself. Jesus Christ did not sin. He met the mark. He met perfection.

Jesus did not have to die. He was God. He laid His life down for us. For you and me. He was the perfect sacrifice required to appease the wrath of God.

All I have to do is accept this free gift from God. God's Grace towards man.

God knows who will come yet He desires that All would come.
God knows that all will not come yet He still desires for All to come.
God loves us so much that even if just one would come He would do this.

How marvelous that I have come. I desire that all would come.

Heaven is the place God has already prepared for those who love Him to live forever with Him.

I don't know what it will look like. I don't know what my body will be. I just know that I will be with God forever. I know that I will be able to look into his face and live. I know that perfection will be there. I look forward to that day. Yet...I still want all to come...so I pray that God gives us more time...I know there will be a day when the door is shut...

Do you want to be on the wrong side of that door? The side that will have darkness forever? The side without God? The side with eternal despair and sorrow?

I am assured of being on the side of the door with God. I will be in light forever. I look forward to heaven whatever it may look like or be. It would be a wondrous place even if it were mud and we live in shacks. God will be there! We will be able to look at Him! We will understand the things which are clouded from us now.

However...God has prepared a place for us. The God who knew everything before it happened and yet still created us. The God who loves us so much He made it possible even while we were dead in our sin to be clean and live with Him. God has prepared a place for me. I in this earthly condition cannot even imagine what it will be like. But this I know...It will be perfect...It will be glorious...It will be Heaven.