I Don't Hold the Gavel

In my house-church we've been going through the book of James.
At my college-group, we've been going through Matthew (specifically chapters 6 and 7). 

When God has something He wants to show you....He makes it pretty obvious.  I have been struggling with judging others.  I think the root of it can be found in the judgment I lay on myself for not meeting up to my own standards.  I don't know when it all started.  I can't pinpoint the moment.  It just did.

In Matthew 7 Jesus says,
“Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (NKJV)

-or-

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults-unless, of course, you want the same treatment.  That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.  It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.  Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt?  It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. (The Message)


When we think about a judge (courtroom, fancy robes, lawyers & attorneys, security guards,etc.) there are a few attributes we hope that they possess, like impartiality and a sense of justice.  In a court of law, any bias or pre-conceived notion is intolerable.  I think it's interesting to compare that definition of a judge to my struggle with judging people.  I have a hard time giving people the benefit of the doubt, and I generally always have pre-conveived notions.  What is the difference between a court of law judge and myself?  I have not been created to be the judge of another's life.  

In trying to simplify my life and understand who I have been created to be and what I have been created to do, this problem with proclaiming judgment on others [in my heart alone, but still as offensive to the Father as out loud] has waged war on my heart.  It's plagued my waking hours and my dreams.  How do I stop the judging?

The first step: Asking for your prayer, as well as knowing that my wonderful brothers and sisters here beside me are holding me up.
The second step: Turning it over to God as soon as the creeping thought is caught.  James 3 talks about how the tongue cannot be tamed by man.  It is a definite, unchangeable fact.  There's nothing to interpret.  The tongue cannot be tamed by man.  This tongue of mine that speaks in my heart cannot be tamed by man either.     Jesus, the God-man: fully God and fully man, can control this wild tongue that has done damage to my heart and soul.  He can reseal the cracks I've caused and heal the broken pieces. 
The third step: Seeking those things that are pure and holy to fill the spaces where the brokenness is cleared out of.   Continuing to read and dig deeper into the God-breathed Word that I so often forget about or turn away from to instead fill with blogs or McLeod's Daughters, or Disney movies with friends.  


This point in my life is about changing the unhealthy habits, cleaning out the clutter, and finding the things to be thankful for in the process.


Anything that God's been pointing out to you lately that you need to change?  Whether you've been acknowledging it or not? 



 

continued...Important Things

1. My relationship with Jesus
     1a.  Updating my prayer notecard every week
     1b.  Savoring my quiet time every morning.
     1c.  Giving thanks
     1d.  Spend more time in meaningful worship.
2. Sleep
     2a.  Get 8 or more hours of sleep a night
3. School
     3a.  Use my planner
     3b.  Catch up on reading (...I have a lot)
     3c.  Start studying for finals/midterms...NOW!!
     3d.  Study for map quizzes/current events before Wednesday night.
     3e.  Catch up on math homework. 
4. Eating Healthy
     4a.  Plan meals!
     4b.  Incorporate more fruits and veggies!!
     4c.  Drink more water!
5. Relationships with roommates/siblings/family/friends
     5a.  Spend quality time with the people I love, and work on nurturing precious relationships.  

Right now, these are the important things... here are some extras though

1.  Simplifying the stuff in my life...(In fact, this weekend my bedroom is getting a makeover...as in everything not necessary or deemed unnecessary is either going in the trash or to Goodwill. I am blessed to have the best roommate in the world who has told me in no uncertain terms that she's helping me this weekend.  I've been out of control lately....and it shows in the most interesting places)
2.  Thinking before I react and before I open my mouth.


This weekend my goal is to catch up on mostly everything on my list.  I've been traveling or had company for the last month, so it will be nice to have a weekend with no agenda!!!

Have a blessed Friday!

Kaitlynn Marie :)

The Important Things in Life

Some of you know about my departure from Facebook.  Today marks the 5 month anniversary of my facebook-free life!  Do you want to know the truth?  I haven't missed it at all.  In fact I think on the first of June I'm going to delete it. 

At this stage in my life I'm really trying to filter through everything I choose to put my time and energy into.  Facebook was the first to be cut, and it won't be the last.  Not only am I moving into the process of filtering the activities I participate in, but also the things that fill up my space (aka bedroom/domain/theplacewhereeverythingmagicallygetslostinablackhole)  Do I really need 25 t-shirts? (Okay, that's a rough guess.... but it's somewhere around there)  Do I really have a need for 30 pens/pencils, books, notecards, movies, everything.

Where do you draw the line?  Or more importantly, where has God already drawn the line?  What are the things that I have to choose to give up so that I can be in the place God wants me?
How are the things that I choose to put into my life affecting how I react to life?  When something happens, how do I react?  How do the things I surround myself effect how I react?   I think that these are relevant questions,  hard questions, and they're worth digging into.

I heard the song What Do I Know of Holy on the radio this morning on my way to school.  It really made me stop and think.  What do I know of Holy?  All I know is that I'm a small town girl who is still figuring out how to live by faith every. single. day. 

Thank about it:  What in your life needs to be thrown out, sold, handed-down, or simply sorted through?  Is it your closet, your diet, habits, or just your relationship with Jesus that needs to be re-evaluated?  Take some time this week to really sit down and think it through, then act.  Do something about it. 

I went through my closet this week.  I donated 10 shirts, a pair of pants, and a pair of shorts that I don't wear very often.  Simple, yet it makes such an impact.