Pull The Log Out Of Your Eye

There are people that judge me all the time. They make comments about how I dress, do my hair, my lifestyle, and so on. It is just what these people do. They live for it. Strive to see how far they can go to push mine or anyone else's buttons. I have learned over the years to just laugh and walk away. I don't give in to it. Why?

Well, here is the reason. These type of people are covering for a deeper issue in life. They have something deeper going on that they don't want others to know about. So they will find someone to pick on or belittle so that they can deflect the problem off of them.

For example a person in your church pulls you aside each week after service to berate you about one thing or another. Everything going wrong at church is your fault. You can't do anything right in their eyes. What do you do? Pray about it. God shows you that this person is having problems. Their house is up for sale. You knew that already that this person has plans to move to the beach with their spouse. What is new you ask God. He shows you that once this person's house sells that their spouse is planning on divorcing them and moving to the beach on their own. You feel for them. You ask God to help them see what is going to happen before it is too late. 

I like to say that in this situation it would seem that one would need to pull the log out of their own eye before pulling the speck out of yours. They need to clean up their own house before coming to clean yours. 

Some people have the nerve to come and tell you how to live your life when their life is not perfect either. No one's life is perfect by any means. So if we have problems in our life we need to take it to God instead of taking it our on others. 

We end up not only hurting ourselves worse, but also hurting someone else in the end. Not a good thing.

Pull the log out of your eye before you go trying to pull the speck out of someone else's. It will do you good.

Christian Dress Code

Some time ago I was told that how I dressed to come to church was not following what the bible says about how we should dress to come to church.  I was puzzled by that statement. I was told that women should not wear pants and also should keep their heads covered at all times. I had to shake my head a bit at this interpretation of the bible.  

Part of this is true. In the bible it does say that women need to keep their heads covered. However, there is nothing in the bible that mentions how women should other wise dress. Back in bible times everyone (men and women) wore long robes or dresses. Pants didn't come along till much later. So how could the bible talk about not wearing them if they did not exist at that time?

The bible does say that you should come in your best to see Jesus. That means if your best is jeans or nice looking pants then wear them. God wants to see our hearts. We need to be concerned with how we dress our hearts than ourselves. 

Yes we need to wear nice clothes to church. We need to be neat and orderly. That does not mean that you have to come dressed in a ball gown to church. It means that you come dressed in what you have. Not everyone can afford to dress to the 9s. 

Some denominations have dress codes. I can remember my Grandpa Rittenour talking about when he was a child how the Mennonites dressed. It was and still is similar to the Amish. I have a friend who is old order Mennonite and she makes her own dresses. Very beautiful at that. I admire people who have such a strong faith that they can stick to something like that. 

There are some other denominations like the Brethren that have women to wear prayer coverings. I can remember my Aunt Virginia wearing one each time we went to church. My dad called it her sin sifter. I think he was trying to poke fun at her.

I know in the Middle East the dress code for Women in that they show nothing but their eyes. Everything is covered all the time. I think that would have to get hot.  

I don't think that how you are dressed matters. I think that it is what is in your heart that matters. God looks at the heart. If your heart is not right with him then he is not pleased. 

So the next time you go to church think about how not only are you dressed, but your heart as well. You need to wear what you feel is your best dress not only on  your body, but also your heart.

Extreme Cold

I am one to shout it from the roof tops that I don't like winter. I am not a fan of the snow and ice that is associated with winter, but more so I hate the cold temps. Recently here in West Virginia we have had a spell where the weather has been extremely cold.  That is to say that the wind has been wild, temps fall into the teens, and it feels like in the minus numbers. Not something that I like a whole lot.

So when the extreme cold hits you need to be safe. First if you have to go outside bundle up. Heavy coat, hat, gloves, thick socks, heavy pants, etc. This will keep you warm. Also if you have to go some place you need to give your car time to warm up. Check make sure to check your decks and steps for water and clear it off. That way ice will not form.

Dress in layers. You can take clothes off and on if needed. Make sure that your home is air tight so that you don't loose heat in the winter. In extreme cold it will take more to heat your home. Make sure you have lots of blankets on your bed and even invest in an electric blanket. 

Make sure to bring outdoor pets inside. Also if you have children make sure to bundle them up when they go outside. Not being properly dressed can cause you to get sick very quickly. Hypothermia and Frost bite can also happen.

So as I head off to bed I will be dressed warm, two pairs of socks on my feet, 3 blankets on the bed, my electric blanket turned on, and I will sleep well. When I go out I will be dressed in layers, 2 pairs of socks on me feet, hat, gloves, heavy coat, and let the car warm up before I head out. Not taking any chances.

Can't wait for winter to be over.