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Christina Day 10: Focus and Study – Romans 2:1-4

The word cleanses and purifies us. (see Psalm 119:9, John 15:3, John 17:17, Ephesians 5:26)

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Day 10 in Joyce’s 30/30 challenge…

Today I started on Romans 2:1 and read through 4 – this story struck me hard because it was a lesson I learned MANY MANY years ago from my Step-Mother Jeri-ann Littrell.  She had three children when she got with my father and the middle son, Doug, and I were very close in age so of course we “didn’t get along” all of the time – and he was bugging me one day and we were fighting in the car. Jeri came out to the car and said STOP FIGHTING – and I proceeded to plead my case of what he was doing and she told me “Just know that the things that “bother” you the most about other people are things YOU do too!”  Now I had no idea what this meant, I was about 9 at the time, but I remember the day so clear and I remember her saying that.  It was a comment that had left a mark on me – a good one too!  As I grew up I started evaluating that statement and I watched the things that frustrate me about other people. In fact there is an I Love Lucy episode that hits on this same topic – Fred gets frustrated with Ricky for tapping his fingers on the table while thinking, in turn Ricky lashes out at Fred for jingling the change in his pocket – Lucy bugs everyone with her tinkling of the spoon on her coffee cup and Ethan well her giggle annoys them all.  You see though they were different “items” they all had a “nervous tick” if you will and as they judged each other – their own nervous habit came to light…..  this lesson seemed to be following me around! I shared this lesson with my daughter and son as they grew up – still not knowing the full effect of it.

Hahaha later in my 30’s I was introduced to Romans, as I mentioned earlier by Barbara Kubiak, when I listened to the audios of the reading of the bible I stated with Romans and walla – here was this lesson right in my face – but NOW I KNEW – I knew where it all came from! How splendid this feeling of full circle was to me. I knew right then that not only was this a lesson for me to share it was a lesson for me to take a hard long look at and reflect in what I DO THAT BOTHER ME ABOUT OTHERS and to make changes in ME not expect them in others.  I am so thankful to have these strong women in my life and for them to always be sharing.  (I know I Love Lucy was not “in my life” but it was a big part of it and still is – just ask my family)  I value the heart they all have and the fact that they are strong confident women!

I consider Romans to be the “Life Manual”.  Listening to it while commuting to and from work all those years ago I found a lot of life lessons that were shared with us all growing up but now I have found the origin of them – and I look forward to going through this “How to Live” section of the bible – I Love It!

Dear Lord I Pray –

Dear Jesus, thank you for warming my heart and pointing me back to Romans for this study time.  I struggle with structure and guidance – I need it and I thrive on it! In this part of the Bible it is so clear to me through your words where we can find that structure and the “rules” for living.  I thank you for bringing this lesson back to me full circle and I really am going to evaluate MY ACTIONS and what I do using the mirror effect if you will of when I might want to pass judgement of others look at myself instead of them – what am I doing?  How am I like that?  What changes can I make?  I know you will whisper to me the entire time helping me to stay on track!  Thank you for my dear friends and my sisters in Faith – I appreciate them all!  Please place your healing hands on the ill and ones in pain and guide those who are lost to your home as I know you have the Lights On for us all… IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN.