WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?

By Vernalee

"Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 Some people spend too much time monitoring other folks so that they can judge their behavior. Who other than them have that type of time? In fact, some wait on folks to make mistakes so that they can be the first to bring down their verbal gavel pronouncing condemnation! Sad, but true! Allow me to make this easy and simple. First, only God can judge because he sees all actions; those that are visible as well as the hidden and disguised. Secondly, if we properly utilize our time to keep our lives on track, we won’t have time to continually watch others, lest alone judge them. In other words, mind your business! Stop looking at others to find their dirt. Do your work and let God do his! Photo credit: www.huffingtonpost.com

IF YOU LIE WITH DOGS, YOU GET UP WITH FLEAS

By Vernalee

Associating with bad company will most definitely yield negative consequences.

Beware of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own, but it may also lead you astray.

The unscrupulous can be toxic and toxicity can produce - Fear, Bad and Manipulative Conduct, Avoidance, Neediness, and impair your Vision.

It is hopeful that we can discern who is in our lives - be they there accidentally or providentially. We know that if you "waller" with pigs, you get dirty. It is unavoidable! We also know that bad associations spoil useful habits, that birds of the same feather flock together, and of course, if we lie down with dogs, we get up with fleas.

It is not what we know. It is what we do with what we know! Many times, we see the dirt, but convince ourselves that we will remain spotless as we are much too smart to get the mud on us. Wrong!

The choices are ours to make. Our decision will reveal our wisdom. For lack of a better term, it will also determine how "clean" we are, become, and remain.

WHEN AN OLD PERSON DIES, A LIBRARY BURNS TO THE GROUND

By Vernalee

This prophetic African proverb, "When an old man (or old woman) dies a library burns," helps you to appreciate how much history, knowledge, and wisdom our parents, grandparents... carried in their minds and souls. It makes you value the time that you had to spend with them. Oh my, what a blessing!

It is a treasured resource as to how much you benefited from their wisdom. Truly, they were reservoirs of information filled with family history; mostly unwritten. You were enriched from the nectar of their lips when they kissed you and from the sweetness of the time you spent together. They taught so many valuable lessons. While some of the information that departed from their mouths is fresh in our minds, we should take the time to record what they pass down so we can share with generations to come. Sorely missed many are! There have been so many times that I wanted to ask my Mother questions and seek her advice, but her voice is no more. It is for those reasons that we should treasure and respect what we have in our elders as long as we can. So much lived within their walls, and so much faded in the sunset when we lost them. For those who are remaining, while their nostrils pump out warm air, we should squeeze and grab as much of them as often and as long as we can! We'll be glad that we did!