2-0-1-2

With the holiday festivities over, and life starting to return to normalcy, I started thinking about the past year and things that I have learned. Things such as, choosing your friends wisely, commitment, and not judging.
Friends that build you up, encourage you, and are trustworthy are the best ones to have. The bible reminds me of this in Thessalonians 5:11 
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
It's better to avoid those that tear you down, instead choose the ones who are just as goofy as you are (Example A Picture-my friends are just a weird as I am).
Another thing I learned was about commitment. God puts us all through trials that are not always the most fun and are painful. But even when your hurting, it is so important to follow through on your word and not to give up. God is probably teaching you a important lesson that will benefit you.
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
It can be hard to see God's plan through the tears, but things usually turn out much better than you expected. 
Not to judge. This one was a toughy for me to learn, as I am a ESVJ according to the Meyers-Briggs test. But in the last year, I have really worked on the whole no judgy thing. The book Cross-Cultural Connections  really helped me in this area. CCC (the book) talked about how different people from different cultures do things differently. It doesn't make them wrong, it just makes them different. I have really tried to apply this in my life. Everyone grows up in a different way, doing things differently. They aren't wrong. They are just different (Example B Picture-I am not judging my sisters for being weird). 
Matthew 7:1-2
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

I learned countless lessons this last year, and I am already learning a new one this year: Trust. But I will save that one for a future post.

Until Next Time,

Miss Sass A Frass