Judgements

What comes to your mind when you look at the following photo?

If you are me, you would have thought, "someone is in big trouble, men!!!"
I just passed judgement on the man. What if he did absolutely nothing to deserve being slapped? What if she is assaulting him for no reason?

Now take a look at the following video;

(Sorry about having to go straight to youtube to watch the video. I needed the video and youtube wasn't make things easy on me. I judge them!!! Oh well, come back and read the rest. I'll wait for you.)

Lets explore the 2nd scenario in the video. The man is clearly giving his daughter money, yet the police officer thinks he is picking up a prostitute. However, we know that is definitely not the case. The police officer assumed a false judgement.

Lets define Judgement to make sure we are on the right page.

Judgement:

the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion: a man of sound judgment.

I have been thinking about what I wanted to say to get through to my readers. I thought to myself, why do people judge? what makes people pass judgement on others? I mean we all do it and it is easy. It doesn't matter if it is your own family member or a person you encounter in the supermarket. We all judge others!

I think judgements then can be broken down into two categories: True judgement and false judgement.

 Father playing with his daughter. True judgement?

Husband kissing his pregnant wives belly?True judgement?

 Kind of looks like one neighbor is kissing another. Adultery maybe?False judgement?

 And I 'm not sure I want to know. I know, "I can explain!"False judgement?

 You know every single one of those photos can be turned around? Lets take the first photo. I said it was true judgement. It was a photo of a father playing with his daughter. How do we know it isn't someone crazy man about to kidnap a child while the parents are not looking? Oops! I just passed judgement on the man and now my new judgement is either true or is it false? Who knows?

Do you know every time I am in a public place and I see a crying child being dragged by his parent, I wonder if that child is actually being kidnapped and not being naughty? I judge. 

 We are all judged, each and every day. 

I say....judge me!

I'll give you reasons to and then I will give you reasons not to. Okay? 

I am on my 2nd marriage. I run 50+ miles a week and yes I have two children, ages 10 and 8. I have been running since my youngest was 3 months old. I occasionally don't know what to make for dinner. I lost my virginity at 17 (God, I hope my mom doesn't see this). I drank too much when my kids were really little. I was seriously depressed when we moved from my only home of 36 years to a new state and 7 hours away from my family. I have slapped my husband. I am a vegetarian. I have no plans to ever stop running. I don't know what I want to do with my life. I can't remember the last time I went to church. I sometimes don't pick up the phone when my mother calls. I am a couch potato. I don't always give my kids hugs at bed time. 

I love my current husband and the mistakes of my past are just that, the past. We will never divorce. I love running, it is who I am and I am a great example to my girls, regardless if I am home or not in which case, I normally run when they are in school. My family never complains about my cooking, my children eat what they are served. Even though, I was 17, wished I would have waited till marriage, I loved who I lost my virginity to and have no regrets. I experienced postpartum depression, to get me to quit drinking, I prayed that God would make me seriously ill every time I even had one sip and I took up running. Moving from my home in Portland to California was very hard on me, but I am coming out of my depression and anger. It is under control and I have accepted my new home as my home. I regret what I did to my husband, he took it well, I was traumatized. I feel great being a vegetarian, I have tons of energy. I still make my family their meat meals and I really am enjoying my new food choices. Running is who I am, I have unfinished goals, it keeps me fit, depressed free. I always say after I have finished my first 100 that I will contribute my success to moving to  this small, boring beach town. Well I still don't know what I want to do with my life, but God has a plan for me. He doesn't make junk. Maybe my purpose has always been to be a stay at home wife and mother and runner?I have been a Christian for a very long time. My kid has soccer games on Saturdays, which means running usually comes on Sunday. I pray every day. Do I always have to pick up the phone if my mother calls? Can't I call her back if it is a bad time to talk? Couch potatoe only between the hours of 8-10, did you not hear me mention that I run 50+ miles a week?  I am with my children all day, every day, they get plenty of attention for me, I'm a good mother and if they are being bad at bedtime, they can just go to bed!

There you have it! Judge me or not, I don't care, because...you really should look in the mirror first.