Romans 8

Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"
Isn't this a powerful verse? I've been meditating on Romans 8 for the past month or so, and am really trying to take this verse (and the rest of the passage) to heart. We are completely forgiven and free in Christ. I struggle so much with condemning myself for every little thing I do (or don't do), that I often fail to experience Christ's acceptance and grace. I feel like it's a balance though, between being conscious of my sin and yet not weighing myself down with guilt. I am already completely acceptable and pleasing to God, because of Christ's death on the cross and forgiveness for my sin. Now I just have to figure out how to accept myself...

This week...

Has been kind of exhausting. I was out of town last weekend, and just feel like I have so much to catch up on from the past couple weeks. And I haven't been sleeping that well...

Yesterday I tried going to Fox to work on some stuff, but only lasted about an hour, and then went home and took a nap. Then I worked late afternoon/evening. I go back and forth these days between work being a "have to" or a "get to". I love my job, honestly I do, it's just sometimes I am so tired in the late afternoon/evening, and especially as it gets toward 8:30 I am just ready to be done.

Butterscotch caught a bird yesterday morning, which made me sad. But I think it was okay, because the bird flew away when I wasn't looking. Butterscotch and Caramel are indoor only cats, but occasionally I let Butterscotch play on the porch when she wants to...well, not any more though!

What is a vision for your life worth the challenge and discomfort of redesign?

Honestly, right now, I'm not sure. So often, I find myself thinking things like, I want a deeper relationship with God. I want more meaningful relationships with other Christians. I want more purpose and meaning in my life in general. And yet when I actually sit down to make changes in my life, like setting aside more time to spend with God, or making choices for more conscious activities in my life, it is often so much easier not to make these choices, and to just continue doing exactly what I've been doing, living my life exactly the way I have. I guess that is why my life never seems to change. Because I choose for it not to.

What is a life worth living?

I've been pondering this question, since someone asked me it yesterday morning...What is a life worth living? A life lived for Christ and one that brings him honor and glory, yes, most definitely, but what does that actually look like? And what else? What do I really want in this life?
Whenever anyone asks me some variation of this question, I always (if I know the person well enough) say that there are really only three things I want...to be a doctor, to get married, and to have children...things that sometimes (often) seem so out of reach. Anything else that when I was younger I might have wanted I now either have or it is no longer important...I own a house (condo), which was one of my goals when I was a senior in college (although that seems relatively unimportant now in the grand sceme of things), I attend an amazing, Biblically-sound church (which is very important), and I have a number of close, Christian friends (yes, still important). But I guess other things just seem more...lifelong, ya know? Oh yeah, and I have an absolutely amazing family, but I guess I've always kind of taken that for granted, since I grew up with that.
I guess what I should really focus on is a closer relationship with Christ, because nothing else besides Him can truly satisfy...and He will show me how the other pieces of my life should fit into place...