I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Melissa at Joy Faith & Dirt. And while I don’t really know entirely what that means, it seemed fun and interesting, so here we go…

Here are the rules!

1.  Post the award on your blog.

2.  Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

3. Write 11 random facts about yourself.

4.  Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and have less than 1,000 followers. 

5.  Answer 11 questions posted by your presenter and ask your nominees to answer 11 questions.

My 11 Random Facts:
1. My favorite animal is a red fox.

2. I have recently become a fan of anime.

3. I have written four poetry books.

4. I have four more in the works.

5. I really enjoy the post-apocalyptic and dystopian genres.

6. I’m a pyro.

7. I love camping, canoeing, and backpacking.

8. My favorite genres of music are soothing acoustic folk and melt-your-face-off hard rock.

9. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies.

10. I’m currently writing in my 24^th journal.

11. Tacos are awesome.

The 11 Questions Asked Me:

1. If you were stranded on an island, what one thing would you want to take with you (no people)? Assuming I can’t take something to get me off the island (like a boat or teleportation device), and that I’m actually stranded, I would take a hatchet.

2. What's your biggest accomplishment to date? Probably the process of writing Shadows & Scars

3. What place do you most want to visit? New Zealand or China

4. How do you find material for your blog? By reading my Bible, books, news stories, and various online sources

5. What made you want to start your blog? I like to write

6. Have you always been a writer? Pretty much since grade school.

7. What's your favorite outdoor activity? camping

8. If you could convince everyone of one particular thing, what would it be? To give me two cents (or at least their two cents worth)

9. What is your favorite time of day and why? Late at night, because it is calm and quiet

10. Are you a chocolate or vanilla type of person? Chocolate

11. If you had to become an animal, which one would you choose and why? Red fox, because they are awesome.

My 11 Questions For My Nominees:

1. Are tacos your favorite food? If not, why?

2. What does the fox say?

3. What is your favorite book that most people haven’t heard of?

4. What is the best website in existence?

5. Where’s Waldo?

6. If you could meet one person from the past, who would it be and what one question would you ask him/her?

7. What is the best writing advice you’ve received?

8. What do you do for fun?

9. Which Bible character frustrates you the most, and why?

10. If you were invited on a one-way colonization flight to Mars for you and your family, would you go? Explain.

11. What is the most interesting dream you’ve ever had?

My Nominees!!!

1. Joy Faith & Dirt

2. Et Cetra 

3. Snellections

4. New Beginnings

5. Vivere Vix Deus

6. Terrace Light

            I was supposed to nominate 11 blogs, but you guys are so awesome I only had to nominate half(ish) that number! Huzzah.

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye.”

I used to think this passage was talking about two types of sins: bigger sins and smaller sins; and that if you had one of the bigger sins (a log), it was foolish of you to try to help remove a smaller sin (a speck) from someone else’s life. Which kinda made sense at the time, and of course made for some humorous imagery.

What I’ve come to realize, however, is that the context of this passage is what Jesus has just said a few verses earlier: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven” (6:37). The log which prevents you from seeing clearly enough to help with someone else’s speck is not some random larger sin. The log in your eye is specifically the sin of judging. It is the spirit of judgment and condemnation.

Realizing this came as quite an ironic twist to me. It is often those who think they don’t have any sin (or at least not any big sins) in their life that are the most likely to be judgmental in dealing with another person’s sin. I know; I’ve been that person. On the other hand, those who see their own sin – and the mercy that covers them – are the ones who are able to see clearly enough to support another in their own struggle against sin.

I think the point is this: if you want to help someone else, you first have to remove your judgmental attitude towards them. You have to come to them in a spirit of love and forgiveness. Then, and only then, can you be an agent of God’s redemptive spirit in their life.