I wanted to start this thread for you T as a way for us to contribute to keeping your spirits up instead of being weighed down. I can see so much anguish in your posts & my heart aches for you. I really do pray that you find peace & find God's will in all this chaos in your life. I thought maybe you could post here the blessings that you have as you try to pick up the pieces & move forward w/God leading you in the direction He wants you to take.

Putting aside the M & the heartache from that, is there anything you can see that God has done that shows He is still working in your life?

Y,

I'm still employed, and now my only debt is a mortgage.

My income exceeds my bills by about $1K/month <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

T

Good. This is a start. Think of this as a thank you thread. What else can you thank God for? Why don't you make a list & see if you can add to it each day?

Yesterday I was thankful for a beautiful day.

Today I am thankful for my good health.

T

Wonderful to hear.

1) More $ per month
2) Great weather
3) Good health

We've been having warmer temps here in Central PA, which is unusual for fall. But hey, I'll take it! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I am grateful that I get to spend the weekend with my daughter.

What do you plan to do this weekend w/your DD?

We went to dinner and then saw Chicken Little last night.

It's nice today, so after I listen to Car Talk and look at my open enrollment options for insurance, we are going to go outside and play in the leaves for a while, maybe head to a local park and feed the geese and ducks, then visit a friend who's son is having his 13th birthday party.

Tomorrow is church and I'm considering moving my membership, so I'm attending a new members class while she is entertained and educated in the child care during the class.

So I'm grateful that I have options this weekend <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

T

We had fun. Didn't get to the park on Saturday, but did get outside on Sunday. I set up the volleyball net for her, and she helped as I flushed the radiator of my "newer" car between church services yesterday.

I guess I'm glad I don't have to hide like my ex-wife, who hides behind the door when I bring DD back to her apartment so she doesn't have to face me.

T

I suppose I should fill this in, even if I'm the only one reading here <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Today I'm grateful for friends who care.

T

Tony,

Glad you enjoyed the time w/your DD over the weekend. How was Chicken Little? Why are you leaving your church? Does it look like this other one is a better fit for you?


That's right, Tony. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You are taking care of your DD properly & living your life the way you should. I'm sure she recognizes it & is just too stubborn to admit it.



I still check in w/you Tony, even if I can't everday. Always remember that.


Please consider me your cyber-friend Tony. If you ever need to unleash or anything, please feel free to e-mail me. My H is aware of the friends I have on MB, so don't be worried about that. If we can help in any way, please don't be afraid to ask.

Well, I think the fact that my Sunday School class hasn't even contacted me in the 8-10 weeks I've been away looking at other churches is one good reason.

I asked the pastor where I could help, only to never hear back from him.

I asked the minister of Christian Education where could I help and if he could suggest a Sunday School class that was a better fit, only to not hear back from him on either of those things.

The bottom line is, they are telling me by their actions they really don't want me there.

Maybe I'm just to ashamed to return, maybe I don't feel like I fit, maybe I'm mad because they couldn't really help me with saving the marriage.

So I am going to change. Go somewhere that doesn't make you feel like you have the scarlet "D" on because you are divorced. Somewhere that has Sunday School classes for single adults other than their college and careers class full of adult teens and 20 somethings.

I wish there was something you could do, like give me a do-over on this whole marriage thing, to help my ex-wife see that I do/did love her with a real love, or show me how to convince her.

But I'll just keep praying for who the next Mrs Elightened will be and leave it at that.

Thanks,

T

Hey T,


I check in here everyday and still pay very close attention to you. You are in my prayers and I see progress. And I, like Standing, care and will listen to anything you want to say and will be your friend.

Shoots, if you lived over here, I know my church would want you there. I happen to know the pastor pretty well.

Bless you.

S&C

T,

Wish I could hand you your M intact & unblemished or at least a do-over as you want. HOwever, I'm not able to do that. I can't imagine the pain you're in but I hope you know the point of this thread is for you to count your blessings & still praise God despite the circumstances you have found yourself in. I will continue to pray that you find some peace in all this turmoil. I wish there was more I could do.

Today I'm grateful for buffalo wings, they are so yummy!

T

My W and I just went through the process of finding a new church. It was intersting, the old church we went to (for 7 or 8 years) I don't think realizes we're gone, except for perhaps the drop from out tithes and offerings.

I will offer this one piece of advice:

Find a church, (even if it's a little church, w/o fabulous facilities in a run down neighborhood), where the teaching from the pulpit is Truth. As you know it should be.

Everything else will fall into place if the top leadership is truly anointed. If it isn't, you're wasting your time, there are better places for you to be.

I don't know what denomination you are, but we ended up having to leave ours, going from 4-square to a full gospel church, and from 400 or so members down to 50. I can't tell you enough what a breath of fresh air it is, and what a lifting of our spirits it brings when you find the place that God wants you to be at.

The upshot: don't settle for anything less than the best. But measured in spiritiual terms, not earthly ones.

Good luck.

I was hoping to read more, but I guess I need to put more in, LOL.

So today I'm thankful that I've not killed OM or my ex-wife. Hey, it's something.

T

T,

Good to see you're still a around and in humorous spirits. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Any luck with finding a new church?

Bless you.

S&C

Tony,

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. Started a new job. How was your T-giving? Any luck in finding a new church? Check in w/us, okay?

I'm fine. T-giving was good. I had my YD on Thursday. I have her again this weekend.

I've attended the membership class at a church and may join. The preaching appears solid. Of course, I've not heard all the sermons. The sunday school class appears to care about it's members and about pursuing life with Christ. My YD seems to like it too, so what's not to love.

T