<small>[ August 08, 2004, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: laura_lee ]</small>

Laura_Lee-
'Missed you on the EN board. How are things?
Thanks for replying to post I made a while back. I was hoping my reply didn't chase you away. I didn't agree 100 percent with your viewpoint but I still think what you say had merit and you said it well.
Cheers!

Well, good question.<p>my first dream is to be successfully self employed in my current attempt at my third career, the one I love, which gives me the freedom to work whenever i want, and do whatever i want.<p>Concurrently, the dream is to be able to also put my kids through whatever school they decide they want and for what school they can qualify.<p>the next dream is to buy myself a nice, medium size house in a nice, middle class neighborhood in the town where my kids live, the next town over.<p>Finally, the remaining dream is to find someone who is willing to travel with me and explore the parts of the world and the methods of travel that i want. The person must be able to pack lightly, must be able to go a day or two without a shower, must be able to drive a land boat or a water boat.<p>The person must be able to get a passport, and not be afraid to fly across the pacific ocean. . . <p>BTW, atheists can dream too, we have our own dreams, we design them by ourselves, and are responsible for them ourselves.<p>WIFTTy

Laura, I've been thinking about this for a long time and first off I want to thank you. You see after pondering the question I realized that I am living out my dream.<p>My dream is to have the BEST father/daughter relationship I can with all three of my girls and that is happening right before my very eyes. Everyday I here one of them say something that reinforces that or I catch a look in their eyes that tells me.<p>God I am the luckiest man alive and today you reminded me of that.

Hi, laura_lee:<p>I don't think we've ever "met" before.....<p>Interesting thread you've started here.....I've actually been thinking more and more about this since my WH's been out of the house.....<p>I was always taught that "marriage was God's will if (BIG IF) together you could accomplish more for God than either one of you could alone." I believed that! I guess I still do (still thinking on it now), but my WH and I sorta "hit a snag" during our courtship, got "asked to leave" volunteer positions we held (me first, then he joined in order to be with me more - he didn't really enjoy it, since it was teens), and from then on, it was all downhill. We DID backslide, big time, and never really got "involved" like we should have after that.<p>Fast-forward 20+ years and here we are!! H is MAJORLY backslidden (worse than ever before, obviously!!) and "afraid of when and how God is going to get him" - his words.<p>Me, on the other hand, have begun wondering WHAT wonderous things God might have had for us, if we had not "succumbed" to the workings of Satan way back then, got it right with our church (although, in all honesty, WE TRIED!!), and continued being submissive to and obedient to God, instead of running away (WH's favorite coping mechanism). <p>I also wonder HOW I might use my Spiritual Gifts for God's glory. I have the gift of teaching. It's as natural as breathing. It's as much fun as laughing and playing - to me!! I often wonder IF God can use me (individually) more easily, except that I DO NOT believe God's plan is for divorce for me and my H. However, BIG IF HERE, TOO!!! If my WH won't (free will and all) repent from his (current) sin and turn back to God, I'm pretty much on my own, so I should be looking for God's future plan for me and me alone (keep in mind that I DO teach for a living, I'm not talking about that - that doesn't necessarily "glorify God" since I'm somewhat censored in what I'm allowed to talk about). I'm talking about my Avocation, my "free time." <p>If any of this RAMBLING makes any sense, I can only say that I'm not sure what I'll be doing. I know what my dream is....always has been.....can't see myself doing anything else - EVER!! I just have to wait and see where God directs me, I guess.<p>Somewhere in the back of my head, sometime waaay in the future, I can see myself (maybe BOTH of us?) "teaching" a class on HOW CHristian couples can stay married and in-love.<p>Thanks for the thread, and a chance to "meet" and Praise and Glorify our Lord together.<p>Lupo

If you guys haven't read it , PLEASE read Don Miguel Ruiz's " The 4 Agreements"..<p>He argues that what we see and go through is not "real"; it's based on perception and illusion. <p>A dream.<p>To change the dream , you follow his 4 agreements.<p>I found it to be very powerful, and " read" it often.( I have it on cassette ) <p>Dan<p>[ December 07, 2001: Message edited by: Family Man ]</p>