c++ -

Everybody is on their own spiritual journey and at a different place, so you're exactly in the right place for you. And if you want to go further, all you have to do is ask God.

And don't be too sure that God wasn't around, working during the last 5000 years - the Catholic Church is still around even after everything it's gone through, and our parish priest once told us this in a sermon - he said that he knows that good always prevails over evil - otherwise he'd be in the wrong profession.

And it doesn't hurt to think about these - and really read them, they're not just pretty words, but promises that came from the mouth of Jesus -

Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT, for theirs is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Blessed are those who MOURN, for they shall be CONSOLLED.

Blessed are the MEEK, for they shall INHERIT THE EARTH.

Blessed are those WHO HUNGER NAD THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, for they shall be SATISFIED.

Blessed are the MERCIFUL for they shall receive MERCY.

Blessed are the PURE IN HEART, for they shall SEE GOD.

Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be called SONS OF GOD.

Blessed are those who are PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS'SAKE, for their is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Blessed are you when MEN REVILE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU AND UTTER ALL KINDS OF EVIL FALSELY ON MY ACCOUNT. Rejoice and be glad, FOR YOUR REWARD IS GREAT IN HEAVEN!

So, never fear, God is here, just like the sun still shines behind the dark rain clouds - God is still there in the dry spells and darkness of our lives.

And you don't have to figure out the whole meaning of life right now - it takes a lifetime to do that. Otherwise you'd be bored because you'd know it all.

Just take things one day at a time and let God lead you to where he wants you to go, and just enjoy, and sometimes suffer through, the ride.

Wish it was sunny enough to mow the lawn here - all it does is RAIN - so no need for my sunglasses guy I guess - but I'll end with him anyway because he's so cool. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" /> K

I'm getting ready to post a big one, soon....I hope my MB friends are out there!......Thanks

Ok...Hello all.

I am typing this while my hotdogs cook, so I need to watch my time! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

I look out at a world whose potential for beauty and goodness seem limitless. I can look out at my backyard and see oak trees and birds and squirrels and feel the breeze. I see the night sky, stars going out to infinity; look at the ocean and wonder at its mighty power and smell the salt air and I can feel completely at peace. There is a view from down on North Ferry ( I work on South Ferry ) which I have seen nearly everyday since I was 3 years old and I still have not tired of it one bit. I drive out over the North Fork and look at the farmland and smell the newly turned earth and I know that I am a happy part of this grand experiment.

I look out at the world and I see the wonderful people of Marriage Builders and I know that there are good men and women in the world who want only for their lives and marriages to be repaired. It is a reminder that there are good people in the world who are not greedy and whose every waking moment is not spent thinking of how they can get one over on the 'other guy' or 'the 'system'.

I have very simple needs, at least I believe that they are simple; I want to be married to a very nice woman, and if she is Catholic, it certainly would not hurt. I want to have a little family and raise them in the country where trees out-number people and my children can learn how beautiful the world can be.

I would be happy living in a little country house, next to my own little air-strip, giving flying lessons on weekends while I write and do equations to earn money. I would not need a lot of money, but I would not want my family to have to worry how bills were going to be paid, either.

I can see my little ones running bare foot through mud puddles and laughing. I picture us sing Christmas Carols (Christmas is very big with me) around a hearth and going to Midnight Mass together to give thanks for all we have, especially each other.

These are things that I thought I would have with my stbxw, but I will not. She has been having an affair with MY friend (former) for the last year and even if she were to come back now, I would have a very hard time letting her in the door.

Greedy people run the world. My own boss, who professes a deep Christian Faith, though is very anti-Catholic, I believe is much more interested in how much he can sock away for himself than he is in the financial well-being of his employees.

I bet that there is not one major company that is not run by absolute thieves. The little guy loses his small portfolio and the head of the company falls to Earth suspended by a Golden Parachute on which I am sure I could raise my family, if I ever get one, for the rest of my life.

Is what I want so bad? Are my dreams so ridiculous that I should just give them up now and resign myself to taking fairs on the stupid ferry for the rest of my life?

Please all you really good people out there, please let us keep this dialogue going, it is really helping me out, it really is.

up

c++-

Your dream life sounds just wonderful..... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

I'll put in my last two cents and then let the others take over with their thoughts for awhile.

The only things I would add are

1)if that's what you want then why don't you make it your goal and start working on it. and

2) If you are trying to do God's will and are open to it, then you'll be led in the right direction, and who's to say it isn't to a house in the country with an air strip in the backyard. You could at least pray about it and start the journey and God will let you know if it fits in with His plan.

God doesn't want us to have horrible lives, and if what you want fits in with His Will then if you're faithful, He'll surely let you have it.

Maybe God knew that your wife would never be happy with that life, and so He didn't stop her when she wanted to leave, so that you would be open to someone else who wanted what you do......

Just more to ponder.

And now I rest my case. K

k, i hope i have not upset you.

c

You better learn to reign in that giver! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" />

No of course you haven't upset me!

I just didn't want to seem too preachy all the time, I thought you'd get tired of it - my ExH certainly did. And besides, I need to learn to let others have a chance to respond.

Don't worry. If any thing else pops into my head, I'm sure I won't be able to hold myself back from responding. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" /> K

Either you type really fast or your hot dogs got burnt! Your dreams are not only reasonable, rational, but well defined! So... I retract my request that you light a candle for me and ask that you light a candle for my H instead. He needs prayers (especially for a softened heart) even more than I do. You might scare off the right woman when she finds out you're lighting half the cathedral for all your women friends on the internet! LOL

Good job counting your blessings and taking time to enjoy the beauty around you. I truly believe it makes room in your life for blessings.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by c++_guy:
<strong>Is what I want so bad? Are my dreams so ridiculous that I should just give them up now and resign myself to taking fairs on the stupid ferry for the rest of my life?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I don't think your dreams are ridiculous. But I also don't think God is in the business of fulfilling our dreams, as if he were some kind of ultra-powerful genie.

God seems to have his own ideas about what is best for us, and it doesn't always align well with our own. Remember the story about the missionaries to the Auca Indians? I don't think they ever expected things to turn out the way they did. As I recall the story, Jim Elliott had dreams of his own that had nothing to do with going to the mission field. But he was not happy pursuing those dreams, because doing so meant ignoring his call.

The Bible is full of interesting examples of people with dreams whose lives didn't run according to expectation. In some cases, those dreams were actually given by God himself! Consider Joseph, who spent years in servitude and prison before he achieved the success of which he (quite literally) dreamed. Or consider Abraham, who believed he would become the father of a great nation (because God promised him that), but who remained childless for decades. Or consider Jesus's disciples, who dreamed that the promised Messiah would deliver them from Rome, only to discover that their Messiah had quite a different form of deliverance in mind.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Treasures

One by one He took them from me,
All the things I valued most,
Until I was empty-handed;
Every glittering toy was lost.

And I walked earth's highways, grieving,
In my rags and poverty,
Till I heard his voice inviting,
"Lift your empty hands to Me!"

So I held my hands toward heaven,
And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches,
Till they could contain no more.

And at last I comprehended
With my stupid mind and dull,
That God COULD not pour his riches
Into hands already full!

- by Martha Snell Nicholson</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

<small>[ March 24, 2003, 05:50 PM: Message edited by: AD ]</small>

There is one thing:

If God came down from on High and told me to my face that He needed me to work on the ferry past Labor Day the answer would be NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

c++-

Ok. so you can't get rid of me. I told you I'd post if I had something to say. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Just in response to GnomeDePlume, who wrote "I don't think your dreams are ridiculous. But I also don't think God is in the business of fulfilling our dreams, as if he were some kind of ultra-powerful genie."

While I do believe that we need to seek God's Will for our lives and make it our own, I also believe that if we really want to do God's Will and seek it from God, that the life we lead actualy is God's Will for us.

We find God's Will for our lives in every moment, every situation of our day. That's why we pray during the day because when decisions arise, we ask God - what do you want me to do?

Although God isn't a genie - He's better than a genie - and I think that He does grant us our wishes if they are compatible with His Will. Thus, the basis of asking for things from Him.

While sometimes we may not get what we ask for immediately, it's not to say we won't ever get it, sometimes God gives us a "not yet" answer. Or maybe sometimes it's a no to what we think we want and then God gives us a yes to even something better. Or if we want something that will take us away from God and not bring us closer to Him, then He may say no. But I do believe that God loves us and will grant us even some of our earthly desires, - in the bible, He was always granting children to childless women who prayed for them - if the thing that we ask for will help get us to heaven, or at least won't hinder us from getting us to heaven.

My ExH thought God just dropped us on the earth and then our lives were set and there was nothing we could do about them. If that was true, then why pray? Why form a relationship with God if there was no give and take - no speaking to God and no listening to what God has to say - sometimes we forget the listening part - who spoends at least 5 minutes a day just listening to God?

My ExH also wanted to know why we were so blessed and why now the gravy train may not continue. A little background - we had it "all" the house we designed and built ourselves, the cars, the kids, the family, the friends - everything - before D-day. And now ExH wants to know why then and not now - my reply - God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. When you do what God asks, follow His commands, do good to others, then you are rewarded, but when you tell God where to put those commandments by knowingly disobeying them, well - you're like a disobedient child and do parents reward disobedient children - no - they get punished, and lose the toys(or at least the toys are put in time out for awhile).

So, while we were faithful to God - He blessed us. And now - well, my personal opinion is that those "things" that we had we're brining us closer to Him or heaven, so like that pruner that He is - "snip" went the things that were in the way - and I'm thinking now that the state of our marriage was really in the way of me(at least) getting closer to God. This is not to say that now that I know all I know we couldn't have a even better more God centered marriage - but ExH hasn't bought into that concept yet - heck, he hasn't even bought into the Do Not Covet concept yet and he's quickly moving into ignoring the Do Not Commit Adultery(if he hasn't already) concept, so he's got a litlle ways to go I think.

And yes, AD, I think faith is a gift. But a gift God gives freely, you just have to open your heart and say yes to the gift. God wants to give it, and lots of graces and blessings too, but unfortunately some people don't want His gifts, ordon't think they are worthy of them. As for me, I ask for them all the time, and I have to say that I get alot from God. I see Him working ALL the time in my life, and I love it!

And c++_guy, if you want to get off that ferry by labor day, then I'd ask, what are you doing to make that happen? I'm sure that God has given you everything you need to move on to somehting else, and if not, a few prayers to get you the job you want should work. If you don't want to work on the ferry, tell God and have Him help you move on. It seems just that simple to me.

And since you're Catholic, why don't you enlist some help - so who is the patron saint of computer programmers? It's always nice to ask the help of your friends - especially when they're already in heaven and have a direct line to God.

Well, that's my take. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" /> K

<small>[ July 03, 2002, 08:21 AM: Message edited by: God is in Control ]</small>

i am really loving this dialogue...

GIIC, you are right on... i just love the way you have put God down on the board. He is good and you know it and i love that...

Guy, i love your dreams. again i can relate. i don't think they are ridiculous and i think they are obtainable...

i am feeling quite conflicted about loving again. actually i don't want to... i love my xh and i have no desire to be emotionally available for any other man. but...

i do believe in God's will, and i do believe that whatever His will is He will give me (us) a heart to receive it, if we are open to it... i know that God wants us to have an abundant life cuz the Word says so, but i think that abundance can be achieved in so many ways. to love and be loved is abundance. and to have good friends is abundance. to be able to see the beauty of your world, as you do is abundance...

i really thank you for starting this post. one of the main reasons i stopped coming here was because there was no healthy discussions in regards to spiritual issues. even though you are feeling dissappointed right now, i believe that you have the foundation to come out and trust God even more than you thought possible... heck, it was probably God tugging at your heart that even prompted you to begin this thread... you know He works in mysterious ways and His ways are not our ways...and i believe that you will cuz utimately only God will get through this emotional time of your life...

at times, the grieving and the pain seemed so unbearable to me, and i wondered where God was in my life. but even though i felt He was absent, "sitting on His hands" <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> , i still kept praying. now God has returned my peace of mind. my marriage, i don't know what will become of that, but i trust that God will bless me, and it will be up to me to be able to see and receive the blessing...

did that make any sense??? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

well, God bless you... you are in my prayers...i pray that you see your dreams...

kim...

6:22 AM and leaving for work...I am glad my MB friends are out there thinking and praying for each other...more comments are always welcome.

c++

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by c++_guy:
<strong>6:22 AM and leaving for work...I am glad my MB friends are out there thinking and praying for each other...more comments are always welcome.

c++</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">how are you today??? my prayers are still with you...