Does Jim still...?

[searching_for_sunshine]

what a great stream going on...

for what it's worth, i think that Jim is searching (like a lot of us) for what makes sense. the world is so full of "good" and "evil" but what is good to one may be evil to another so where's the line? who is right? christian? budhists? muslims? can a loving God really hate all of one certain religion but condone wrong-doings of another because it is "chosen." who chose it and which human wrote that it WAS the chosen?

i personally think that, yes, we must choose but the theory that you must choose a "religion" i think is where we tend to drift off-kilter. religions have too much of "mans" own devices. catholicism wonderfully uses the pope to carry out "God's" wishes. as well as many other religions wanting to create order and hold power over the people in ever-so subtle ways. (i really don't think God cared if you ate fish on fridays - but what do i know) Jesus was a radical for his time - turning over the money changers tables in the synagogue would be close to almost a terrorist act back then. He wanted to shake up things. He wanted the people to ask questions and start to THINK on their own. He was jewish but yet had no "religion". He answered to God and wasn't his God the -od of the jews, too?

so i say, READ, educate yourselves - stop taking everything your preacher says as truth - it may not be. and i also say - you go, Jim. more power to you. you actually made me re-think the Lord's prayer. He (Jim) was pointing out the line "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" saying it is (as i understood it and not his words) good to live your life here and now, in a way that is pleasing and good and makes your own heaven here on earth. i had recited it so many times in my youth, i never thought about what the words meant. thank you Jim Carrey for making ME think.

[fluffy]

HHHmmmm............i think i need to be reminded of the commandments i seem to have DELETED from my memory.......

blooming technology...........

Fluffy

[quirky]

Great post SFS.

Have you read "The Purpose Driven Life?" I haven't. I have it in my room. My uncle gave it to me a couple of years ago and I think I'm scared to open it.

[fluffy]

HHHmmm..........and the closer i get , the further away i am...........so i reckon i'll just stay still for the time being.......
'que sera sera'...(sp?)...

Y'know i once submitted a 'treament'/proposal for a book idea to a publisher. It was going to be about a journey of self discovery through exploring different beliefs and faiths , new age and traditional........It was going to be in diary format but factual.....a bit like the 'lost lamb's bridget Jones'........

Rejected!!!................the publisher thought i was too funny and lighthearted about it...........thought i should be more serious....
well, i was crushed...but peeved too........i write how i write, and that ain't changing!!!!!....(which is obviously why i'm still a teacher..... )

fluffy

[searching_for_sunshine]

quirky,
i bought that book about 5 years when i was going through a lot of well, CRAP, in my life. never opened the cover. i really can't tell you why, except that i am SO stubborn (and a little bit of a control-freak) that i wanted to think through that kind of stuff myself, not have someone tell me "how" to have a purpose driven life. i wanted to find our "why" i'd want one. and that started the search for me.

i was brought up in a very relaxed christian atmosphere (yes, they DO exist, virginia). my brothers were a lot older than i was and the oldest joined up with a "jesus freak" type organization. (it was very cool - non-violent and very communal) i got to see at a very early age that questioning is good. and wherever your faith leads you, and you believe in that faith with all your heart. that is where you need to be. i also have seen that kind of faith in catholics, jews, non-denominationals, pagans and hindus which makes me think there IS more than 1 way to go. the base principle of most religions is a version of the christian golden rule. and i happen to think it is the most wonderful and simple thing to live by.

(i'm getting off my soapbox now)

[fluffy]

.............i'm just worried the wolf's gonna get me........

a sheep loving Fluffy

[quirky]

No, that was a fine soapbox moment. I can totally relate.

[searching_for_sunshine]

please don't be scared, fluffy.

[FunnyGirl]

Quirky, what a story.. it made me so sad.

Recently a neighbor across the street had to move away. She suffered from severe Alzheimer's (sp?) disease. Her husband Roy used to play with my brother and I every week when we were very little. He died when I was 8 or 9 years old, and I hardly remembered him when our parents took him to his funeral. I think he died of a heart attack. Mary (his wife) grew older and lived alone. We only saw her so often, but she was always very sweet when we visited. We started to realize she had Alzheimer's when we invited her to our house, and my mother advised her to put my slippers on to keep her feet warm. She walked a few yards into the dining room, saw me and smiled, and turned back around. 8 times my mom had to remind her to put on the slippers, and each time Mary forgot halfway into the room. We ended up leading her to the slippers and putting them on for her, and all the time she was laughing. On another instance she forgot how to unlock the door of her house. Finally about a year ago it became where she couldn't even remember her husband. We showed pictures that she framed on the wall of him, and she had no clue to who it was. She must be 80 years old by now. I cried for her when she had to move away. She probably forgot how to turn the lights on and off, or even make dinner..

Now where's my Kleenex??

[Janel]

I have several stories I could tell about victims of Alzheimers--horrible thing--it kills individuals before they have a chance to die physically....a cruel thing to watch a loved become someone that doesn't just forget their keys but forgets what keys are for........doesn't just forget your name but forgets that you are their son, can remember that they HAD a son but YOU sure as shootin ain't it.......and then can recite word for word a conversation that you had with them 2 days ago when you told them for the 435,689th time, NO, you can not have another cigarette!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---absolutely mind-boggling....I worked as a care-giver in a 16 bed alzheimers facility for 1 1/2 years before becoming an activity director in an assisted living facility for another year and a half. Working with senior citizens for 3+ years gave me some insight into those golden years---they ain't so golden if there are no memories of life and laughter to share with your children. If all they remember is you working and never being there for them physically, they won't come around when you are old and frail. I saw it over and over and it broke my heart. I quit my job, resurrected my part-time status as "piano teacher" and spent the next 5 years home-schooling my kids! I was gonna make some memories!!! Man, what a blast we had!! We did some seriously cool stuff...They are both honors students now in a local charter school and are making momma proud!!

Anyway,

......was posting 'cause I wanted to encourage those with "The Purpose Driven Life" book. Don't let a book bully you!
It's just words...you may choose to embrace all of them, some of them or reject it entirely! The choice is always yours! It is a good book--I enjoyed it but stopped halfway 'cause I started reading something else...I do that a lot....I LOVE reading but if I get to a place in a book that doesn't sort of "meet me where I'm living" at the moment, (even if I agree with it entirely) I tend to pick up something else that is. So, I'm reading "Codependant, No More" and also "From Bondage to Bonding" right now--trying to heal and own up to some of the codependant wounds I've received and inflicted from living with an alcoholic....

Nothin' like finding out that even after the broken promises and abandonment by the alcoholic, me living my life so he didn't have to face up to his own consequences, smoothing "ruffled feathers", walking on those eggshells for so many years------makes me partially responsible for our silent hell too..........*pout*....aren't I done growin' yet?.............*sticks out tongue*....*sigh*

[Canadian Jayne]

It talks about some of the same feelings, I enjoyed reading it.

[quirky]

There is only one God, and he's pretty cool. He's got a hip kid named Jesus and that pretty much sums it up. When you've God and Jesus in your life, why would you need any other God or substance? You know that funny feeling in you stomach is the spirit that moves you to do or not do something. Goose bumps, well that's the Holy Spirit! I look for that stuff. Certain songs, movies, even cheesy commercials can bring a tear to the eye. That's the human stuff that emotions guide our spirit. Some need to be sensititized to the quite voice inside. Don't wait for sudden shock and panic of 'How did I miss it? I call it the God's talking voice. With him along, live is pretty cool. I have no problem letting people know when I've screwed up. He keep me sane. And when I feeling romantic, I pull out the Bible and read Song of Solomon - its wonderfully romantic. Who knew?

What wonderbunny said.

I finally had the A-Ha moment, and I'm not talking Norwegian bands.

[searching_for_sunshine]

cool quirky. i know that's a cool feeling.

that is one thing that has kept my faith where it is. my "religion" may have changed but once you've experienced the Holy Spirit, you just know that's where your heart and soul is. i'm sure that people of other faiths also have there "aha moments" and i respect that because i think that our God may well be the same God. i feel that it's when the human aspect gets involved (ie prophets, disciples, etc) that is where the problems begin and the word of God gets "humanized" and molded into something that is more palatable for human consumption and agenda. that is not to say that sometimes God really does use reliable humans to get his point across - i think that can happen - and has many times in the past.

pure, unconditional faith in what moves you - that's what i'm talking about

[fluffy]

Y'know maybe i'm closer to Paganism then................i just look at the sunset or a beautiful sky or the sea and i get all choked up.....or i look at a newborn lamb or a kitten and i wonder and marvel at it all.........
But i feel it's more the wonder of nature rather than a god at the moment............OOhh.....i'm so very mixed up spiritually........i take from religions, i wonder at nature, i marvel at the environment but when it comes to a specific god i'm a lost lamb.......

fluffy

[Canadian Jayne]

The Savior said 3X to Peter "feed my sheep"
he also said "feed my lambs". There is so much to learn, so much to do,
so much to understand and appreciate.
You are right Fluffy, some of the best things are just outside your
door step. On that note, I'm off to the park, to feed the swans.
See ya, have a greatly day! Enjoy the sunshine.