REASONS TO ENCOURAGE A FRIEND

[lenore]

 :)MARCH 31ST 2005:

I had a thread on this, it seemed to disappeared. People always need a smile and encouragement. Even if it is kind of silly and childish. It is the inner child that keeps us young.
Young at heart. 
Just giving you hints , if you find any more silly daily ecard excuses , Just add it on.
Lenore
 

 


April 2005

1 April Fools' Day................
1 Firefighters Day
1 International Fun At Work
   Day........................................
2 Great Lovers Day

2 Reconciliation Day
3 Find A Rainbow Day
3 Chocolate Mousse Day
3 Daylight Saving
  Time Begins.................................
3 Circus Day

4 Vitamin C Day......................
5 Lady Luck Day
5 Bell Bottoms Day
6 California Poppy Day
6 Animated Cartoon Day
6 Caramel Popcorn Day............................
6 Tartan Day
7 Let Someone Else Clean
  Day
7 Coffee Cake Day
7 Ham Radio Day


9 Astronauts Day
10 Siblings Day.....................
10 Golfers Day
11 Cheese Fondue Day
11 Civil Rights Day
12 Look Up At The Sky Day......................
12 Hot Dog Day
12 Big Wind Day
13 Thomas Jefferson Day

14 Pecan Day


15 Tax Day................................
15 Fast Food Day
15 Rubber Eraser Day
15 Freak-out Day
16 Eggs Benedict Day
16 Astronomy Day
16 Stress Awareness Day.................
17 Cheeseball Day
17 Nosy Neighbor
     Appreciation Day
18 Time Out Day.........................
18 Patriot's Day

19 Primrose Day
 
...More Events

 

[al Hartman]

                      Aren't you glad your name isn't "April" today?!!      

[lenore]

April 2:

Al: just it is a blessing to have an unusual name like Lenore.  Although I get all kinds of misprouncation and misspellings.

TO DAY IS RECONCILATION DAY:

Since tomorrow is my church's first Sunday of the month, it is communion day.

With communion there are two aspects of reconciliation.

Reconciliation with God, because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross victory over death and sin.

Then how we are to make peace with others, who have offend us, or we have offend then, that before we participate in the sacraments, we must first make things right with those who we need to make reconcilations with.

Sometimes this is hard to do... sometimes you have to leave the reconciliation with certain people to God.
Because even in your heart you want to reconcile, others have their own issues, that make reconciliation impossible.


CELEBRATE THE RECONCILIATION WITH GOD,
 AS CHRISTIANS,
RECONCILIATION WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS ONE  REASON TO CELEBRATE.

[lenore]

April 15th

APRIL 16TH IS STRESS AWARENESS DAY.

HOW ABOUT LISTING SOME OF THINGS THAT CAUSE US STRESS?

Here are some of mine!

-conflict
-running late which I hate to do
-being pulled in to many directions
-being critized because I will internalize and personalize them
-being so lonely that I am crawling up the walls
-feeling that I am not listened too
-rejection

So is there any one who wishes to be honest and speak about their stresses.

[al Hartman]

April 15th

APRIL 16TH IS STRESS AWARENESS DAY.

HOW ABOUT LISTING SOME OF THINGS THAT CAUSE US STRESS?

Well, here it is almost 8PM & I have spent most of Stress Awareness Day being acutely aware of stress:

It was stressful to be awakened this morning by my dogs' barking at the front door, only to find no one there. 

Cathy was late getting home from work & hadn't called to let me know why.

I have been plagued with pain & may need to see a neurosurgeon.

I was verbally assaulted by someone who refuses to civilly discuss our differences with me, but unhesitatingly runs to rally others in his support and against me.

The pastor has asked me to teach some Bible lessons, but no matter how much I study and pray, I cannot seem to convince myself that I have a worthy presentation to offer.

I am behind on so many projects at home that I tend to view the situation as an impassible mountain rather than a series of hills.  (I'm dealing more effectively with this than I once did, but it's still stressful.)

I seem to constantly fail at making myself understood to others.

After all this time, I still live lengthy periods of each day without a conscious thought toward Christ: no gratitude, no thanksgiving, no worship or praise.

I expect someone may try to use this list against me.

To this day I have no idea who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong.

[M2]

....
I was verbally assaulted by someone who refuses to civilly discuss our differences with me, but unhesitatingly runs to rally others in his support and against me.

The pastor has asked me to teach some Bible lessons, but no matter how much I study and pray, I cannot seem to convince myself that I have a worthy presentation to offer.

I am behind on so many projects at home that I tend to view the situation as an impassible mountain rather than a series of hills.  (I'm dealing more effectively with this than I once did, but it's still stressful.)

I seem to constantly fail at making myself understood to others.

After all this time, I still live lengthy periods of each day without a conscious thought toward Christ: no gratitude, no thanksgiving, no worship or praise.

I expect someone may try to use this list against me.

To this day I have no idea who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong.

Hi Al,

A few comments.

When I first registered on this BB in March 2003, someone attempted to get me to side with him/her against an individual because he/she had some 'knowledge' about the person.  My response was that I wanted to consider what the individual was saying regardless of who/what that person had done/been in the past.  When we take sides then it clouds our judgement re. truth.  Of course we side with truth, but I think you understand what I mean.

Though I have made friends on this BB, I rarely email and never phone any of them any more.  My life is more and more occupied with other things.  I came to the BB to discuss the truth about assembly matters, and was the one who got convinced, rather than convincing others, about assemblies continuing.  I remain on board because I enjoy the topics being discussed and because I can learn and make a contribution.

IMO, you tend to want to squelch certain discussions because you are concerned that some person or another may get offended by the truth.  (In the past we discussed this via emails on another matter.)  It is a trait that LBs were trained to do to 'protect the sheep'.  Though I may have agreed with that mentality while I was under the influence, I now believe that it is healthy to openly discuss the truth as it promotes growth and maturity.  Unfortunately, there are some that are offended by the truth, but...  life goes on.

God bless,
Marcia

P.S.  When one puts oneself in the line of fire, one is bound to get wounded eh??  The best was to avoid stress is to not get involved.
MM

[al Hartman]

IMO, you tend to want to squelch certain discussions because you are concerned that some person or another may get offended by the truth.  (In the past we discussed this via emails on another matter.)  It is a trait that LBs were trained to do to 'protect the sheep'.  Though I may have agreed with that mentality while I was under the influence, I now believe that it is healthy to openly discuss the truth as it promotes growth and maturity.  Unfortunately, there are some that are offended by the truth, but...  life goes on.

God bless,
Marcia

Thanks, Marcia, for your candid remarks-- they are appreciated.  I do not mean to "squelch" but I know that I come across that way to some.  Alas, the limitations in communicating we all suffer...

Yes, weeding out my LB-isms is an ongoing task, in which I get much help here from expressions such as yours.  Despite all else in my personal history, much of my "formative" years was spent under the influence of GG & co. and I'm just beginning to see how deeply that influence runs in me.  For example, I have been reading & meditating through Matthew, and I realized yesterday that when I read certain passages I can virtually see & hear George hammering out threats against unfaithful servants-- to the point of my distraction from any other comprehension of what is written there.

No, I am not afraid that anyone will be offended by the truth.  There are two parts to this:  first, I am not really "afraid" of anything but the Lord and myself.  I'm working on that-- I want to fear Him more and to learn that if I trust Him I needn't fear myself.  Second, the truth is offensive to everyone at first, until we learn by grace to embrace it.

My concern is more along the line of offering a positive gospel as the alternative to the negative side of the truth.  In other words, "The scenario is bleak-- here's what you can do about it..."  Even as I type this, I see a bigger picture than I had considered.  God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach a negative message, knowing that the people of that city would repent even without hearing a positive countermessage.  So that proves my previous notion to be merely an option, but not a rule.

My big problem in this area is frustration at not being able to correctly assess every situation & make it right.  I have to constantly remind myself that the position of Holy Spirit has been filled by Someone far more capable than I.  I seem to fancy myself some kind of puppetmaster, constantly pulling strings to make everything work right.  That, I'm sure is a marriage of LB/worker training with my own natural inclinations.

You also said:

I wanted to consider what the individual was saying regardless of who/what that person had done/been in the past.  When we take sides then it clouds our judgement re. truth.

   ...with which I wholeheartedly agree.  I think that some on this board judge my words by what I have said in the past, rather than what I am presently saying.  The only practical solution that I can see is to discuss what is currently being said, putting the past behind.  Try as I do to not judge others by their pasts, I surely do the same thing.  The hard part for me is to not think that I do it to them unintentionally, while those who do it to me are deliberate.  I say this only to confess and explain, not to excuse myself.

As for "sides," there is only one legitimate side: the Lord's side.  In this life we all seem to think that God is on "our" side.  Someday we will understand better what it means that He has transported us to His side.

P.S.  When one puts oneself in the line of fire, one is bound to get wounded eh??  The best was to avoid stress is to not get involved.
MM

Avoiding stress may be the point of "Stress Awareness Day," but it is unrealistic.  Stress is a fact of life.  It cannot be avoided, but must be dealt with.  (I know that you know this, hence your inclusion of the  in your P.S.)  The list I posted was not a complaint, but a confession-- things that stress me because I haven't learned to deal effectively with them as yet.  I believe it is healthy for one to air such things at times-- it leaves one with less hiding places from reality, and the last thing I need is more hiding places.

Thanks again for your encouragement and help.

In Christ,
al

[M2]

.....
Yes, weeding out my LB-isms is an ongoing task, in which I get much help here from expressions such as yours.  Despite all else in my personal history, much of my "formative" years was spent under the influence of GG & co. and I'm just beginning to see how deeply that influence runs in me.  For example, I have been reading & meditating through Matthew, and I realized yesterday that when I read certain passages I can virtually see & hear George hammering out threats against unfaithful servants-- to the point of my distraction from any other comprehension of what is written there.

Yes,  many of us experience this when reading the Scriptures.  In small group discussions, and on this BB, I have often asked another to share their perspective on certain passages to help me overcome my mindset.  Someone suggested reading good commentaries, many of which are online.

My concern is more along the line of offering a positive gospel as the alternative to the negative side of the truth.  In other words, "The scenario is bleak-- here's what you can do about it..."  Even as I type this, I see a bigger picture than I had considered.  God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach a negative message, knowing that the people of that city would repent even without hearing a positive countermessage.  So that proves my previous notion to be merely an option, but not a rule.

Elijah was labelled "a troubler of Israel" because the truth he preached was offensive.
Just before I left the assembly here, people were offended by the fact that I had suggested that we consider taking 6 weeks off or even the more drastic action of disbanding.
People get offended no matter how careful one tries not to offend.  Nevertheless, sometimes people need the straightforward, strong, blunt approach to help them snap out of their fog of deception.  By squelching that, there is the possiblity that someone who could have been jarred to reality now remains in their state of slumber.

Barring lies and rude crude language, I believe that it is best to let people express themselves in the manner they are most comfortable with.  I.e. to listen to what they are saying, and not necessarily how they say it.

You also said:

...
When I first registered on this BB in March 2003, someone attempted to get me to side with him/her against an individual because he/she had some 'knowledge' about the person.  My response was that I wanted to consider what the individual was saying regardless of who/what that person had done/been in the past.  When we take sides then it clouds our judgement re. truth.  Of course we side with truth, but I think you understand what I mean....

   ...with which I wholeheartedly agree.  I think that some on this board judge my words by what I have said in the past, rather than what I am presently saying.  The only practical solution that I can see is to discuss what is currently being said, putting the past behind.  Try as I do to not judge others by their pasts, I surely do the same thing.  The hard part for me is to not think that I do it to them unintentionally, while those who do it to me are deliberate.  I say this only to confess and explain, not to excuse myself.

IMHO, yes, history does count for something.  E.g. sarcasm could be mis-interpreted due to a lack of knowledge of the poster's past.  However, most of the time I agree with the 'judgement call' against your posts.  Possibly since it is only recently that you and me and others have come to realize that we need a new perspective on spiritual matters, while others have made a concerted effort since the time of their departure.  So the assembly fog has not yet fully dissipated.

The person, who had the 'knowledge' about another, was an annonymous poster.  The annonymity gave him/her an unfair advantage over the one he/she was knowlegeable about, and it caused a lot of havoc in the discussions on board at the time.  Even more reason for my not taking sides.

God bless,
Marcia

[lenore]

Well, here it is almost 8PM & I have spent most of Stress Awareness Day being acutely aware of stress:

It was stressful to be awakened this morning by my dogs' barking at the front door, only to find no one there. 

Cathy was late getting home from work & hadn't called to let me know why.

I have been plagued with pain & may need to see a neurosurgeon.

I was verbally assaulted by someone who refuses to civilly discuss our differences with me, but unhesitatingly runs to rally others in his support and against me.

The pastor has asked me to teach some Bible lessons, but no matter how much I study and pray, I cannot seem to convince myself that I have a worthy presentation to offer.

I am behind on so many projects at home that I tend to view the situation as an impassible mountain rather than a series of hills.  (I'm dealing more effectively with this than I once did, but it's still stressful.)

I seem to constantly fail at making myself understood to others.

After all this time, I still live lengthy periods of each day without a conscious thought toward Christ: no gratitude, no thanksgiving, no worship or praise.

I expect someone may try to use this list against me.

To this day I have no idea who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong.

SORRY AL THAT APRIL 15 WAS NOT A GREAT DAY FOR YOU.

APRIL 18TH IS TIME OUT DAY

In my TIME FOR SELF ESTEEM COURSE we are learning to put feet to our feelings, but also it is important to take time out on a daily basis for yourself . Something you enjoy doing for at least a half of an hour a day.

Things that I like to do for myself. Since I am alone, I can over indulge abit.
--last saturday I purchase a four in one Christian Novel, and read the whole thing in two days.
- crochet
-computer time
-go bowling, swimming,
-spending time with a furry friend
-doodling

SO I HOPE  YOU WILL ENJOY THE TIME OUT DAY.
I wonder if others will participate in and let us know what they did to enjoy TIME OUT day.
Now for those who think TIME OUT is a punishment. Look at it postive. TIME OUT IS ME TIME.

Lenore

[lenore]

April 24: Lord's Day

Some more days for you to celebrate life with a friend!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daily Celebrations
 
April 2005
23 Cherry Cheesecake Day.............YUMMMMMMMY
23 Shakespeare's Birthday
23 St. George's Day
24 Full Moon Day
24 Ambivalence Day
25 Cuckoo Day
25 Anzac Day (Australia)
26 Pretzel Day
26 Bird Day
27 Administrative
     Professionals Day®
27 Childcare Professionals Day
28 Kiss Day..........................................
28 Guide Dog Day
29 Arbor Day
29 Zipper Day
29 Orthodox Holy Friday
30 Oatmeal Cookie Day..................yum yum yummmy
30 Hairstylist Day
30 Spring Festival (California)
 


May 2005

1
May Day

Chocolate Parfait Day..........................

Plant A Flower Day

New Homeowner's Day

Baby Day

 2
Brothers And Sisters Day...........[greet a brother or sister in the LORD]

 3
Teacher Day

Raspberry Popover Day

 4
Orange Juice Day

Naked Day..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

International Firefighters' Day

 5
Cinco De Mayo

Ascension Of Christ.....................................REMEMBRANCE OF HIS PROMISE

Chocolate Custard Day...............good  good soooooo goood

National Day Of Prayer..........REMEMBER TO PRAY DAY...........

Halfway Point Of Spring

 6
Nurses Day

Military Spouse Day

No Diet Day................................I am taking that offer......!!!!!!!!!!

Tuba Day

 7
 
8
Mother's Day.......................REMEMBER YOU MOMMY DAY!!!!!!

Senior Citizens Day

 9
 10
Blood Pressure Day

 11
School Nurse Day

Minnesota Day

Clergy Day.....................GIVE YOUR PASTOR AN ENCOURAGEMENT

 12
Limerick Day

Kite Day

 13
Butterfly Day

Frog Jumping Day

Friday The 13th.........................

Lilac Festival (New York)

 14
Motorcycle Riders Day

 
15
International Day Of Families...................REMEMBER YOUR FAMILY OF GOD TOO.

Flip Your Mattress Day

 16
Be A Millionaire Day.......[WE CAN ONLY HOPE]][this is a pipe dream for me]]

Receptionists Day

 17
Rubber Band Day

Independence Day (Norway)

 18
 19
Plant Something Day

Circus Day

 20
Pick Strawberries Day...............DONT FORGET THOSE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

 21
Armed Forces Day

Waitstaff Day

 
22
 23
World Turtle Day

Victoria Day................................A CANADIAN HOLIDAY.............

Buddha Purnima

 24
Night Baseball Day

 25
 26
Bob Day.............TO ALL THE BOB'S OF THE WORLD HAPPY BOB DAY

 27
Bridge Day

 28
International Jazz Day

Whale Day

 
29
Mother's Day (Sweden)

 30
Memorial Day

 31
World No Tobacco Day.................GOOD IDEA

Poetry Day.........LETS HEAR FROM ALL THE POETS TODAY.....LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME WORK ON THE BB.

 
 

[lenore]

APRIL 30

TO ALL MY SPIRITUAL BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA;

HAPPY SPRING FESTIVAL DAY.

In a couple of weeks Ottawa will be celebrating it TULIP FESTIVAL.

History of how Ottawa obtain tulips, what that a Queen from Holland came to Ottawa for refuge from WW2, and gave birth in the Ottawa Civic Hospital to a girl at that time.
The Holland people were very grateful that they supplied the City of Ottawa with Tulips.


ENJOY YOUR SPRING FESTIVAL.

I hope you all in California will have fun and enjoy the sun shine and fellowship with gladness to all the people you associate with.

Spring is new life, new birth, and new hopes, and new dreams, and new goals etc.

SPring can remind us that we are a new creature in our Salvation of the our Lord Jesus.
The new journey to growing to character of CHrist.

So enjoy your day, and rejoice in the spring of your journey of Christ.

Lenore

[LENORE]

MAY 6TH:

SINCE SUNDAY IS MOTHER'S DAY;

I ENCOSED THIS EMAIL, I RECEIVED.

 

Mothers


This is for the mothers who have sat up all night

with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying,

"It's okay honey, Mommy's here."


Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted?


This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.


For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes.  And all the mothers who DON'T.
 
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.   And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
 
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.


And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.

   
And that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

 

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.

 

And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies.

And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
 
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

 This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college ~or have their own families.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
 
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.


For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
 
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be
peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
 
What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?

The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M.  to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
 
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
 
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...

And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us...

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can.

Tell them every day that we love them…

       - and pray

             - and never stop being a mom.

 "Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."
 

 
 
================================

FOR ALL THE MOTHERS WHO CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE ABOVE.

HOPE THIS SUNDAY MOTHERS DAY WILL BE A SPECIAL DAY.

.................................................................

FOR CHILDREN OF MOTHERS

PLEASE DONT FORGET TO CALL YOU MOTHER AND WISH HER A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

................................

GOD BLESS THE MOTHERS OF THE WORLD.

[summer007]

Dear Lenore, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you have a beautiful day and really try not to think of this board. Let yourself be happy if possible, the board does'nt matter that much, and listen to Marcia and Vernes advise it is wise, yet if you must post, then post. I can't imagine anyone saying they wont be on if you are, really. You were blind-sided by B, his manner may have been rough,but I think he see's the gift in you. It's been a week of this and you probibly need a break from here. Think of yourself and your Family I could see you working for a paper typing or being an assistant with all your computer knowledge. There's a book "Boundaries" by Cloud maybe we could discuss it at some point in time I hav'ent read it but I've heard good things about it.So think boundaries for yourself and your future. God Bless.  Summer p.s. By his stripes your healed. Walk in the (3) things that abide forever Faith, Hope, Love the greatest of these is Love/Charity! (Jesus)

[Lenore]

May 8th:
I came back because I want to talk to Summer:

Yes I had a wonderful Mother's Day, I went up to my parents who live in Braeside , 3 miles from Arnprior. My mother comes from a line of strong women.
My mom, had to cope with an alcoholic husband.
My grandmother was widow at 43, never remarried, died at 92
My greatgrandmother was a widow young and died at 92.

I had a delicious ham, scallop potatoes supper. My Dad has a bad cold, my mom was really worried about him.
My parents will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversay this October.
My daughter Sara was up as well, spending time with her grandmother.
SHe gave both her Mom[me] and her grandmother beautiful mother's day cards.

My church gave out fresh flowers to all the women who attended this morning. I gave those flowers to my mom.

Thank you SUmmer for your encouragement.
If you would ever like to talk privately
lenorewhelan@yahoo.ca

[summer007]

Lenore, I would love to email you. I'll try to get the book too. Have a Great Mother's Day evening and stay Happy!!! Summer.