Streams of Consciousness & Thoughts~~~

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cinder

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2014
4,327
2,358
113
Being alone is a power that very few people can handle. Lord, I thank you for bringing all my kids home safely for Christmas. I pray for strength when they depart on Christmas day after opening their presents to spend the day with their mother...
Have a great time with all your kids.
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
11,998
3,585
113
Have a great time with all your kids.
Thank you Cinder - I'm gunna savor every moment, as I know that very soon they will not be coming around...
I think I'll be going for a long hike with my pup on Christmas day and get my quality time with HIM - in God's country...
Praying that you have a blessed and merry christmas...
thanks
 

Lighthearted

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2016
1,782
841
113
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Being alone is a power that very few people can handle. Lord, I thank you for bringing all my kids home safely for Christmas. I pray for strength when they depart on Christmas day after opening their presents to spend the day with their mother...
My little one went to spend the night at her sister's apt so that I could do all the wrapping and cooking without distractions. It's almost 7 AM and I can't sleep after getting all the preparations made to enjoy the part of the day with them. Usually I would be cooking for a multitude of family and friends and setting up an enormous buffet. Things change. Divorce rips families and traditions apart and after 8 years, I'm still struggling to find some new way to celebrate all the holidays without feeling the emptiness.

I totally understand Solemate. It's easier to hold things together when the kids are around. That's why it's so important to keep moving forward. I just want you to know that you aren't alone even though it might feel like it sometimes. You have friends here and of course Jesus always has your back!
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
11,998
3,585
113
Just got home from Christmas Eve mass with 2 of my 3 kids; watching "God Friended Me" and baking Christmas cookies with my daughter - and just noticed this Facebook post/feed onm

1545706057602.png
My little one went to spend the night at her sister's apt so that I could do all the wrapping and cooking without distractions. It's almost 7 AM and I can't sleep after getting all the preparations made to enjoy the part of the day with them. Usually I would be cooking for a multitude of family and friends and setting up an enormous buffet. Things change. Divorce rips families and traditions apart and after 8 years, I'm still struggling to find some new way to celebrate all the holidays without feeling the emptiness.

I totally understand Solemate. It's easier to hold things together when the kids are around. That's why it's so important to keep moving forward. I just want you to know that you aren't alone even though it might feel like it sometimes. You have friends here and of course Jesus always has your back!
Light-hearted, thank you so much for your understanding and considerate sentimental, I do appreciate it. I did have to adapt, improvise and overcome the change in routine. I started wrapping last week, a bit every night, rather than just isolating myself the last two days. What a blessing to enjoy more quality time, on top of cooking and baking yesterday.,. Santa is exhausted... Just waiting for them to wake up and open presents before they go spend the day with their moms family... Going to spend the day in God's country hiking with my dog... God bless
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
13,320
113
Coffee (or alternate happy-inducing beverage) for all!

Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless each of you in meaningful ways today.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
113
Coffee (or alternate happy-inducing beverage) for all!
Heh. This reminds me of what our church's music director once said. He looked down at his coffee mug and said, "I love how caffeine tricks me into thinking I'm in a good mood."
 

Lighthearted

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2016
1,782
841
113
53
Coffee (or alternate happy-inducing beverage) for all!

Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless each of you in meaningful ways today.
Just got home from Christmas Eve mass with 2 of my 3 kids; watching "God Friended Me" and baking Christmas cookies with my daughter - and just noticed this Facebook post/feed onm

View attachment 192299

Light-hearted, thank you so much for your understanding and considerate sentimental, I do appreciate it. I did have to adapt, improvise and overcome the change in routine. I started wrapping last week, a bit every night, rather than just isolating myself the last two days. What a blessing to enjoy more quality time, on top of cooking and baking yesterday.,. Santa is exhausted... Just waiting for them to wake up and open presents before they go spend the day with their moms family... Going to spend the day in God's country hiking with my dog... God bless
From posting in Miri's Interesting gift thread after reading how Lynx spent his Christmas...and your post Soulmate...I just realized that the changes I've been through the last decade have had a deeper affect on me than I even realized. I am letting the past losses in my life effect my present. Mom's cancer battles, step dads accidental death, moms stroke, my divorce, my dads cancer and death, my heath ordeal after Shaes birth....It's time to let go of it all and really start living and loving the things I still have. Thanks guys!
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
14,940
4,580
113
2018 was a long, brutal year.

Have you ever felt like you were walking down the hallway of your life, and every door you tried to open was locked shut, no matter much effort you put into opening it? That's what life has felt like for the past several years, but this past year was especially challenging.

Although I mourn the loss of the things I lost behind those doors, I've found that if I stop struggling and listen closely... God is leading me to look ahead, and not to the past... and if I'm especially quiet and still...

I can hear Him giving me the combinations for locks on the new doors that are straight ahead of me. I hear them twisting and churning... waiting for the correct combination of my obedience as the key to opening a new set of doors.

On one hand, I'm overjoyed.

On the other hand, I'm more uncertain than I've ever been in my life.

Praying for the strength and willingness to open those doors without hesitation and walk right through... No matter what might be waiting there for me.
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
11,998
3,585
113
2018 was a long, brutal year.

Have you ever felt like you were walking down the hallway of your life, and every door you tried to open was locked shut, no matter much effort you put into opening it? That's what life has felt like for the past several years, but this past year was especially challenging.

Although I mourn the loss of the things I lost behind those doors, I've found that if I stop struggling and listen closely... God is leading me to look ahead, and not to the past... and if I'm especially quiet and still...

I can hear Him giving me the combinations for locks on the new doors that are straight ahead of me. I hear them twisting and churning... waiting for the correct combination of my obedience as the key to opening a new set of doors.

On one hand, I'm overjoyed.

On the other hand, I'm more uncertain than I've ever been in my life.

Praying for the strength and willingness to open those doors without hesitation and walk right through... No matter what might be waiting there for me.
Hi Seoulsearch! I'm glad to see you back posting here in CC - we've missed you and your energy!
I enjoy reading the way that you express yourself and your journey - thanks for sharing - your experiences are very profound...
I hope that you know that others often benefit from your written expression, experiences, and insightful lessons...
My heart has great empathy with your struggles from the past year and the years past...
Praying for your continued perseverance...
God Bless
 

Lighthearted

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2016
1,782
841
113
53
Something I read today that I felt was worth sharing with all the singles and everyone else.

:)
Today, my life was forever changed.

I had my first session of a class I’m taking called “Developing Intimacy With God.”

During prayer, I said, “Father I feel so lonely”.

He said “Yes I miss you too.”

Confused by the Fathers response, I said, “Father what do you mean? That has nothing to do with what I just said to you.”

He said, “actually it has everything to do with what you just said to me. Lindsay, loneliness is a lie. It actually doesn’t exist. You compartmentalize your life and only include me in the spiritual parts of your life, when I actually want to be included in every part of your life- spiritual or unspiritual. And I am a part of your spiritual and unspirutual life- I’ve never left you nor have I forsaken you. But you keep trying to strive into my presence, when I’ve been sitting next to you this whole time, waiting for you to acknowledge Me.”

I wept. Then I asked Father, “okay, so what would my life look like if I didn’t compartmentalize where I include you?”

He said:
It would look like you waking up in the morning and see me sitting on the end of your bed, smiling over you. Hearing me wish you good morning.

It would look like asking me what makeup look you should do today- I gave you the gift of art and you’re so good at it. I’d love to help you!

It would look like holding my hand in the car on your drive to school.

It would look like introducing your non believer friends and family to me in day to day life.

When you get hungry throughout the day, I want to go to lunch with you. I want to go to the grocery store with you. I want to eat a meal with you and just spend time hearing about your day.

When you are frustrated and disappointed and you’re having a bad day, I want to be the Rock you can lean on. I want you to lay your head on my chest and let me comfort you- I can handle you having a bad day.

I’m not a Father who just wants to do the “spiritual things” with you.
I want to read my Word with you and reveal to you all of the mysteries of the Kingdom AND I want to go to the movies with you.

I want to watch you worship AND I want to go for a walk with you in the park.

I want to sit with you and hear all of your prayers BUT I also want to talk with you while you’re bored at work.

I want to give you endless amounts of powerful, unexplainable Holy spiritual experiences, but I also want to be with you in the seemingly mundane.

I created you to be intimate with me, not just in church, not just in prayer, not just in worship, not just in times of need, but in ALL that you do.

I love you Lindsay. I want to spend the rest of your earthly life with you, just as much as I want to spend eternity with you. “

And in that moment, a grace came over me and unlocked my heart.

In worship I wasn’t just singing along with words on a screen, but I saw each word come to life and I understood them completely for the first time.

I didn’t strive to feel your presence in my prayers today because I knew you were sitting right next to me, holding my hand.

Realizing that you’ve been sitting there waiting for me to acknowledge you all along, has unlocked my heart to intimacy and has changed the way I see and experience the Father forever.

I am forever changed.
 

cinder

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2014
4,327
2,358
113
Apparently it takes me 3-4 years to recover from being burned out overseas and willing to try again. Granted I'm just going on a 1 week trip that my church is doing and not moving back overseas and I have mixed feelings about it, but this should make for an emotionally interesting year. In the meantime, I have Spanish to brush up on over the next 7 months and passport to renew and paperwork to fill out. (If you had spent the past 4 years in my head, you'd understand why this is kind of a big deal).
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
11,998
3,585
113
Apparently it takes me 3-4 years to recover from being burned out overseas and willing to try again. Granted I'm just going on a 1 week trip that my church is doing and not moving back overseas and I have mixed feelings about it, but this should make for an emotionally interesting year. In the meantime, I have Spanish to brush up on over the next 7 months and passport to renew and paperwork to fill out. (If you had spent the past 4 years in my head, you'd understand why this is kind of a big deal).
Hola Senorita Cinder, That sounds like a good news story... Sometimes all it takes is a bit of a break to re-charge your inspirational batteries...
My daughter is so excited to be going to Uruguay for a 1 week mission via her college church this spring...
We've had the pleasure of intermittent streams on the subject of your overseas experience, are you going back to the same country? Spanish hmm - Are you going across the Pond or South to Central or South America?
 

cinder

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2014
4,327
2,358
113
Hola Senorita Cinder, That sounds like a good news story... Sometimes all it takes is a bit of a break to re-charge your inspirational batteries...
My daughter is so excited to be going to Uruguay for a 1 week mission via her college church this spring...
We've had the pleasure of intermittent streams on the subject of your overseas experience, are you going back to the same country? Spanish hmm - Are you going across the Pond or South to Central or South America?
Going to Guatemala, which in some ways feels like going full circle since my first mission trip was to Honduras (20 years ago). Yep I really am starting to get old, the big 4-0 isn't even that far away anymore.