(Potentially) Profound Thoughts

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Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
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From what I have observed, most of the time you can't keep them from jumping in the metaphorical river. People gonna do what they want to do. Usually all we can do is stand ready to pull them out once they realize they don't really want to be there.

You can't tell a drunk to quit drinking until he's tired of his life and wants to change it. While he's happy with it, he wants to stay with it. When he's beaten down by it, when he finally realizes he's not going to be able to keep it up indefinitely, THEN he's ready to listen to something about a better way.

Yeah it sucks, but that's just the way it is. Or at least that's what I've seen.
Yes, all of your rationalization are sound.
When I saw this statement, it reminded me of the divorce, separated and widowed support group that I help facilitate called "Rebuilding" based upon a book of the same title... The book is fantastic written by a couple PhD psychologist. My frustration was that we and the book are focused on helping people people after they recognize that they are broken, to rebuild to find themselves and their purpose as individuals to strive to begin to live purposeful lives with out being dependent upon someone else.
So my answer to my frustration is, I'm going upstream to write a book to help people to achieve the same end state before they get married and find themselves broken if their marriage ever comes to an unfortunate end.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,810
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Perhaps they didnt fall but were thrown in. Or perhaps their boat over turned and they didnt know how to swim

Falling is not the only reason people end up in the river.
True. But the principle is to find out why people end up flailing about, over their heads and in danger of drowning
in the first place.
Going upstream taken metaphorically simply means backing up to see how they got there in
order to determine if there is some way of preventing those same mistakes from happening again.
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
12,159
3,606
113
Perhaps they didnt fall but were thrown in. Or perhaps their boat over turned and they didnt know how to swim

Falling is not the only reason people end up in the river.
You are correct!
Which IMHO validates the need to go upstream to identify the source of the problems...
I believe that every problem has a solution, where the first critical requirement is to confirm the source of the problems.
 
J

joecoten

Guest
When I was in my early 20's, I got a job as a warehouse shipper. Truckers and record store owners were the people I dealt with. They would back up their trucks to my shipping door and I would load them up with their product.
I recall the first day I met a certain customer. He had a negative attitude. He pointed out a recurring problem he'd been having in his dealings with my employer. I told him that I'd fix the problem. At this, he scoffed.
"That's what the last guy always said. But the problem wasn't ever fixed. And it's not going to be fixed now." I determined that I was going to fix this. I traced back the issue to another department and came to understand that they were not the source of the problem.
From there, I had to sort through another departments, which led me to the office.
To make a long story short, I eventually solved the customer's problem, and in the process, led to a reorganizing, for the better, of the warehouse and office.
As a result of my efforts, I received a promotion. The jaded customer's attitude did a 180 degree turn. Every time I saw him, it was like a reunion of old friends! Without understanding the complex root issues that caused the problem, I never would've solved it.
Within a year, the company changed hands, and as the new owners already had staff, we were all laid off. 😐
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
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True. But the principle is to find out why people end up flailing about, over their heads and in danger of drowning
in the first place.
Going upstream taken metaphorically simply means backing up to see how they got there in
order to determine if there is some way of preventing those same mistakes from happening again.
Ahhh I see.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
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Since somebody dug up this thread, I'm gonna use it to run a thought past y'all.

All my life I've heard Psalm 23 and read Psalm 23 and heard preachers talk about Psalm 23, but I've never thought about or heard anybody talk about this: It says goodness and mercy gonna FOLLOW us. I've always heard people talking about and reading the verse like we're going to GET goodness and mercy. Bible doesn't say goodness and mercy gonna be lying in wait for us to walk into. It says they gonna FOLLOW us.

I know from experience and observation that just because we're Christian doesn't mean we're always gonna GET goodness and mercy. But if it follows us, it looks like we oughta be causing it.
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
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You are correct!
Which IMHO validates the need to go upstream to identify the source of the problems...
I believe that every problem has a solution, where the first critical requirement is to confirm the source of the problems.
Look up "Embarassingly dumb ways people died - Darwin Awards Winners" on youtube.com by Be Amazed.

Im watching part 12 now. Now I gotta go back and watch the first 11 lol
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
113
Since somebody dug up this thread, I'm gonna use it to run a thought past y'all.

All my life I've heard Psalm 23 and read Psalm 23 and heard preachers talk about Psalm 23, but I've never thought about or heard anybody talk about this: It says goodness and mercy gonna FOLLOW us. I've always heard people talking about and reading the verse like we're going to GET goodness and mercy. Bible doesn't say goodness and mercy gonna be lying in wait for us to walk into. It says they gonna FOLLOW us.

I know from experience and observation that just because we're Christian doesn't mean we're always gonna GET goodness and mercy. But if it follows us, it looks like we oughta be causing it.
That is a pretty good thought, of course that still requires action,
Can I toss a thought back at ya, if were all on here chatting and having our theological debates, than who is gonna log off to go make a real difference in their community in reality?
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
8,156
113
That is a pretty good thought, of course that still requires action,
Can I toss a thought back at ya, if were all on here chatting and having our theological debates, than who is gonna log off to go make a real difference in their community in reality?
Beats me. I'm busy playing VtM: Bloodlines. :oops:

Still, it should reflect when I do go somewhere, like on the job. I work in a small place full of people moving fast, and I need to move fast too, so there are many opportunities to get upset when somebody is in my way... or not.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,810
25,989
113
That is a pretty good thought, of course that still requires action,
Can I toss a thought back at ya, if were all on here chatting and having our theological debates,
than who is gonna log off to go make a real difference in their community in reality?
Do you ever look to see who or how many are on this site at any given time?

Right now the numbers read like so:

Total: 608 (members: 43, guests: 565)

Visitors outnumber members by more than ten times.

They are, I assume, all real people.

Hopefully at least one person visiting every day gains something of import,
something that will make a difference in their life, from their time here...
 

Solemateleft

Honor, Courage, Commitment
Jun 25, 2017
12,159
3,606
113
Since somebody dug up this thread, I'm gonna use it to run a thought past y'all.

All my life I've heard Psalm 23 and read Psalm 23 and heard preachers talk about Psalm 23, but I've never thought about or heard anybody talk about this: It says goodness and mercy gonna FOLLOW us. I've always heard people talking about and reading the verse like we're going to GET goodness and mercy. Bible doesn't say goodness and mercy gonna be lying in wait for us to walk into. It says they gonna FOLLOW us.

I know from experience and observation that just because we're Christian doesn't mean we're always gonna GET goodness and mercy. But if it follows us, it looks like we oughta be causing it.
This is Profound... "goodness and mercy gonna FOLLOW us" ... Now it's starting to make sense when I put it in this perspective, that I may just be moving too fast for my own good - for the goodness and mercy to catch up with me... :)
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
113
Beats me. I'm busy playing VtM: Bloodlines. :oops:

Still, it should reflect when I do go somewhere, like on the job. I work in a small place full of people moving fast, and I need to move fast too, so there are many opportunities to get upset when somebody is in my way... or not.
It's ok I have a variety of games I enjoy playing myself,

I totally understand, I used to get fired from jobs for moving too slow. It's why I won't waste my time applying for restaurant jobs any more.

But if I knew then what I know now I would have commited more time to looking for jobs that I could do.

If you get the chance Google an article called "jobs that people with Asperger's can do" published by university of Indiana Bloomington campus.
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
113
Do you ever look to see who or how many are on this site at any given time?

Right now the numbers read like so:

Total: 608 (members: 43, guests: 565)

Visitors outnumber members by more than ten times.

They are, I assume, all real people.

Hopefully at least one person visiting every day gains something of import,
something that will make a difference in their life, from their time here...
Not really I was always told not to count the camp.

Yeah I'm an official Celeberty got lots of people who love my material but no friends, at least no one I share any private conversations with.
Oh that might be my problem, i never severed ties.with my parents lol
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
8,156
113
Last night I had a dream that I had to live on 10 times the amount I contribute at church. It sure was tough, living a whole year on $520. o_O:LOL:
 
Jan 12, 2022
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Last night I had a dream that I had to live on 10 times the amount I contribute at church. It sure was tough, living a whole year on $520. o_O:LOL:
Try it. The Lord has taken me up from far less.
 

RodB651

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
454
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Lynyrd Skynyrd once said the following:

"Mama told me,
When I was young,
"Come sit beside me,
My only son,
And listen closely,
To what I say.
And if you do this, it'll help you some sunny day, oh, yeah.

"Oh, take your time,
Don't live too fast.
Troubles will come,
And they will pass.
Go find a woman,
And you'll find love.
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above.

"And be a simple kind of man.
Oh, be somethin' you love and understand.
Baby, be a simple kind of man.
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?" ..

But I think Paul said it best... 1 Thes 4:10-12
But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
 

I_am_Canadian

Senior Member
Dec 8, 2014
2,208
712
113
Last night I had a dream that I had to live on 10 times the amount I contribute at church. It sure was tough, living a whole year on $520. o_O:LOL:
Might be a sign from God to give more lol.

Try living on $922.00 a month.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
8,156
113
Might be a sign from God to give more lol.

Try living on $922.00 a month.
Yes, that was the point of the joke. $520 is ten times $52, which is a dollar a week in the offering plate on Sunday.