[Cheryl62]

MJ77 - I hear you on our kids. I know I'm not only perfectly capable, but absolutely willing, to be violent in defense of my children. I remember I first held my oldest daugher and saying that for the first time in my life I knew I was willing to kill, or die to protect someone else, without a moment's hesitation.

That's part of the struggle. The realist in me says we have to defend our lives, our freedoms, our children, even violently, or we wouldn't have any of it, it would all be taken from us. I agree with that, and I accept it is a choice I've felt I needed to make. (But in extreme cases - and truly in self-defense - no further commentary on that because I am too sad and tired to say more on politics today!)

I feel the same about many things I give to my children (nice home, clothes, toys, gadgets, savings for college, etc.). I do not feel "spiritual enough" to do otherwise. But, I have to concede I am not living in accordance with Jesus' teachings, and I have chosen not to live up to a literal interpretation of what He called us to do. I live in a poor place, and so it kind of hits me upside the head every time I leave my house, just how much I have compared to most. That my dogs eat better than most of my neighbors. That sort of thing.

So keeping that guilt at bay is hard. But perhaps the knowing that I'm not living up to this standard also makes me feel I've lost the moral authority to pick and choose other parts of Scripture that I feel I can abide by without making too great a sacrifice, and then insisting that other people live up to that. Or at least without feeling like a bit of a hypocrite. Know what I mean?

Oh this is too deep and too depressing. It's my mood, I guess. Sorry guys....

[blueyes113]

Cheryl62,

Please go read my other thread "The Purpose Driven Life". I posted a poem from the book there. It starts "You are who you are for a reason." Maybe it will help you feel better. The book itself is written by Pastor Rick Warren. Our church is doing an adult Bible study on the book. I can't make the Bible study because they don't have childcare, but I wanted to get an idea of the course. So far, the book is very good, but I only just started reading it.

God Bless!

[All Boys]

Wow I can't believe how this thread has turned out...

Cheryl, I am praying for you... As I sat here reading your post, I see so many things going on... You know we are all made of flesh.. And we all have free will, God gave it to us... We will never be perfect as long as we are on this earth... And God wants us to be blessed on this earth... I mean there are so many blessing that we all take for granted each and everyday of our lives...
Some of us take advantage of the fact that we have a roof over our head, and food on our table... Then some of us take for advantage that we are healthy... Or that we can actually get out of bed in the morning... Some of take it for granted that we can have bio-children.. Until we can't anymore....
There are so many things in this world that we don't understand, and we will never understand... We all find different meanings of scriptures, but just becasue we have material things, doesn't make you a bad person...
God chose you, just like you were and he picked you up and cleaned you up and made you whole... He loves you so much... And does expect alot from you... But it is not all material things.... Most of it is spiritual things... Pray and ask God, he loves you and he will answer all the questions that you are struggling with....
I hope that I am not rambling here and that you can understand what I am trying to say...
God Bless All Of You... God Loves You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!