WELCOME TO OUR NEW HOME!

[Emeritus]

LadyHawk is correct. I've seen it happen again and again, often to very popular chat rooms. People seem to have an instinct to seek out what is new.

[Keeping The Peace]

WHISTLE BLOW!!!

For those that did not already know, when you login you can click on the "View new posts" link above and it will show you just the Topics that have been posted to since your last visit. In other words once you have viewed all that you wish to read, (or clicked on mark all topics read) the next time you log back in and click on that link it will show you if there were any new posts. They are marked in orange if you haven't yet noticed.

I hope that helps.

Moderator Peace

[Reecey]

Good 'ole Peace. Hey everybody! It's almost fantasy draft time! Another 90 minutes and it's showtime!

[Emeritus]

Even retired I don't have time for fantasy football, but I can see why people can get so involved in it.

[Emeritus]

I guess that killed that conversation.

[cklaurence]

Good morning dear Switzerland! Love to all. I have a couple of appointments this a.m., but I'll be around all afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone...

[cklaurence]

Looking back at info from The Olde Switzerland, we had well over three hundred members. Not all of them were active, of course, but a good number were. I can't wait for football season to go full throttle. I'm sure many will be back. Football season and blogging seem to go together--it's so good to have people to share your highs (and disappointments) who understand what you are going through...

[Emeritus]

Nobody knows the troubles I've seen. You know, they could make a song out of that.

[cklaurence]

Nobody knows, but me-eee...

[Emeritus]

I think that having troubles just means that you're alive.

[BUCK_WILD]

One word......ouch!

[Emeritus]

I guess that it's all relative. I had a foot blown off and I hardly noticed it at the time, because I was preoccupied with trying to stay alive. The pain came only after I was safe. One thing that I have learned is that pain always focuses your attention on it. Any kind of pain - physical, emotional, whatever. You can be in front of the most beautiful view in the world, but it's hard to appreciate it if you've just hit your thumb with a hammer.

[cklaurence]

You are so right, Em. I have an illness that keeps me in pain 100% of the time. Sometimes it is worse than others, but it is always there. It wears on me and takes a good deal of joy out of my life. It is not cure, and is classified as "hopeless," actually. Sucks for me!

[Emeritus]

You have my genuine sympathy, Claudia. I learned first hand that there is no such thing as unbearable pain, because sometimes bear it is all that you can do. That applies to every sort of pain.

[cklaurence]

Thanks, Em. It took me a good long while to accept that this is forever, and even now, I sometimes can't believe that it is real and it is forever. Most of the time, though I'm dealing with it pretty well.

[Emeritus]

You have the support of your family and friends. In the darkest night though, there are things that you have to face alone. That's when you have to depend on the personal resources that you have spent your lifetime developing. It's like saving a little money at a time, year after patient year, so that when an emergency comes you are able to meet it.

[cklaurence]

Yes Em. That's the way it is. I know if I had a "higher power" I would feel better about my situation, I just haven't been able to work that one out.[color=#004080][color=#004080][/color][/color]

[Emeritus]

I consider myself a pragmatist. If it works, it's true enough. When I needed help, I decided to experiment with belief. I'm convinced that the only way to know God is by experience. To have that experience requires a venture of faith. You have to step out in the dark and trust that you won't fall off a cliff. The more that you try it and it works, the easier it is to turn over the things that you can't handle on your own. Or at least that's my experience. Mind you, I have said nothing at all about any religion.

[LadyHawk]

I consider myself a pragmatist. If it works, it's true enough. When I needed help, I decided to experiment with belief. I'm convinced that the only way to know God is by experience. To have that experience requires a venture of faith. You have to step out in the dark and trust that you won't fall off a cliff. The more that you try it and it works, the easier it is to turn over the things that you can't handle on your own. Or at least that's my experience. Mind you, I have said nothing at all about any religion.

From my perspective, faith and spirituality come from God. "Religion" is man-made. I believe that God is in everything around you...He's in a kiss, a hug, your children, the weather, the food on your table, the friends in your life...anything that is GOOD, God is in it. You just have to be willing to accept that, welcome Him, and watch more blessings flow to you.

[dredwak]

I consider myself a pragmatist. If it works, it's true enough. When I needed help, I decided to experiment with belief. I'm convinced that the only way to know God is by experience. To have that experience requires a venture of faith. You have to step out in the dark and trust that you won't fall off a cliff. The more that you try it and it works, the easier it is to turn over the things that you can't handle on your own. Or at least that's my experience. Mind you, I have said nothing at all about any religion.

From my perspective, faith and spirituality come from God. "Religion" is man-made. I believe that God is in everything around you...He's in a kiss, a hug, your children, the weather, the food on your table, the friends in your life...anything that is GOOD, God is in it. You just have to be willing to accept that, welcome Him, and watch more blessings flow to you.

wheres the dang like button...when you really...really like something...church shouldnt be someplace you go to...it should be something you carry around between your ears...

[Emeritus]

I tend to measure challenges against myself. If I'm way bigger than the problem, I take care of it myself. If it's about my own size, I ask somebody to help me. If it's way bigger than me - many things are - I turn it over to God. I find that as I get older there are a lot more things to turn over, including my bouts with cancer.

[dredwak]

I consider myself a pragmatist. If it works, it's true enough. When I needed help, I decided to experiment with belief. I'm convinced that the only way to know God is by experience. To have that experience requires a venture of faith. You have to step out in the dark and trust that you won't fall off a cliff. The more that you try it and it works, the easier it is to turn over the things that you can't handle on your own. Or at least that's my experience. Mind you, I have said nothing at all about any religion.

From my perspective, faith and spirituality come from God. "Religion" is man-made. I believe that God is in everything around you...He's in a kiss, a hug, your children, the weather, the food on your table, the friends in your life...anything that is GOOD, God is in it. You just have to be willing to accept that, welcome Him, and watch more blessings flow to you.

wheres the dang like button...when you really...really like something...church shouldnt be someplace you go to...it should be something you carry around between your ears...

sorry...that almost sounded like preaching...

[Emeritus]

Feel free, dred. This seems to be the general conversation room.

[dredwak]

not big on preaching...study and discussion...yes...preaching...not so much...

[Emeritus]

I've studied all of my life, seeking truth. Over that long time the conviction has grown on me that I really don't understand anything. I see televangelists who act like God comes to them for advice. I see political commentators who are certain that only they are right. I see people who are convinced that any belief except their own must be heresy. I suspect that God is laughing at their hubris.

[LadyHawk]

[quote="dredwak wheres the dang like button...when you really...really like something...church shouldnt be someplace you go to...it should be something you carry around between your ears...[/quote]
sorry...that almost sounded like preaching...[/quote]

You mean preaching by me? Not intended to...just sharing my thoughts and opinions about faith and spirituality. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.

[dredwak]

[quote="dredwak wheres the dang like button...when you really...really like something...church shouldnt be someplace you go to...it should be something you carry around between your ears...

sorry...that almost sounded like preaching...[/quote]

You mean preaching by me? Not intended to...just sharing my thoughts and opinions about faith and spirituality. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. [/quote]
no...preaching by me...the really really like comment...was about your post...

[Emeritus]

I'm an Episcopalian. The knock on us is that we have just as much religious enthusiasm as is in good taste. Our church is steadily declining, because we don't try to convert people. If you are satisfied with your religion or denomination, we are happy for you. Sadly, we had a lot of people leave the denomination because we have ordained women and gays. Too many of the members are old people like myself.

[dredwak]

it says Methodist on my dog tags...

[cklaurence]

I'm Jewish by birth, atheist by choice (so far)...