tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post7160264807738270606..comments2024-03-18T11:59:18.128-07:00Comments on Tossing It Out: How Can the Bible Benefit You?Arlee Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-50427715961725551732010-03-20T15:31:41.833-07:002010-03-20T15:31:41.833-07:00Christine- that is a difficult story and I can cer...Christine- that is a difficult story and I can certainly empathize with it having had to go through an unwanted divorce where children are involved. God and my study of the Bible kept me going through particularly hard times.<br />Divorce has become too easy in my opinion and using "unhappiness" as an excuse to me is a bit lame if the real understandings of the entire situation haven't been examined thoroughly.<br /><br />Thank you, Christine, for your response.<br /><br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-45089067696044758212010-03-20T09:24:56.178-07:002010-03-20T09:24:56.178-07:00Correction: She doesn't make $10K per year, sh...Correction: She doesn't make $10K per year, she makes $5K. Didn't want to mislead anyone as to what full-time aides make. She spends all day struggling with one special needs child, trying to help her do what she needs to do in class and managing her temper tantrums, and doesn't even get a lunch break.Nighfalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01745824744507928211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-77962564171455767882010-03-20T04:46:26.101-07:002010-03-20T04:46:26.101-07:00I'm just skimming this post as I don't hav...I'm just skimming this post as I don't have time to read this all today. But I want to praise Ginny for her comment. She is absolutely right - sometimes we need to have the courage to do what we know we have to do. But Lee is also right that we can't just rely on ourselves to know the right thing.<br /><br />For example, I am heartbroken right now because my friend's husband has decided to divorce her. He has been depressed and unhappy for years and feels he made a mistake in marrying her. They have two young boys and he feels it is better for the boys if he's not around and they aren't arguing all the time. To him, this seems like the right thing to do and I know it took a lot of courage for him to make this decision.<br /><br />BUT... both of these two young boys (ages 5 and 7) have forms of autism. My friend works part time as an aide at their school, making only about $10,000 per year. She can't do any other work because she needs to be around to work with the boys before and after school, and for the therapists that come to the house in the afternoon. They are already struggling financially, and the divorce will make it much, much worse. <br /><br />Plus, any change in the boys' routines will affect them greatly. They need consistency and routine in their lives. And the older one adores his father. Whenever he has a nightmare or scrapes his knee he cries for his dad. <br /><br />The parents are fighting because of the normal stress of marriage and of having two special needs kids. But the dad feels "it's best for them" if he walks away. <br /><br />The Bible tells us that God hates divorce, and that he will give us the strength to do everything we need to do if we will just rely fully on Him. This man claims to be a Christian, but doesn't want to hear that he may not be doing the right thing.<br /><br />I'm just praying he'll change his mind.Nighfalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01745824744507928211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-59374715915424109522010-03-16T10:37:05.532-07:002010-03-16T10:37:05.532-07:00Ginny -- thank you so much for your comment. I don...Ginny -- thank you so much for your comment. I don't know if you were responding to the challenge I gave in my Saturday post or not, but I really glad that you have expressed your thought on this.<br /><br />I would agree with you from the standpoint that often we go through our lives with only our inner sense of direction to make decisions. Experience is the most concrete and real teacher that we can have in so many ways because after all seeing is believing.<br /><br />Especially when we are younger, we want to experience life and see for ourselves and challenge notions held by elders, authorities, and the ages. I know because I've been there. I grew up with a respect and affection for the Bible, but once I was out of high school I wanted to challenge the world. I don't know how I survived much of what I did other than attributing it to God watching over me. But I questioned much that was dished out to me not just from the Bible, but from many other sources as well. It's a natural tendency that I saw in many of my friends as well.<br /><br />Age and experience certainly tempers one's resistance to ancient wisdom and opens one's mind to the vast possibilities that exist for each of us individually. I realize all of the mistakes and faulty choices I have made in my life. I would change any of them now because they are part of who I have become, but I wouldn't advise anyone else to take those roads either. But we do what we do and hopefully it all turns out.<br /><br />To give a comparsion about the Bible as a guidebook as opposed to one's inner "knowledge". It's like having a dictionary or thesaurus when writing. We might use our hunches about correct usage or spelling of words, but if we totally rely on what we believe we may be making errors that make our writing faulty and lacking in credibility. Instead, we study English, grammar, and spelling and learn the rules necessary to write correctly. We study books on writing and read great literature. If each of us just made up language and wrote according to what was inside of us, then literature would be impossible.<br /><br />Or imagine doctors who only relied on their instincts. If a doctor performs surgery on me I hope he has studied his medical books and learned what those who preceded him have learned from their experience. I don't want to be part of his trial and error medical experiment.<br /><br />Likewise, life offers lessons that have been learned by others before we have come into this world. The Bible is a pretty amazing book full of history, poetry, practical rules, health tips, and advice on living. If one just studied one book like Proverbs and thought about what it says and applied it to their life, I'll bet that person would begin to see amazing things happen to the betterment of their life.<br /><br />You are so right when you say that we must each have the courage to face our fears and, for that matter, life itself. Just reading the Bible does not necessariy do anything. And totally leaning on the Bible is often using it as a crutch or an excuse. Using the Bible to justify one's own actions while judging and chastising others is misappropriating and twisting the truth. There are many wrong uses of the Bible, but one who carefully meditates on what is really being said in the Bible and applying its truths to ones life is going to be much better in the end.<br /><br />Thanks, Ginny, for your thoughts and for reading my thoughts. I don't think we disagree that much, we're just seeing things from different perspectives.<br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-74182206010988264142010-03-16T09:56:20.240-07:002010-03-16T09:56:20.240-07:00I admire your writing. However, I'm going to s...I admire your writing. However, I'm going to show my young naivete for a moment here and suggest that sometimes we are also looking to the Bible for answers when they are simply inside of ourselves and we just have to have the courage to face whatever it is we fear, because we look for answers when we are afraid. <br /><br />Sometimes, we just have to jump off the deep end, with or without the Bible or any holy book. It is my belief that it takes our own personal courage to jump off because we don't know until we know. It is nice to read the Holy Book, but it is up to us, and not the Bible, to face our fears.Ginny the Sock Monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07655059357754788626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-22195987457259071172010-03-14T23:16:33.400-07:002010-03-14T23:16:33.400-07:00My thanks to all who follow my Bible study posts. ...My thanks to all who follow my Bible study posts. I hope they bless you in some way. Your comments are always a blessing and an encouragement to me.<br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-66843426608105760562010-03-14T22:59:27.463-07:002010-03-14T22:59:27.463-07:00So true! Everything we need is in that Book! I&#...So true! Everything we need is in that Book! I've always found that prayer before reading is a must. I ask for wisdom to understand what it is I am meant to learn from the passage. He promised that if we ask for wisdom, He will grant it.Lillian Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13488638666900705015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-61905365754237892912010-03-14T22:16:46.077-07:002010-03-14T22:16:46.077-07:00your post has not pulled any punches...and yet, yo...your post has not pulled any punches...and yet, you have guided us with care and understanding...<br /><br />thank you for your post...and so happy to have you visit me :)The Musehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09698847569200418376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-27193029270481460292010-03-14T15:52:49.022-07:002010-03-14T15:52:49.022-07:00Wonderful post and so true.Wonderful post and so true.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07360476402810561433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-77067264652989248452010-03-14T12:31:59.262-07:002010-03-14T12:31:59.262-07:00You're right, a lot of self-help books pull fr...You're right, a lot of self-help books pull from the Bible. My own book is no different! I think some people read them because it adds to what is already in the Bible or puts it in terms they can understand.<br />Of course, ultimately, reading a translation of the Bible one understands is best!L. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-20466369645820754142010-03-14T11:06:43.296-07:002010-03-14T11:06:43.296-07:00Yeah, the Bible is the ultimate self-help book.Yeah, the Bible is the ultimate self-help book.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-22349905530119896882010-03-14T09:04:21.600-07:002010-03-14T09:04:21.600-07:00I really believe in your statement, "this boo...I really believe in your statement, "this book will ultimately give us the greatest freedom". So often we think that rules or laws take away freedom. Chaos (the lack of structure)does not bring freedom and that's what we would experience without laws or rules. So my thought is that the Bible with it's rules guides and directs a person's path to freedom, freedom from the consequences of sin and bad decisions.T. Powell Coltrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02160774009926623671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-7670888698367650452010-03-14T07:13:17.769-07:002010-03-14T07:13:17.769-07:00Hello Lee,As an avid reader of self help books I c...Hello Lee,As an avid reader of self help books I can see your point of view. Way back 12 years ago I was at the point where I thought I must have upset God in some way, after all he took my mother and husband from me within 2 months and for a short while I lost my faith, That was short lived I'm glad to say I do read the bible and the self help books I read come with a relazation cd which is beneficial to me. I have learnt much from both the bible and the books I buy.<br />I enjoyed reading your post, very soul searching , thanks for sharing.<br /><br />Have a grand day.<br />Yvonne.RHYTHM AND RHYMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11386975261804630799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-68388259080929375012010-03-14T05:32:33.289-07:002010-03-14T05:32:33.289-07:00I think that people often overlook their holy book...I think that people often overlook their holy books...it's amazing the source of strength and wisdom that can be found and that can apply to so many situations.ajgallionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17155248959570402952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-38688054816189924042010-03-14T01:45:20.409-08:002010-03-14T01:45:20.409-08:00Hi Lee:)
Greetings and good wishes on Sunday morn...Hi Lee:)<br /><br />Greetings and good wishes on Sunday morning:)<br /><br />Very sound advice. Your post conatins profound wisdom.<br /><br />I fact today I listned to the sermon in the Church where the priest was elaborating on the words- I AM THE LIGHT AND THE WAY.<br /><br />Even today, the BIBLE is the most widely read book and the most sold BOOK in the world. Whether people follow the BIBLE or not, is a different question altogether.<br /><br />There are many things in the BIBLE which will open our eyes and show us the way. I love to read the story of JOB. There is unparalelled wisdom contained in the SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.<br /><br />Your lovely post is an eye opener to all of us who use the BIBLE sparingly and read it very atuomatically like a machine without trying to understand the real meaning contained in it.<br /><br />Best wishes:)<br />JosephJoseph Pulikotilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07074346261093541776noreply@blogger.com