Based upon your description of your situation you would make an excellent Christian missionary. You aren't tied down with worldly possessions and family attachments. So you should be able to easily go on the road with just the clothes on your back and travel from town to town spreading the Gospel. You can bunk with fellow believers in each town that you go to. (refer Matthew 10:7-14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew 10:7-14&version=CEB;NKJV;MSG;NLT;CEV ) And you have a head start on Luke 14:26 (CEB) = Whoever comes to me and doesnt hate father and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sistersyes, even ones own lifecannot be my disciple." Remember the hefty bonus promised in Matthew 19:29 (NKJV) = And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My names sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. So put on a happy face and hit the road.
Thank you all for the kind words, keep them coming. I would make an excellent monk or brother but I do not worship Jesus.
Yes. And in the context of the conversation it had no meaning. Therefore, my response. Structurally your sentence seemed to imply I was "parsing" you personally. Given the accepted meanings for the word "parse" that seemed silly so I was left to infer that you meant I was "parsing" your statement. Given that this is a written forum asking me how I was "parsing" your statement had the obvious answer "by reading" and since I credit you with more intelligence than to ask such an inane question it leads to the conclusion that you failed to properly communicate your meaning. Now it could be that you are using a definition for the word "parse" that is not generally accepted. If that is the case then you would need to provide either a definition or a context so the definition can be inferred. In any case. Your question was nonsensical and your response irrelevant.
I am not worried or upset or mad or angry over the divorce... I stopped being all of that yesterday when I agreed with her to sign whatever her lawyer writes up and go to court and agree with it... I actually think I am in a better situation than she is- I am broke and don't own anything, she is making $100,000 by working 8-12 hours a day (Speech Therapist) and owes more on her house and to credit cards than she could ever pay back... and the banks are leading her down a path to doom and she's happily walking along. I am happy that her financial problems weren't my fault and this divorce will legally seperate my life from the mess her life has turned into. I read a lot of spiritual things yesterday and gave some thought to the concept of "a middle way" as Buddha taught. There has to be a middle way for me where I am no one's money slave and also not an ignorant wasteful rich person. Buddha said "all Buddhas beg for alms... the thousand Buddhas that came before me all did" and I am a little uneasy about that um... acceptance. I also read about a Christian monk who was so isolated that he grew his own food- I like that idea. Then I looked and $39,000 gets you 40 acres in the middle of nowhere, Colorado and $5,000 gets you a well pump. At that point, the only thing I'd have to worry about was property taxes and with me trying to live without money. I guess I'd have to grow extra food and sell it. I see no point in begging for food or money- I will only spend it to keep me alive another day- it's wasted money. And food would be wasted food on me- I want to restrict my intake from now on. Living on my own, growing my own food and owing nothing to no one is a good idea to me.
It seems that others understood it fine, as they appreciated the comment. But let's assume you're right. My point is how can one person parse another on an internet forum to be able to take their advice with anything more than a grain of salt. Parsing involves more than simply reading, and I give you credit for more intelligence than to limit it to that. Parsing is a process of determining the validity of a comment or thing. Reading is only the beginning of that process. You chose to take the "you" in my post personally, and it wasn't meant that way, and I apologize if that wasn't clear. It was meant to imply that it is nearly impossible to parse the credibility of another poster, particularly when you are at such loose ends as the OP seems to be right now. The tone of your response is noted. Part of the parsing process.
I see. We're in agreement then. We both need to communicate better. but, it is possible to ask questions, to seek guidance without necessarily needing to know the credibility of the person responding. stopping strangers on the street and asking for directions, for example. All we seemed to disagree on is the wisdom of asking. You seemed against asking because he did not know the respondents, I thought better advice was to ask but to use caution in following any advice. Tone? Of course there was a "tone." And implying in your question that I do not understand the meaning of "parse" had no tone?
I feel this change is spiritual in nature. I have been watching "My Name Is Earl" and that is karma without the religion... that's the one part I don't like- well, that and the fact that the show has "instant karma" in it which we rarely see in life.
I will not go into detail, but have a similar story, with losing my kids added into the mix. In my opinion you simply need to dismiss her from your life, and allow the Universe to do what it does. Karma is not something you can control, nor should you try....it will also do what it will without you, and by pretending you are a part of hers, you effect your own. As for giving up (which it sounds like you are pondering)...no one can decide that for you, but this will also effect your own life path, and is in a way allowing her to keep controlling your condition. For me...I simply accept what she is, try to feel sorry for her, and then go on living a happy life. (It does not hurt that I was given the most amazing woman I have ever known due to her choices)
I am over the ex mentally... I guess it was a cleansing process. But I feel a strong ethical code within me that needs to express itself. - - - Updated - - - I am over the ex mentally... I guess it was a cleansing process. But I feel a strong ethical code within me that needs to express itself.
you read post from someone that says they have no money or health insurance but they have 44 thousand dollars to buy land and a well and then support it by hoping everything works according to plan - you get the impression, if serious, that said posts are coming from someone who is setting himself up to be rescued knowingly or not, and that the ex was probably a rescuer who took care of the big bad practical stuff and began to resent it while you hung onto ideals about how things should be. And now there's a vacancy for one or more people to step in. I don't know that's what you're doing of course, its just an impression I thought I would toss out there. Also if you haven't looked into urban farming, you could check it out. Good luck.
I don't want to set myself up for failure. I looked into urban living and such, but I am vegetarian and wouldn't kill an animal. Once again I am trying to find my own "middle path" like Buddha did- that's a worthy goal. - - - Updated - - - I don't want to set myself up for failure. I looked into urban living and such, but I am vegetarian and wouldn't kill an animal. Once again I am trying to find my own "middle path" like Buddha did- that's a worthy goal.
The lesson I learned, after living through something very similar to you in the 90's was that the only way to change people was to change myself. Once you stop pointing the finger at others, and point it only at yourself, then you can start the path to live a holy, religious, ethical, moral, kind, nice life. Your last paragraph suggests that you may find this easier to do than some, who don't realize that they are attached to their anger and blame of others.
This is an excellent and wise warning. It's probably the most sincerely kind thing anyone can tell you.
If you're really that broke, don't go to a shrink. Priests are free and they really won't try to convert you, but they will listen and give good usable advice.
I went to a Catholic priest one time for some counseling a few years back. He told me that I needed a "kick in the ass". Best advice I've ever received.
I don't approve of this society. As Leonard Cohen said, "I love the country but I can't stand the scene". And I use the analogy of my ex to show someone who is exactly how I don't want to end up- upper middle class working poor. I disapprove of 90% of your money going just to keep a roof over your head and that in part stems from attachment to things. And I don't mind moral guidance from Catholics, it's just that Catholicism is not a complete religion... closest thing to a true religion is Hindu. My earthly attachments are to prescription drugs, some of which I need to stay alive and cannot do without... something I would need a supply of if I cut myself off from society. But then again, I am trying to take the Middle Path. I keep referring to "the middle path" and for those of you who don't know what that means, I will explain what it means to me. The middle path is making peace with the life around you and finding a way to co-exist along side it but not be corrupted by it. Buddha starved himself nearly to death for enlightenment before he realized that extremes like that should be avoided, so he took the middle path. I would like to find my middle path.
You know, then, that in seeking it, you move further from it, right? - - - Updated - - - You know, then, that in seeking it, you move further from it, right?
