Newfound bunny freedom your best memory

[lablady2]

Thought I'd try my hand at starting a thread.

My life from 1977 until 1982 was all about Maranatha. I have few other memories from that time. In fact, after I left Maranatha, it seemed as though life had stopped in 1977 and didn't resume again until the day I left (and, boy, did it resume with a vengence).

Upon leaving, I remember having a wonderful sense of freedom and hope. Today, as I was working out at the gym, I remembered how profoundly happy I was to be able to go to Jody's Sweat Shop at the Willow Springs Shopping Center or on Pearl Street to do aerobics to "rock" music. Even today, the songs "Footloose" or "Abracadabra" or "Maniac" bring a smile to my face, joy to my heart and I could swear that I can smell the brisk Rocky mountain air. How precious it is to be free, free even to screw up and learn from your mistakes.

Do you care to share your "freedom" moment?

[ginger1]

How about that song by James Brown.

" I FEEL GOOD "

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got you

Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

[lablady2]

Sorry, this should be under "general chat." Unfortunately, I don't know how to move it. Mods...anyone..feel free.

[freedom43]

There were many moments of freedom over the years -- most of which were initially accompanied by guilt. Here is one: buying a stereo in the early to mid 1990s and my first CD: Madonna's Greatest Hits. Dancing without inhibition to the music alone in my bedroom -- and later dancing with my family, nieces and nephews, etc. on vacations.

[lablady2]

Freedom: I love that. Yes, always the guilt first. Funny how I've been able to eradicate that from my life.

After leaving MCM, I remember buying my first album since "Tapestry" in the early 70s. It was Michael Jackson's big album in 1983. We even let the kids listen to a couple of the songs as we waited for lightning to strike.

[john_r_jones]

In a corner of my shop there is a radio station set-up with a wall of CD's. My lovely wife allowed me the extravagance of this contraption. We, the kids and I like to get out there and boogie.
John

[ginger1]

My kids favorite song , James Brown. I feel good.. They would start dancing to the tune. I do not think they let us do that when we were in MSI.

What so funny is that a lot of us have to hide the wines in our from these people when we were there. There was a time when a friend had a party and saw these people coming. My friends said

"HIDE THE TEQUILA ! HIDE THE TEQUILA !!"

At least now, we don't have to do that LOL !

[lablady2]

ginger: You're making me smile. This memory is kind of funny/sad. I remember that my (former) husband bought a six pack of beer shortly after we left MCM, and my oldest child had a meltdown. She was sure her dad was going to hell. So much damage, so much repair. Pretty much all good now, though.

jrj: I would pay good money to have the videos of you and your kiddos dancing around. A bunny hop.

[lablady2]

I remember sneaking off to a corner market in my VW bus and buying ONE cigarette (yes, they would sell you one) and smoking it behind our apartments at midnight. The then husband DESPISED smoking, and, of course, it had been a big sin in Maranatha. It made the rebel in me very happy - a twofer.

[freedom43]

Some of my freedom moments involve buying beer too and feeling guilty initially -- and also being judged by other Maranatha folks.

The hugest thing for me was realizing that my life was my own and not theirs anymore. No more people telling me what to do, who to live with, etc....no more mandatory all day Sunday church meetings. Ah...the freedom of attending the church of the holy mattress for a change after 12 years of obligatory attendance. It was truly liberating. It took years to kill the guilt machine though, and it still rears its ugly head from time to time.

[john_r_jones]

Because then we fell guilty about feeling guilty. Then we feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I'm guilty on both counts.
Thebunny

[maranatha1984]

Freedom:...It took years to kill the guilt machine though, and it still rears its ugly head from time to time

84/Tikie: I was corresponding with a former MCMer who was the wife of a top elder...really one of the ones that would tell Bob to sit down and shut up...and I told her about my Dad- wounded in Korea in the shoulder...rarely talks about the war...although in his late 70s he opens up more about it than he ever did...occasionally his wound hurts him in really cold weather, and he tells me that when he takes a shower he sees it and remembers what happened and the war...but for the most part it does not affect his life, save for the fact that he is eternally appreciative of central heat (these guys were outside for 8 months much of it in brutal cold) and other little things.

Maybe us MCM vets have old shoulder wounds, occasionally they give us pain, mostly we don't think of them, and we have a real appreciation of freedom in Christ...just a little thought there

Best memory; well last night for example my twin 7 year olds put on a "dancing show" in their play room for their Moms birthday...wow...was that fun...

[lablady2]

I must really be a reprobate. I had some guilt for a while but not for long. What I had was ANGER, well, for the first year. Finally, I called someone in Gainesville and told them exactly how I felt and then I was able to move on.

Unfortunately for my husband, the "telling you exactly how I feel" syndrome continues to this day. I'm not exactly the passive person from the MCM days.

[mcmstaff78]

That's a tough one. I remember the immense sense of freedom I had the night before I actually left Lexington, sleeping in the Motel, watching TV while everyone else was at the meeting.

Probably buying/drinking beer early on when I got back to Athens. Also, playing cards (*not* gambling - things like Rook, Uno, Spades, Hearts, etc.) with friends I had pre-Maranatha late into the wee hours of the morning.

Music, definitely, though I didn't get into Rock again right away. But just buying stuff that didn't have to meet someone else's approval. Bruce Cockburn became a big fav of mine at the time. Fall of '79 getting into the rockabilly wave, Robert Gordon, Stray Cats. Fun stuff! Oh, and listening to the blues again. BB King, Albert King, Muddy Waters!

[wiseasaserpentgentleasadove]

New-found freedom.....hmmmm......let me ponder this one for a moment....

For me it is simple...I have freedom to worship Him, freedom to hear His (Jesus') voice for myself again, and not have to rely on someone who might be "over" me to hear from Him for me.

Freedom to dance again, (in church, even...first and foremost, actually) freedom to NOT spend time in His presence, but freedom to go there often if I need to....

Freedom to laugh again, at silly people that I have never met who like to sit on a bus most of their lives...even at the ones at the back of the bus; freedom to join them back there if in the mood, or freedom just to have a quiet devotion with someone up front..

Freedom to accept others wherever they are, and freedom to participate here when I feel led, and not to when I don't.

Dove

[flo1151]

Freedom for me is to do what I want to do in excess or obstensia. I did not think the leaders at the end of Maranatha were exercising "freedom"to drink beer and smoke cigars. I felt more again it was herd mentality. I have optioned over the years to drink if I wanted to not to drink if I didn't want to. If typically I feel pressured to drink to fit in I probably won't just for the principle of it. If I have to do something in order to fit in to your little group screw you. My drink of choice for summer days is a glass of Santa Margheritta Pinot Grigio. In winter months I will drink flor de cana 7 or 15 year old rum, club soda with a lemon. I went on a beer drinking time where I would drink a beer or two a night to help counteract my kidney stone problem. But I got too fat so I stopped. The only thing I can say is I'm happy being the way I am. Working with two of my sons in a business that I started from scratch, coming home having a nice cold beverage, eating dinner, watching some tv, falling asleep watching the tv, go to bed and getting up and doing the same thing tomorrow. PS. It doesn't hurt that the money is pretty good either. To do this with no guilt and no condemnation is true freedom to me.

[flo1151]

tonight it is geyser peak savignon blanc,
half the price still pretty good

[john_r_jones]

I remember you n' Mrs Flo had a pretty good time dancin' at the Mel Tillis concert I did in Austin. That was fun, particularly driving half the fellowship around Austin crammed in the sleeper cab of the Sound Company's Semi after a meeting.

[flo1151]

We were forerunners in the line dancing phenomenon.

[john_r_jones]

I wished that we all could have had the freedom then to do stuff like that and not feel guilty. I remember pulling into Maranatha Church either with the sound company or when we were shooting Forerunner or something and the other kids about pooping their pants that someone in the ministry was doing something like that. Y'all were great dancers and looked like you were having a wonderful time. I was using every cuss word in the book that night. The crew that had had that truck left us a mess in the back and we re-wired the amp racks and some other stuff that night on stage during the sound check. I learned that Mel Tillis used profanity eloquently without the slightest hesitation.

John

[lablady2]

I actually enjoyed the Paducah fellowship after Bob, Rose, Joe and Katie took off. Diana Nolte was terrific to me and taught me a lot about being a good mom. Bob Nolte was just hard to take seriously, so he never bothered me. I have many fond memories of those years. Many good friends and some good fun.

[flo1151]

we actually had a couples retreat at a ranch near Austin where we taught other couples to dance. I remember Paul Overstreet and Ricky Van Shelton being favorites that night. Greg and Helen Ball were even there and joined right in. It was probably one of the best things we ever did. Many ofThe people in Maranatha in my churches would have been fun to be with if the doctrine and practices hadn't been so screwy.

[john_r_jones]

I think he had a deal going with Skinheads to get a cut of the checks. I think of the elders we had after that Carl and Marie, Hugh and Liz, what good folks! So lablady, we rode the bus together? My poor old head can't unfuzzy that memory.

John

[john_r_jones]

I also remember riding to Paducah with y'all after the Sept. 84 MLTS in Dallas and having a great time. I'd had a helluva summer and the old friendship was much appreciated.
John

[lablady2]

Yes, John. You actually rode my schoolbus. Had a little brother, right? Pepper Lane, right? I was the kid coveting the pink sawdust.

[john_r_jones]

You got it, only little brother is not so little any more, picture a bear. The house on Pepper Lane just sold out of our family about six months ago. Pink sawdust well...

John

[robert_unknown]

when i had to start working in a secular job again, i signed, without realising it - all the contracts that i made with customers to the date (the year) when i worked the last time... this was going on for one month... weird... as if all the 5 years between have been cut out of my brain...

[speakword2004]

The best memory was waking up the Sunday after and realising I did not have to drag my sorry <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font> there ever again.

The second best memory was the next Sunday morning

The 3rd best? You have got it! The next Sunday morning.

[youngnmighty]

ditto speakwords experience

when i started having thoughts i didn't feel apologetic about e.g. "the pastor is brainwashed, he is a total zombie, he has no brain of his own, he is an idiot"
that felt good.

[miltietoast]

When i left maranatha my brother in law who was a maranatha pastor called me "Hi Miltie, how are you doing?""I am doing GREAT!" ,I replied. Not the answer he was looking for . He was concerned . In a nutshell I said,"Mark it is like I have been born again!It is incredible,maybe better than being born again.,you should try it."Very tense call and tense Christmas because I had "broken" fellowship. I laughed at him and said not so brother,you are stuck with me. I told him to step away from Maranatha for 60-90 days and look in from outside.If he saw what he liked go back and I would support his decesion. He thought I was crazy but ended up separated from ministry for 60 days working out of town. He reminds me yearly how that suggestion changed his family's life for the better.

[miltietoast]

For years I laid around my pool on Sunday mornings waiting for the water to be stirred

[john_r_jones]

Stirred and not shaken, ( or is it the other way 'round?) Hmmm. Dumdededuhdum da da deumdeddleded dum dadle da da...(the Theme from 007)

WAB

(Message edited by john r. jones on July 26, 2006)

[upcase20]

Funny, I just thought, I'm out of here and won't have to waste my time in here anymore. One thing I felt guilty about,I told people I'd be back in a few months but I knew I wasn't coming back.
It was the only polite reason I could give.

[speakword2004]

Miltie

No trees around the pool to shake? Or jump off into the pool from? Well, stirring can be fun.

Bartender, one poolside Coke please. Lots of ice, a slice of lemon. Aaahh, and stirred not shaken, thank you. And fetch the sunday papers and get the barbecue going. There's a good wife. Those nutters taught you servant leadership so well.

What no potato salad? Submit woman! Submit!

[matt_hatter]

My greatest freedom is being around people that are not like me. I don't like the word 'diverstiy' because it is such a buzz word, but it does fit here. Life would be so boring if I was forced to hang with my "own kind" constantly. Have you ever felt like "hmmm there is just too much agreement here, wish we would have a little dust storm every once in a while."?

My life at work is filled with some of the most interesting and odd characters that make me laugh on a daily basis. And my Sunday School class, very much my demographic, is so much more fun when you get them out of the church building.

Matt

[miltietoast]

mattie when I look at our relationship over 28 years we could be the posterchilds for diversity.What exactly do we have in commonother than Jesus and casting number 10 pink nighties,ceptin yuz casting fer the wrong species of fish.Memember when I caught that 8 pound bass with that that old beat up rod that still had the busted up Rapala lure that I tied on the previous year?Senior moment?You cussed me and said a lot of bass fisherman fish their whole lives and never catch a bass like that.I said if that is the case then I'm done. Now I cast for walleye, pike, laketrout, smallmouth, in Canada.Sort of a mission trip. My youngest son saw all the Indians up there and thought they were Mexicans. I Ramble On

[ginger1]

The first taste of freedom is not to have to read the bible, pray or tithe.

My hubby could never hang out with those religious kinds, he still never does. He still can't relate with religious christians. There are people in EN that comes by and visit. He would makes some excuses and leaves.
Just way too religious for his taste. Yes, Matt they are quite boring. They will suck the life out of you, thats what happened to me in Dave Soto's church.

I hang out sometimes with my neighbor. Once they had a party, well of course there were hard liquor and wine. I rarely drank wine but never tasted liquor. So this neighbor of mine , her brother had me tasting just a wee bit of everything. Rum, whisky, brandy, kahula, etc. Pure and mix ones. I did not know that those mixes were so good. I should had a pen and wrote down those mixes.

Anyway, my hubby was at home , resting from work, so he skip the party. While the wife is getting drunk next door. Forget the dancing I could hardly walk home. What I felt so good about it, I slept well, GUILT FREE.

[mdillon]

ginger what I love about you is that you have expressed Christ and the essence of His cross as well as anybody on these threads, and yet share a moment like that and I'm figuring that religious demons are screaming like little school girls. You amaze me.

md

[matt_hatter]

dil, you gotta love ginger, eh? I shoulda had a pen...jeezzz...I am cracking uuupppp.

[sameo]

Ginger you get my vote for the "freedom award!"

Sameo

[mdillon]

mattie, sameo, i think ginger needs to have her own freakin' bus- krems would be strapped to the top.

[john_r_jones]

I'm still waiting for the appropriate scripture for the lic. plate of the bus.

John

[lablady2]

I like "HOOtah" even though it's not a scripture. Is it?

[sameo]

...or "Shedigga-digga!"

[john_r_jones]

Sounds like a ZZ Top song.

John

[sameo]

LOLOL...so true, JOhn! hehe

[matt_hatter]

The first time I heard the MCM "Chick language" I could think of no other song than this, although my versoin was done by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. My Baton Rouge Buddy should appreciate this:

Diggy Diggy Lo sung by Doug Kershaw

Diggy Diggy La and Diggy Lo fell in love at the Fais Do Do
The pop was cold and the coffee chaud (hot)
For Diggy Diggy La and Diggy Diggy Lo

Bridge:
Diggy Diggy La and Diggy Lo
Everyone knows he was her beau
No one else could ever show
So much love for Diggy Diggy Lo

That's the place they find romance
Where they do the Cajun dance
Steal a kiss with every chance
Show their love with every glance

Finally went and seen her paw
Now he's got himself a papa in law
Move out where the bayou flows
And now he's got himself a little Diggy Diggy Lo

[ginger1]

You guys are funny. Yea, I am waiting for the next party. The next time, I will make sure I have a pen and paper. I still remember the taste. I had no idea they tasted so good.

Maybe thats why when my hubby was overseas , they had this buddy thing in the Navy. Where you can't go alone, well, you know Navy guys , they hit the bars a lot of times. He goes with them, no wonder he was having a good time with his navy buddies.

[lc_20]

Catching up...

Speakword: Yes Sundays, mondays, tuesdays, wednesdays, thursdays, fridays, saturdays.... all mine back!!! Last Sunday morning, I thought about going to church... but time passed by as I was hanging around the house thinking about it till it was to late... oh, well - guilt free - obligation free.

Ginger: Party-on...

[youngnmighty]

i smoked a joint and started using cannabis in tea as a relaxant.

well, i don't have a problem with dagga (marijuana) anyway.
but it felt good to just do it without peeking over my shoulder.

(she left EN and got into drugs! oh boy! just kidding)

[ginger1]

I remember one minister , giving a testimony. Very humble, great anointing man of God. Living in Europe. this is where I learned about drinking Wines. And buying the most expensive wines , God saved the best one LAST.

Anyway, He said, one day God told him to go and buy the most expensive wines. So he did. Its over $200 dollars. He saved it for a while, then God told him to give it to one of his best friend, who is also a minister, who had planted a lot of churches all over europe.
The friend looked at the wine bottle and went wide eyed, he knew thats a premium expensive wine. And the minister start prophesying to him , God said that there would come a time, on his worst days, to looked up to Him. And He has saved the best days for him to come. God have saved the Best Wines last.

Few month later, he found out he has cancer. So this minister called him reminded him of what God said. So this friend start reminding God, holding that bottle everyday. Everyday he prayed, he hold that bottle and remind God.For God saved the best ones last.
He was healed. So he called this minister and told him, God healed him and to come over and celebrate. He is about to open that wine. They had a great time.
He had to call a taxi to take him home...

And he told the american churches, thats why the Europeans have more fun...

(Message edited by ginger1 on July 27, 2006)

[dust]

Youngmighty,
I just need to ask if you were kidding about this comment:
i smoked a joint and started using cannabis in tea as a relaxant.

Why do I ask? I don't personally get myself involved with what anyone chooses to do. It's their personal business. I got saved 8 years ago, well into my adult years. I left Catholic school (where during my highschool years, I was a goodie, and a virgin at graduation). A rare breed in secular world. However, when I went to college I fell hard into new age/freedom, etc. It took me a long time to find my way back. I had a secret drug addiction of crystal meth. But, I never got really bad with it. God's grace. I almost overdosed from drugs in LA. My brother died of AIDS, which caused a little rebound with a bottle of wine every night for about six months. God's grace again. I quit everything in 1993 and have NEVER RETURNED to that life. God's grace.

It's not a pretty life.
I am NOT religious..far from it, and I love a good bottle of wine.
I had champagne at my wedding and real food and dancing and Barry White music. Okay, I'm not religious.

However, I fear that some of my younger friends who just got off drugs and a life in the sexual revolution will not understand some of the postings.

I dated a heroin addict for about six months. ( I didn't know).
My college boyfriend moved to L.A. and became a drug dealer.
When I hooked back up with him, he introduced me to his drugs.
I KNOW what the life in the world is like. IT'S DEADLY.

I am fortunate that I never contracted AIDS or any STD. I am fortunate that I when I reborn, I became HOLY, not by man, but by God's grace. My friends reading this today will be shocked. I have no tell tale signs that I lived these experiences. I look like the good pretty girl next door. And I married the guy next door.

But the TRUTH is, I understand the "HOLIER THAN THOU" and it makes me sick. But, I also understand the DANGERS of the world and I don't want anyone to even think in joking any kind of drug is okay. Please FORGIVE ME if I am stepping on toes.
It's not meant this way.

Please don't POUNCE me as self-righteous. I am FAR from self-rightous. I am grateful to be alive because I nearly died having my fun and rebellion time.

[coppertree]

<font face="arial,helvetica"></font>
Hi Ginger -Thank you for your post about the wine, and saving the best for last. It reminds me of a story about American missionaries that came to Germany to help with the out reach there. They were from the same denomination. These missionaries split at lunch into male and female groups. They ,the American women and German woman, sat opposite of each other at a long table. They could hardly eat, for the German women were aghast , and now weeping and praying for the Americans about their face make-up, colored hair ,lipstick and painted nails. And the American were also weeping, and praying for the German who were drinking beer at lunch, even.}

[freedom43]

Dust: thanks for sharing your story. I'm lucky -- drugs were never a temptation for me. But, they have taken a devasting toll on my family. One brother died from an accidental overdose. My sister is an addict who went through a phase of disappearing for days at a time (with kids at home) while she was off using crack. And, another brother whose drug abuse triggered a psychotic paranoid episode/break with reality where he thought he was being watched 24/7 and wouldn't even take a shower without his swim suit on. As a result, I am so anti-drug it's not even funny. I'm in my 40s and have never even tried pot. Your post did not come across as judgmental to me -- just expressing concern about the dangers of drug use and the slippery slope of destruction it can bring. It's heartbreaking to me.

[freedom43]

coppertree: heard a similar story about Germans and Americans and beer and coffee. the Germans were very worried about the negative health affects of all that coffee the Americans were drinking -- while the Americans were all up in arms that the German Christians were actually drinking BEER.

[dust]

freedom,
I was really blessed. I had a "secret" drug problem, making big money in a billion dollar corporation. I was still able to do my job and I wore nice suits and drove a nice car, etc. It reminds me a lot of Every Nation....looking so good, and yet something secret is so wrong. And, it's end up being the SAME WRONG.

Bowing down to self, and not to Jesus. I quit ALL drugs in 87 when I got something bad laced with something really bad, and that was it. No one knew what I was going through, except God.
And, really miraculously, I started having dreams about God, repetitive dreams, and I started searching for the secret to life.
About one hundred books later, I picked up a bible. Rest is history.

It was an old bible KJV and I could barely understand it, but I would read it every morning and I was transformed, utterly transformed by the Word of God. WIth no pastor, no altar call, no worship music.

[mcmstaff78]

Freedom43: heard a similar story about Germans and Americans and beer and coffee

Me: My recollection is I heard Ken Hagin tell this story on a tape, that it was about himself and he and his wife were over in Europe and at a dinner. I could be very well misremembering, but of course, I guit believing just about *any* story a preacher tells from the pulpit a while back because after 20 years I heard so many different preachers tell the same story as if about himself *or*, with the advent of the Internet and Snopes, I started debunking a bunch of the crap.

[youngnmighty]

dust, im being facecious about the "getting into drugs" part. i can count the number of times i've smoked weed on one hand.

i understand your concern and u don't come across as judgemental.

smoking pot is not doing crystal meths. and im not doing it for rebellion. smoking pot is like wine. so the issue is one shouldn't do it too much or often. once in a while is fine.

but this isn't a forum about the morality of drug use.
i just remember that suddenly i realised that God was probably not as freaked out by a herb (he created) than most people are.

[dust]

I'm sorry I cannot accept that "smoking pot is like wine. so the issue is one shouldn't do it too much or often. once in a while is fine. "

I am a trained counselor, and I know about drugs and I know about pot. It's is a dangerous drug, often laced with synthetic drugs. It takes your ambition away, and your need for relationships and zaps the LIFE out of you. I see what it is doing for my 27 year old brother. It cannot be compared to alcohol.

This may not be a forum for morality of drug use, but it is a forum that young Christians and new Christians are coming to read. If young people read here that a Christian is saying "pot is okay" it can cause someone to stumble.

We are not free to do as we please under Christ. This is moral relativity.

Not all herbs are meant for consumption and show me biblically where God will put stamp of approval on pot.

You see YM, once you start this thinking of moral relativity, then next is God approves of (fill in the blank).

This is not condemnation to drug users. I don't think like that.

I condemn the devil and his tricks to take quality of life (which GOD created) and diminish it or destroy it. I say to drug users, HEY GOD created you to live with freedom, and He sent His son to take off those chains you live in, because He loves you.

John 3:16

[ulyankee]

Some verses came to mind that may be relevant here, in light of what Dust posted...

Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

1 Peter 2:16 - Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

1 Cor 8:9-13 - Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.


I personally don't drink because I have a history of not stopping at one or even several - until it is physically impossible to continue. So even though I know I am free in Christ to take a drink, I really don't want to take that chance. Same with drugs... extremely careful even with bonafide prescriptions. I recovered from oral surgery a few years back with Advil and was ok - filled the R/X of the more powerful stuff as a backup but didn't really need to use it, so didn't, and eventually tossed it. Not out of legalism, but by acknowleging that I am weak in that area. My husband can just have one drink and stop and not have another for months. He is stronger in that area. For me it would be risking sinning; he can have a drink and not sin. He is considerate of my weakness in that area, though.

Conversely, my husband has a serious sweet tooth. I don't. I can have all kinds of fattening sweet goodies in the house and not overindulge. Not him. So I try to be careful in that area.

I have to be careful with my mouth, especially when I'm under stress. I don't believe that if I happen to let a four letter word slip that my salvation is in jeopardy. I used to be very foul mouthed before I was saved, so the fact that I don't drop the F-bomb and several other goodies every other word like I used to is a true miracle of the Holy Spirit in me. But, out of the heart the mouth speaks. Also, it isn't a really good witness to either non-Christians or less mature Christians. So I try to exercise self-control in that area as well.

And like it or not, those of us who post here are witnessing to many, many others who read and never post. And what we say or do has an impact on whether we are taken seriously or not. I personally wish to stay above reproach... it makes it much easier both in my "virtual" life here and in my flesh and blood life. And I can ONLY do that through the power of the Holy Spirit... not by my own devices alone.

Right now, I'm exercising my bunny freedom with my little new-to-me semi-sports car. We got it b/c we needed a new(er) car, badly, got an awesome deal on it, and it's not like it's totally impractical or anything (yes it seats four, as long as you're not going cross country), but it's become great fun. I even belong to an enthusiasts club now and we get together once a month or so and drive places. It was the first "fun" thing I've done in a very long time. My life is otherwise extremely boring at least in the "world's" perspective but I've found I like it that way a lot better than I ever would have imagined pre-salvation.

blessings,
ulyankee

[wiseasaserpentgentleasadove]

Bless you, once again, Ulyankee!
Thanks for the above scriptures, and for sharing your personal testimony on your areas of weakness from the past.

I was able to discuss this very thing with a dear friend of mine today, and what you said above about drinking and not being able to stop at just one, or two, sounds JUST like her. She could not handle alcohol, so since she has become a Christian, she just avoids it altogether, b/c that was such an area of sin before for her. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoy your FUN car!!!! let your hair blow in the wind every once in a while!!! (sun-roof?) if not, open the windows! It sounds like fun.

I have a new poodle. I am part of a poodle message board. That's a new area of fun for me. He's a tiny toy poodle. 5 months old now. Cute and irritating all at the same time.
Dove

[john_r_jones]

If I ride the wind'll whistle through my ears.
John

[coppertree]

<font face="arial,helvetica"></font>
Hi John, Well bunnies have the best ears after all.

Me, I want to climb a mountain and camp at a high mts. lake. The air is so crisp, clean, pine, firs smell great. And hear God's voice in a stone canyon. I have to get there before the grizzles, they come to eat insects in the stones, above the tree line. That is late fall, so I have time to do that again. That will be grand.}

[speakword2004]

I have a new Maine Coon cat, but I am not going to join no Maine Coon message board. Just surfing the catteries on the web makes me realise that there is some real strange kooky people out there that have really strange lives. My chats with
the vets on drink stopped with the above scripture in mind, but we don't have to stop discussing what is wrong with dope...personally I am allergic to it and it never did anything for me. There may be lurkers here who live on the stuff though, so lets be tolerant. Tolerant in the sense that we try understand and respond in kindness and not censure...Abuse can drive people to medicate the pain with drugs, alchohol, vanities and even food.

[mdillon]

coppertree thank you for the mountain flashback. nothing like the rockies. nothing smells like lodgepole pine at about 10k. saw every kind of wildlife except grizzly, thankfully. living on the front range, you could go from town up the canyon to a glacier lake in under an hour if you didn't stop to catch a few trout on the way up. man, I miss that.

md

[lablady2]

md: Would that be Brainard Lake? I remember having a picnic lunch in July at Brainard. The kids couldn't believe we were eating right beside a snow drift.
I have never stopped missing the smell of woodsmoke from the mountains on a spring evening.

[lablady2]

md: an added note. I was at the OB office with Mary yesterday. Picture this: Mary is semi-reclining, her huge Buddah belly laced with a couple of monitor straps. I am watching the fetal monitor strip as it records Eli's movements, spikes in heartrate, etc. So, here's Mary, lying dreamily in this chair, having contractions every ten minutes. She's just staring at the ceiling, rubbing her tummy, when she says, "Mom, we need to go back to Boulder for a visit."

There's just something about that place.

[miltietoast]

I graduated from high school in schenectady NY.Many of my friends went to school in CO.Most never came back. I tell my kids when the go out there ,be careful the world comes to an end somplace out there because most people do not come back

[mdillon]

Brainard lake among many, lablady. wow, return trip to Boulder,huh? All my kids swear that's where they're going back to someday.

It's called the Chief Niwot curse (or blessing), miltie from local lore. something about always returning, never being able to get away once your there. local history talks about him being such a bada$$ indian when the white man came. i later found out he turned Christian and preached to his tribes, but you never hear that part.

btw, Boulder is a stargate. city is full of travelers.

md

[lablady2]

After my parole, I enjoyed Boulder to the fullest. I ate vegetarian meals at the Harvest House, I grew mung beans and made yogurt, and I even got certified as a childbirth educator with some hippie-dippie Buddist types during a week long training camp. You know the types, hairy legs and armpits, kids without diapers (don't want to focus on their elimination habits per Freud).

Somewhere, under this Grammy exterior, there is still a free-spirited, peace lovin', free thinkin', part-loner, part-rebel, Bohemian kind of gal. I often channel her to my grandkids, asking questions like, "How do you know that's true?" or "I know that's what they told you, but what do YOU think about that?" or "Don't just believe what she told you; let's go get some books!"

I thank God for mcm; it made me know exactly who and what I DON'T want to be.

[matt_hatter]

Y'all are taking me to a place I have never been. Thanks.

[lablady2]

Matt: For this Kentucky native, Boulder was another planet. We were so broke, but there was no lack of entertainment. The kids and I would get on the Ride (bus) and go to the Pearl street mall and watch people. Plenty entertaining.

When we moved back here, my kids screamed foul. Nobody in Kentucky (then) had purple hair. There was no "Evan from the Seventh Heaven", a street guy who walked a tightrope strung up on the Pearl Street Mall, doing some comedy/juggling shtick. The guy who walked a rat on a string didn't live here, either. We left behind the herbalist who cured my daughter's earache by crushing a clove of garlic, placing it in her ear, taking a hit off a Marlboro, and blowing the smoke in her ear (it worked, by the way).

My oldest has never forgotten.

[matt_hatter]

Sooo great. Ann Arbor, was a total culture shock to me..but secretly loved it. We had Shakey Jake, a blues guitarist, who literally COULD NOT PLAY, simply beat on the cat guts. Sold Shakey Jake t shirts to keep up his inventory of Wild Irish Rose.

One night Allie punched me and said "Wake Up! There is someone on the front porch!" (We initially lived in the heart of Bohemia)

At 2 AM, some drunk soul was lounging on our veranda singing at the top of his lungs: "IT'S UP TO YOU NEW YORK, NEW YORRRRRRK!!!"

[mdillon]

ok what is it with folks coming out of my past with memories that scare me. and I know folks out there are saying, "Well, your the dumba$$ that put up his real name". wow, you blow my mind LL with your memory. Pearl Street Mall was Boulder's public zoo and Halloween was their religious holiday. That I tried to represent the blueblazered burgeoning rightwingnuts is something I will never live down. As I told you elsewhere I missed a basic lesson in fishing. Always use the bait the fish eat. Should have grown my hair to my clacker and opened up a coffeehouse and served blacktea and banana nut bread shaped like an icthus.

md

[lablady2]

md: I gotta share this. It is too funny, but I don't know if you will remember it.

I invited the before mentioned herbalist to one of our fellowship suppers. She brought a vegetarian casserole and we all rolled our eyes.

Here's the good part: Today she is a respected and published herbalist. Her daughter, Rain Beau (no, I'm not kidding, friends), is pretty well known in yoga circles, has her own website and has even been in some movies. Google her; she was a sweet kid who has become quite the beauty.

God confounds the wise, huh?

[lablady2]

www.rainbeaumars.com (http://www.rainbeaumars.com)

Enjoy your Boulder moment, duuuuhhhde.

[mdillon]

i vaguely remember that LL. seems i enjoyed the dish without even hootahing. i don't have the time right now, but sometime remind me to tell you about the gargantuan peyote button that sat in our storefront window for months unbeknownst to the blueblazered minion.

God confounds the wise, but He laughs at the dumba$$e$. This is why I see Him smiling at me a lot.

md
ps- i've got tons of slides from Co. that i'm scanning but it is tedious and my time is crunched but hopefully will share eventually

[lablady2]

I am, as usual, ROFL.

This Kentucky gal wouldn't have know what the heck it was anyway.