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Winsomebulldog, You are not pretentious at all. Your insight is much appreciated. In the past I had considered this option. However, trust is not something I would easily give even to my hubby's mother or family. As mine is a long distance away and are not big on taking care of small children after raising six of their own. My parents feel it is my job to tend to my little ones, and that I surely do not argue with. My hubby's family....well, a lot of them are drinkers. Aside from that my sister in law lives with my mother in law, this is mostly due to her life choices which are still ones in need of a lot of prayer. For she tends to bring it with her to her mother's house and her mother while she does not condone it, does nothing to put an end to it. In short, I feel it is not the safest enviroment for my children and do not want to run the risk of them being taken away. A lot of the time, if my boys go over there it is when I know it is just their grandma and grandpa home as they tend to the boys and usually do not have any questionable company with questionably legal habits within their home. For I have seen illegal things go on in that household while my husband's sister is there of which while have become less frequent have not stopped...which is why I keep his family at an arms length and pray for them a lot. There has also been a family member of a young age without proper discipline who tends to get agressive towards everything and everyone that is there on occassion and again....just do not feel safe bringing my children there while he is present. This probably sounds like I am passing judgement....but I do not mean to do so. My resources and outlets are very short listed here. Will surely pray for guidance though on this matter, and see what can be done. Thank you May God Bless You In an effort to inject a bit of humor here: “You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird There have been lots of jokes in my family about my family. And my husband's family. Everything from doubts about whether certain members were actually hatched from eggs or about how I (and my husband for that matter) am the baby of the family, yet have seemed to have a far more stable life than my older siblings. I remember complaining to a friend once about how my sisters could never get past the fact that I was the "baby" and that they'd always see me as such. Her response was that I was the only one who acted like an adult between us. This was a bit exaggerated, but the fact remains that in the end, we are indeed stuck with whatever family we have. I am sorry that you are in a situation where you cannot comfortably seek assistance from either side of your family. That's a real shame, as I fully believe that families ought to be something of a unit - within reason of course - where they provide all the support and assistance they can for each other. But as you have said, you absolutely must do what is best for your children, so I can only applaud you for not placing them in a situation that you feel is potentially risky. I have little family left, on either side, and so while our situations are dramatically different, I do understand the sense of loneliness that can come from being unable to depend upon your family to simply "be there" to support you. No doubt that God makes it plain that once we are married, we are to become one with our spouses and place that "family" unit above our extended family, but I do still believe that our parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, all of our family are meant to be a unit that can offer mutual love, support, and encouragement. Before my mother's death, this was precisely how my family functioned for the most part. Losing her, however, was a bit like losing the lynchpin that held us all together. After she was gone, it was just so easy for everyone to get caught up in their own lives and drift apart. Very sad. Not to mention that my mother was often the "voice of reason" in our family and without her there, things got... complicated for lack of a better word. But I'm rambling. (I do that a lot. Love to chase those rabbits. ) Mostly, I just want to offer you encouragement and support. We all need that from time to time. Plus, you just have such a sweet spirit. Makes me smile. God bless you and your precious family.

He should have reminded you that it was the War for Southern Independence, The War of Secession, or The Late Unpleasentness, but never "the Civil War" as it was neither civil, nor a civil war by definition. A Civil War occurs when two or more factions within the SAME country fight for control of it. The Confederacy was a seperate nation, with a seperate capital and seperate ideals. We Southrons (not Southerners) are touchy 'bout thet thar Of all American conflicts, the War of Secession is one which still invokes hard feelings. It may be high time to consider secession again.

I believe Eleanor is pointing to a very solid concept. Paul's reasoning was not because of local issues. Paul pointed to a concept that was cross-culture. He had a solid theological reason for prohibiting women from teaching that went far beyond local issues in a single congregation. I do believe Paul's qualifying reason still applies today, we are never told that it doesn't.

Mizz, What gets me is...I SHOULD be used to this. Growing up I have had a younger sister with special needs. Once moved out of the house, I even worked as her support care staff. She is a lot more dependent than my boys may ever be too.... Maybe the reality here is, I am having a hard time accepting that my son has certain struggles that are going to require time to get through. My hubby and I also tend to deal with things in VERY DIFFERENT ways. We sat down this morning and talked a little. While things are not going to just be alright overnight.... we at least now have a better, if not slightly more improved understanding of each other. Doing all that we need to do, in whatever time we are going to be given is just....a great weight on both of us. So much so, we are both afraid of hurting the other by asking for help. That is an issue him and I both have, we loath asking others for help...we want to do things on our own. Think we let that become so much of an issue at times that we tend to forget to let one another, more importantly...GOD in the picture to lend us a helping hand. So I thank you, and everyone else here who has taken the time to read and reply. There is a lot of growing up that needs to be done on my part as both a mother and wife, as well as a daughter in Christ. May God Bless You Dani

If there are women leading churches, the first question that should be asked is...... "Where are the men, and what are they doing?" I believe that a woman should not run a church. But preach, teach and pastor to those with problems, yes. There are times when a woman is needed to pastor a situation, and will do so better than a man. Why would Jesus not want a woman who is filled with the Spirit to share? I have heard some awesome preaches by women, and my faith has gained strength because of them.

Amen, Mizz.

My dear sister I can so relate. My son had a lot of special needs growing up and a daughter who was just as willful if not more so than I was, combine those two with a few other real doozies and oh boy! lol I did stay at home with my kids until my son started school then I started working at their school, which lead to me getting pulled out of my classroom to take care of my sons problems the teacher didnt want to handle. My husband worked on many days at least an hour or so away, after we moved and he started his own business which leads to many many long hours so I was left to handle everything. I could have made the list you wrote with a lot more added on that because I opted to work. My husband is one of the few really good guys, or at least I get told that all the time, he would cook dinners when I had to work late although I cant remember him ever using a vacuum or cleaning a toilet around the house. Its very overwhelming having a child with special needs, its not only tiring on moms but on dads and marriages as well. If you havent already please sit down and talk to your husband, tell him how you feel, put the emphasis on you not him that may only make a wall come up in defense. It is best if you could point to certain things and ask for a bit of help, feeding the kids, bath time, picking up the toys, simple things. If you hold all this in it will only fester and cause more problems as it grows. Bitterness and resentment come from not letting things out, by not allowing us as wives to address problems even if they are not really understood by our spouses. If you need to talk please pm me I am usually around or close by and check emails and pms often. Take this to Yahweh, ask for His guideance and direction. I pray that He send you shalom in your heart to conquer that chaos within. shalom, Mizz

Oh yes it does. Ephesians 5 spells it out very clearly. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Our marriages should reflect Christ love for us to the world. Everything we do should reflect as a testimony for Him. If we as husbands or wives not do what is listed below, how are we suppose to love our enemies. All things, when completed according to scripture are to point toward Christ. He is the beginning and the end. ALL things were made by Him and for Him.

I acknowledge your limatations to meet your needs, yours is a complex situation and I should have made reference to that fact. Not only hymns, but chorus's to worship to. When I was a bit younger I was the night porter at Burger King and was the only one there and as I was breaking down the boiler the tape of scriptures with hymns "got to me". It had be storing up in my heart then it hit me I cried, I worshipped, I thanked God.

Joy - yep, I get it - now send some this way! Here, take this miracle spring water and put a drop in each of the shoes you wear today. Thanks! Ugh, now I have wet shoes too......!

The Resurrected Life (Christ living in you) gives you power and joy to multi-task.

Our brother, Steven (enoob57) reminded me of something, it is called the "Resurrected Life", the "Christ Life", "death to self", "walking in the Spirit", and the "Spirit-filled Life". It is a doctrine that teaches us that "in Christ" we died and in Ephesians we read "In him", "In whom" , I need to refresh my memory because I know there are other "In (pronoun)" verses. God idenified, placed us, included us in the death of Jesus Christ, and when he died we also died. When Christ rose, we in kind also arose, to walk in newness of life. Christ resurrected life now dwell inside the being of every believer. We are to see and reckon ourselves (the old man we use to me) as dead and Christ as alive and powerful in our hearts, his life lived though us in might and victory. Please research the Christ Life and learn how to dwell in his life. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20

You sound just like me about 4 years ago. Being a stay at home parent is the toughest job I ever had. And it's even harder when you don't feel appreciated and perhaps even if you are fighting depression. Have you talked openly with your husband about how you feel?

The worst enemy I have is me.... It is constantly slipping through aligning itself to my mind as truth - but what is truth? Our Father has instructed through His Son that we die to ourselves and live to Him first and then to others.... we have been empowered to do this by His Spirit to do so in the New Born part of the redeemed Spirit... We are speaking of a love in our world today ... is it? Matt 24:12-13 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. NKJV What Neb has said is excellent council get out and minister an fellowship with other children of God... The key is to make sure fellowship portion is with people who understand what Love 'IS' selfless engagement with God... Love, Steven

My heart aches for you. I cannot claim to have any experience with the issues involved with rearing special needs children, or any children at all, as we do not have any. However, twice in my life I have been a caretaker for a terminally ill family member. I remember very well how difficult that is. It goes far beyond the mere physical strain of the constant care involved. It is emotionally exhausting as well. That's something that many who haven't experienced a similar situation cannot really understand. When you listed some of the details of your typical day, I just couldn't help but think of my mother-in-law who died five years ago the first of this month. She was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and quite literally from the moment she was diagnosed, she required around the clock care. This care primarily fell to my husband and myself and it takes a real toll on a person over time. We filled that role for several months. I can only imagine the physical and emotional strain of being a full time caretaker for years. As for your fears of depression, I can relate. I've suffered from it for my entire adult life. And while I know God has carried me through it, keeping me alive through times so dark and awful that death truly seemed like the only way out, I also know that He doesn't hold it against me that I eventually sought counseling or that I still take medication on a daily basis to help me resist that lying voice that tries to tell me I have no value and countless other things that only serve to beat me down to a pulp. I have told my therapist that I find being a caretaker far more emotionally and physically exhausting than being the one in need of care. Just over a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My surgeries and treatments are now behind me and I won't pretend that the fight wasn't hard and often unpleasant, but the reality is that being the one who was sick and in need of care was far easier for me than having to be the one providing care. And it isn't because I just like being taken care of. It's because as the one who was "sick" I was able to just hand it all over to God and trust completely that whatever happened, it was part of His plan and would work out for the best. But when I'm the one taking care of someone I love, I suffer from the overwhelming desire to somehow "fix" things. I want to do anything that might possibly somehow make the one I love feel even the tiniest bit happier or better or just make them smile. It's because I love them and I'd go through anything for them. I tell you this because I think you feel the same. You love your children and your husband with every fiber of your being so you are willing to give and give and give because you want to make things easier for them and you want to take care of them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think that's the way we all ought to be, especially in relation to our families. But I have also learned that sometimes you need some time for yourself. It doesn't make you selfish, it is just a simple fact. You have said your husband is a good man and I have no reason to doubt that, but I also know that while work can be tiring and stressful, it is also a form of "escape" from stresses at home. Please understand that I absolutely do not want to come across as sound critical of him or anyone else. It's just a simple fact that going to a job outside the home affords that person a chance to "get away" from whatever stressful issues exist in the home. My husband learned and admitted as much while his mother was sick. His hours at work gave a chance to focus on something else for a little while. You, however, as the full-time care giver for your children are never afforded that break. You live with it day in and day out, every moment of every single day. I cannot begin to imagine how exhausted you must be. I don't know if my words are at all helpful, but I do know that you have nothing to be ashamed of. Despite some who claim otherwise, God never intended for women to the the sole caregivers of the children. We have unfortunately long been subjected to the culture of "Man work - woman raise kids." Unfortunately, I don't have any easy answers to offer. There just aren't any. Pray, pray, pray simply comes across as sounding trite. It's always good advice, but I know that sometimes we can get to a place where it just isn't that simple. The only thing I can say is that you shouldn't feel like a failure for needing a break every now and then. More than once every several months. You've said that you've tried to talk to your husband about how overwhelmed you feel. In my experience, men often have no clue what that really means. My own husband, who I would fiercely argue is the best in the whole world spent easily the first half of our relationship and marriage essentially telling me to "get over it" in relation to my major depression. It wasn't that he didn't care. He simply could not fathom the concept and I wasn't any good at explaining it to him. Eventually, after more than a few years and a large number of major depressive episodes and a bit of research on the internet on his part, he started taking it all a lot more seriously. He still has no true understanding of it. He just can't wrap his brain around how depression works. But he understands that it is real and that it can't be ignored. The point being, your husband may well have no actual real understanding of that drowning sensation that is plaguing you. Men simply don't work the same way we do and it is often difficult to bridge those differences, regardless of how good the relationship is. You've mentioned your family and while I know you have said they aren't as understanding or supportive as they could be, I wonder if they are willing to be at all helpful? I really don't like coming across as "telling you what to do" or "having all the answers" because I KNOW it doesn't work that way. But at the risk of sounding like a pretentious jerk, I wonder if you could explain to your husband that you need more "time off." Not that you aren't madly in love with your children, but that you just need a break. You don't have to "go out" or anything, but a little time for just the two of you or even for just you can go a long way. So, is there any way that your family could or would be willing to step in and perhaps agree to take the boys off your hands once in a while. Gosh, I hate offering advice like this. Makes me feel so obnoxious. Seriously, my heart is just aching at the thought of how enormous the weight you are carrying must feel to you. I don't know if your family or even your church family might have someone in it that could fill the role of "baby sitter" for a short while for you. Just long enough for you to get some time to focus on yourself. I do know that you deserve it and that you aren't somehow a "bad" mom or wife for feeling the strain. Forgive me if I have come across as pretentious. I just want you to know you are not alone. In truth, all I can really do is lift you up to the Lord. Trite as it can sometimes feel and sound, He is the ultimate problem solver. And as one of my favorite expressions goes, "Sometimes He calms the storm, sometimes He calms His child." I pray He grants you peace and rest and a solution to the stress you are feeling. If you believe you need to see a counselor, do so. Believe me when I tell you that it's much easier to "nip it in the bud" than to wait until depression has fully bloomed and pulled you down into it's black pit. And if you do wind up seeking out counseling, don't let anyone tell you that your need for help isn't real or is only based in selfishness. Don't let anyone bully you into believing that it will all just go away if you'll simply have more faith or pray more often. Depression is a disease just like cancer or diabetes. It is not something to feel ashamed about. And even if you aren't suffering from major depression, the stress you are under alone is enough reason to seek out someone to talk to who won't be judgmental and make you feel like you're just feeling sorry for yourself. God bless you, dear sister in Christ.

Dani Women are designed for relationships, yet in our society we are isolated from each other. Do you have any friends you can go out with, even with the children? As for your husband, I am wondering what may behind his lack of motivation at home. Might he be struggling with depression as well? Granted, I don't know all the details, so I am pulling from things I have been learning about people and relationships. Now, I'm not saying this is the problem, but presenting a possibility to consider, and this isn't to make you feel bad, but looking for a potential problem that may need to be fixed, so to speak. As I read your words it is sounding as if you are not feeling loved. (If he loves me, why doesn't he...?) I have learned that women need to feel loved and men need to feel esteemed (built up). When a wife doesn't feel loved, she has a hard time showing esteem to her husband; when a husband does not feel esteemed, he has a hard time showing love to his wife. It's a downward spiral, where both are waiting for the other to change first, and thus both end the day feeling alienated from each other. Again, I'm not trying to throw blame; this is an all-too-common occurrence in relationships that most people know little about. I don't know if you would be comfortable asking your husband if he is feeling esteemed, or if you feel comfortable sharing how you feel. The trick, though, is to share how you feel without blaming - "I feel [this way] when ..." rather than, "You make me feel ...." I apologize if this sounds condescending or harsh; I don't mean it that way. You have a huge burden on your shoulders, and I can imagine this feels like adding more to it. Yet, there needs to be healing somehow. Prayers for restoration.

Not in order, but I will address the body now. The body need proper sleep and rest, it needs REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, if your body doesn't fully recoup through sleep then, I don't know, we have to have that recoup in order to cope with the stress of the day. The body needs proper nutrition, what are your meals like, do you snack between meals, please tell me you don't Munch on junk food. Your body needs to be detoxed, cleansed from garbage toxins by taken a anti-toxin. Do you walk the neigborhood, mingle with neigbors in the fresh air. The spirit, small 's', needs God himself, Christ and the Holy Spirit. We need to read at least two chapter morning and evening, the word is refer to as water, the water of the word, washes away the things of this world and our own filth. Our true self the soul and spirit needs to worship in spirit and true, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; <P dir=ltr>Do you put on a praise and worship tape while you are working aroung the house, how about the Bible on cassette or MP3 player. Next post of mine will be specifically where the rubber meets the road, I have say what you need to do for yourself. God bless your little pea-picking heart, child. (Your too young to understand where pea-picking comes from.)

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions Psalms 121:4 Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Over the past few weeks, rockets have been landing roughly 30 miles from where we live in southern Israel, and we've been overwhelmed with the number of emails from people who are praying for us– which we so appreciate!… more than you could imagine! We're living in a unique time in history, as once again Israel finds herself surrounded by enemies with few friends willing to stand with her. So often we are asked, and we wonder, how things will turn out here…we've found it's usually foolish to try and predict; but one thing is absolutely certain; the God of Israel is watching over this tiny nation! I want to share a brief history lesson about the liberation of Jerusalem. Early in 1917, John Hilton, a mechanic in the British Royal Flying Corps, attended church one Sunday morning. Noticing Hilton's uniform, a clergyman approached and told him, having read Isaiah 31, he believed that airplanes would be used by the English air force to deliver Jerusalem into British hands. He was right…but only partly… Months later, General Allenby was seeking advice from London as he prepared to liberate Jerusalem from 400 years of Turkish rule. He received a wire from London. The wire quoted Isaiah 31:4-5, “For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem, defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.” After receiving the wire, Allenby called for planes to fly low over Jerusalem, dropping leaflets warning the Turks of his coming. When the Turks picked up the leaflets and read the name Allenby, they heard, "Allah en Nebi", which, in Arabic, means “Prophet of Allah”, so they surrendered Jerusalem without firing a shot! A tenth century Islamic poet with which they were familiar, had written, “The man who will conquer Jerusalem and redeem it from the infidel for all time to come will enter the Holy City humbly on foot, and his name is God's prophet.” In respect for the city of his savior's death and resurrection, Allenby dismounted his horse and walked into Jerusalem on foot. The liberation of Jerusalem took place the first day of Chanukah, the feast of dedication, in 1917. The creative providence of our God is astounding in its details, and sometimes even reveals His sense of humor. He is not asleep, and His resources are far beyond our ability to comprehend. Who could have imagined that the name of an English general and the verse of an Islamic poet, would be the combination for a bloodless victory which would also fulfill an ancient Hebrew scripture?? So, we believe, in our present situation, again, God's deliverance will come in the most unexpected ways. How He will do it this time? Watch for the unexpected ways He will work…even in your own situation! If you have any thoughts or comments, click here!

American Evangelical pastor John Hagee - who heads the largest pro-Israel lobby group in the United States - half jokingly compared Benjamin Netanyahu to the Messiah on Sunday night, as he waited for the delayed prime minister to arrive at a Jerusalem hotel to address the crowd. http://www.worthynews.com/top/haaretz-com-print-edition-news-waiting-for-the-messiah-netanyahu-addresses-evangelical-christian-gathering-in-jerusalem-1-419432/

Ronnie (Monarch), Thank you for being willing to lend an ear. Right now...I just feel really alone in terms of my family. My husband while he is understanding, is part of the problem. Cleaning up after four people, tending to two day and night.... I feel like I am at my breaking point. A typical day for me is like this: 7:00 - 8:00 AM I wake up upon hearing my youngest stir and wake. Sometimes he will go right back to sleep. Most the time lately, he does not. 8:00 - 10:00 AM I take care of both children as needed should they both be up. I change their diapers, clothes, and try to get them some breakfast, if not get some started. Otherwise brew a fresh pot of coffee. 8:00 - 10:30 AM I attempt to get the hubby up after having confirmed a time the night before. Usually continue to do this every half hour to hour as requested until he gets up. 10:30 - 12:00 PM I usually will make sure everyone is up, dressed, and has eaten breakfast, and make lunch if anyone is hungry. Otherwise I sometimes have a weekly bible study around this time once a week. Pending the day, my oldest's speech therapist comes once a week also at this time. Should she not call and cancel or just pull a no call no show. My boy's speech therapist is usually pretty good though. 12:00 - 1:00 PM Depending on the day I will have bible study or my son will have therapy during this time. Otherwise we sit and have lunch. From there we sometimes try to sit as a family and watch a show or get some quality time in before hubby goes to work in the early evening. 1:00 - 3/4:00 PM Family time or leisure if possible. We will even watch the kids play and just discuss things such as things that need to be done. Otherwise this time is used to do errands, be it pay bills...grocery shop, turn in paper work for our assistance. Otherwise....I use this time for my work from home job. 4:00 - 5:00 PM On some days I have the family counselor come in at this hour to discuss progress and how my oldest is doing. This happens only twice a month. Every so often his Occupational Therapist, who I hear nothing from and never know if she is going to show tends to appear at this time and work with my oldest too. Rarely though on the same day as his counselor. 5:00 - 6:30 PM I make dinner and sit with the little ones to eat it. If the hubby is off, I strive to do the same or have him do so, with some prompting the schedule is kept. 6:30 - 7:30 PM Bathe the little ones and get some bed time preparation done. Last minute snacks and drinks are given at this time. 7:30 - 8:30 PM I attempt to get both boys down and laid by themselves before nine. This will be hopefully lowered down to 8 next month. 8:30 - 10:00 PM I do what house cleaning I can without waking the boys. I clean up their toys for the last time. Do some light sweeping and mopping. Otherwise make sure dinner is accessible and sometimes warmed up for hubby when he comes home for work. Otherwise turn out all remaining lights and get settled for the night. My husband is a wonderful person, I will admit that, and likely be the first to say it too. Just trying to cope with our oldest's sleeping issues along side his own has been nerve wrecking. I have sat down with him numerous times to tell him how I feel overwhelmed, but still feel like it is a constant battle just to get his assistance with the simplest things such as dumping the trash. Yet he gets upset if I insist upon doing it as he does not mind helping. By the time he does though, it reaks and I am about ready to move out just from the smell in our utility room. It is disgusting! Every morning regardless of how late I stay up helping him or am up having trouble sleeping, I get up to take care of the children. While he....he gets the luxury of sleeping in. It annoys me to no end. Then when I say anything such as I am overwhelmed....family always says, that I have it easy and that my hubby is the one who has it hard. This makes me feel like I am insignificant, or perhaps that they feel sorry for him for marrying me. Either way....I feel like junk. So a great deal of the time I resort to stupid measures to make myself feel better such as dressing nice, putting on make up, but it does nothing. Nothing seems to help. One on one bible study with God just does not feel right as I just do not feel my heart going into it. Half the time anymore I feel as though I am starting to feel some resentment towards my spouse and family. I am seriously considering counseling as I do not feel comfortable with our church family to talk about it. Otherwise...I am at a loss.... I have been there and done that and it is hard. It has cost me everything trying to keep this special needs kid taken care of. My children are grown now and it is still quite a chore. No help from anyone. No one really cares. God cares and brings me through each day for some reason. I know he has a plan for me somewhere down the line. Pray and pray. Fast and pray and Please Please hold on to your marriage. I am praying things get better and your Husband will step up to the plate. They really even though they live there they really just kind of remove themselves somehow. ( 21 yrs later my ex still says rhere is nothing wrong with our son no matter how much doccumentation he has or how many dr's he talks to.) It is very very sad for all of us.

Isn't the husband's home his to care for as well? I remember years ago struggling, pregnant with a toddler and housework while my husband worked shifts and being overwhelmed, having bought into the Cleaver family ideal---which is nonsense. My husband came home from work one afternoon and started vacuuming. I got upset when he asked me to life my legs so he could pass the vacuum underneath my feet. He noticed my tears and stopped. He asked me what the problem was. I told him that the vacuuming was my job, not his, but I am so tired! He straightened up and asked me, "Is this house my house, too?" I answered, "Yes." Then he asked, "Is this dirt mine, also?" My answer was yes. Then he asked, "Is this vacuum cleaner mine?" 'Yes." "Then why can't I use my vacuum cleaner to clean the dirt I bring into this, my house?" That encounter was back in 1979. He still vacuums.

AnotherSinner, How easy it is to get caught up in the thorns and thistle of this life. How easy it is to look at things from our own shoes. Much of the time seeing the actual truth that is being presented around us. We know very well when we are under appreciated or taken for granted and these things stab at our hearts and tempt us to respond. It is often too much when others refuse to hear our cries as we cry out for some love to be directed toward us. Look to the savior and live. Look to the one who nobody ever really appreciated and still many take for granted. The one who looked past all of his hurts and pains to see the end of those who were mean and hateful to him. His heart was to ask for their forgiveness. To sacrifice his own feelings and emotions for the sake of anothers salvation. To give up hope of having any kind of life here in order that many could live through him. The bible teaches that there are those who escape the corruption that is in the world through lust through the knowledge of Jesus. It sounds to me like there are many around you who suffer from the inability to escape as they don't sound like they are embracing the light that has come into the world. Truly I am not here to address them but to reach out to you. If our hearts are not right with God then we will become envious when another gets to sleep in when we don't or when anothers work load is acknowledged when ours in fact is not. We begin to hurt first but that pain turns into a hardened heart toward those who sin against us and toward the God who is allowing them to do so. We can't get into bible study as we ourselves are slipping in to sin because we are focused too much on the sin of those who sin against us. Here is my counsel. Forget all about who and what you are at this moment. Remember who Christ is and what he has already done for you in the past. Go back through this thread and read your posts as if you are reading the post of a complete stranger and pray for them that they be healed of anything that is wrong with them. Then pray for their family and the problems they have because they are not bearing their own crosses before the Lord. We really need to see our own situation as God truly sees it. Overcome evil with good is his way. Is that what you have been doing? If not don't sweat it, repent and grow in the Lord some more. Remember, for a good man some would even dare to die. Your willing to do 'your part' if everyone else is on board but that isn't the right way. Christ died for us while we were yet ungodly. We need to pick up our cross, deny ourselves and serve him with all of our heart, mind and body even when it isn't fair. I am speaking from personal experience as I go through this with my wife everyday. She treats me really poorly and with great disrespect. I look to the Savior for strength and i love her anyway. I take her abusive remarks and lack of care with a grain of salt and seek to help her see her end before the judgment seat of Christ. I pray for her daily that God would reveal himself to her and soften her heart. I love God because he first loved me. My hope is that if I love my wife as Christ loved me, that maybe she will come to know him through me and be saved. Progressive sanctification is a matter of coming before the word of God for an overdue bath. The fact that it is progressive means that we must actually progress. Pray that he will mold you into a vessel unto honor that is capable of serving even in the worst situations. Loving and following God is easy when all is good. Being loyal when iniquity abounds is what makes a saint, a saint. In His Love, your in my heart, you hurt and now I hurt, Gary

Praying~!

In context I think its pretty obvious that Paul was simply laying down some ground rules by telling a few noisy chatterbox women to be quiet in some early churches, perhaps they were possessed to some degree by the demons of disruption and feminism, so he quite rightly had to rebuke them. Regarding women in the ministry nowadays, I personally have no objection providing they shape up. If they don't, they should be spoken to by their church bosses, just as any male clergy should be spoken to if they also fall short.

Nice thought, but in the Word of God the spiritual restoration has already been accomplished in the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). The physical restoration will not be accomplished until the end of time (Romans 8:19-23), in the new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13), where there is no death (Revelation 21:1-4). In the meantime, we are in the unrestored physical creation, where the Word of God makes it clear that women are not to have authority over men in the church (1Timothy 2:13) or in the home (Ephesians 5:23). And Here You, A Mere Woman Are Teaching The Fellows :24: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: Acts 2:17-18

Yes, I do notice that they (not all but quite a number of them) do feel the need to rail against something they claim does not exist or cannot prove to exist. I would think they would ignore the blessing and go their merry way in ignorance but Romans explains the nature of the sinner- they wouldn't like hearing that they are without excuse for not "knowing" God exist.

Conservative talk-show diva Ann Coulter censored? But why not UltraLibDem & socialists Bill Maher and Joy Behar? Or on many occasions socialist Barb Walters and scores of others? Glaring double standard here? I love it! Oh, I love it! Keep in mind that the vast majority of censorship is pefornmed by UltraLibDems who exclude moral & religious values from textbooks and assigned reading, and impose the opposite. Liberaldom strives to exclude virtually all conservative views & values everywhere, claiming such an approach is pluralistic & inclusion of such values consitutes imposition of morality. Even a cursory glance at the condition of public schools reveals that somebody's morality aleady has been imposed to the detriment of students whose test scores have radically declined and whose incidents of violence, venereal disease and unwanted pregnancies (hence massive doles of aborticide) have increased. It all reminds us that the proper prefix for Washington (and environs) wit could very well be nit- Thanx loads, but like Coulter, I'd much rather be (relatively) free to say my piece publicly and, as a Christian lawfully, where my views can be debated, accepted or dismantled by opponents. You have not converted a man because you have silenced him. Conversions cannot happen without dialogue. Freedom of the press, I would remind you, is of very little use to the ordinary citizen as an individual. The UltraLibDem News-Media-Elite are fair, balanced & objective. And pigs fly too! Mark it down...Bigot: Simply omeone winning an argument with a Liberal. Please give me Ann Coulter over the aforementioned ultra- liberal stalwarts by at least a thousand to one. It's time & past time that a truly progressive society covered up some of its cesspools and started planting a few flowers.....beginning perhaps in its UltraLibDem & pro-Eurocentric Obama World. So kindly proceed Ann, Joy & Bill! If I disagree politically, I'd be glad to openly debate you. Why be 'Politically Korrect' when you can be right? Methinks a remedy for offensive speech is not automatic censorship but more speech, corrective speech from the bed-rock of traditional Judeo-Christian values. Ah, that's a keeper for sure.