Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    RE: .0
                I would have to agree.  I have stayed away from all other
    religious  conferences for the very reason of extreme attitudes. 
    Christ commands me to love *ALL* people and I think sometimes we
    (Christians) forget that fact.  I may not love what you do but since
    I am not without sin, I'll not be casting any stones.
    
    Yes....Thank you!
    Dave

    
    Sorry to say that hasn't been my experience. I didn't go looking
    for it, I didn't expect to find it, but intolerance is alive
    and well *everywhere*, even here. 
    
    Irena

    
    
    This note is the closest I could find for an appropriate place for
    this.  After a number of years of aversion to Biblical and
    scriptural quotations, all of a sudden I am getting the urge to
    read the Bible....from cover to cover!
    
    Wonders will never cease! ;-)
    
    Carole

re Note 50.3 by WILLEE::FRETTS:

>     This note is the closest I could find for an appropriate place for
>     this.  After a number of years of aversion to Biblical and
>     scriptural quotations, all of a sudden I am getting the urge to
>     read the Bible....from cover to cover!
  
        After a particularly rough weekend, your note has made my
        day!

        Thanks,
        Bob

    Carole, I'm really happy for you. It's the kind of thing I was
    hoping would come out of this for some people -- God works in
    many, very different ways with each of us. I'm praying that He'll
    continue to do that, in spite of us. :)
    
    Irena
    

    As stated at in another note, religion promotes both cohesion
    and conflict.  Conflict is not necessarily evil or wrong.  In
    fact, I would go so far as to say that *growth cannot occur*
    without conflict.
    
    It's really not a matter of whether or not conflict exists, but
    rather, how conflict is dealt with.
    
    Peace,
    Richard

    Carole,
    
    Thanks for the inspirational note, and for our ever-enduring,
    ever-growing friendship.
    
    hugs,
    
    Karen

    Today is the Canadian Thanksgiving Day.
    
    Richard

    My thanks also to the C-P moderators.  I am thankful for this conference.
    
    I am thankful for the significant relationships which have flourished
    in my life in the last year, both within DEC and elsewhere.
    
    I am thankful for those who have loved me when I was difficult to love.
    
    I am thankful for those who have hugged me though I have always
    been difficult to hug.
    
    In gratitude and praise of all that is High and Holy,
    Richard

I am thankful that we are sharing another Thanksgiving season
with one of Sammy's grandparents (he has three sets). I am
thankful for reasonably good health for my family, a son who is a
constant source of joy or wonderment and a spouse who keeps us
both in line.

Most of all, I thank you all for your perspective.

calvin

Well, we made it through almost 4 months of being in transition;
I have one definite offer of a job in Nashua and will be moving
there.

We placed our house on sale and already there's interest even
though the housing market is very depressed in Colorado.

When we gave up control of where we wab=nt to be, He opened the
doors and gave me a job, still with DEC. I am humbled (again) by
this. So much of His will is happening for us.

Thank you, Lord!

Calvin hoe

    	Welcome to New England, Calvin.

I have recently had a chance to get acquainted with Cal Hoe and found
his mildly assured faith to be refreshing and most welcome.  I will miss
our occasional exchanges, Cal.

This is coming on the heels of the news of Mike Valenza's departure from
the Rockies.  Mike has been a beacon of reason and calm wisdom in a storm
of controversy on numerous occasions.

I'm going to miss both of you, Cal and Mike.  At the same time, I pray
all God's blessings upon you in your new habitats.

Peace,
Richard

    Cal was one of my earliest noter pen pals... he reminded me
    today that he was the one who pointed out the reference in Paul's
    letter to the Romans to a woman priest. (one that I've referenced
    many times since!)
    
    I'm looking forward to finally meeting him!
    
    Bonnie

RE .12, .13 & .14

Remembering the words of our Jesus; "I am with you always". That
promise is fulfilled in His presence as we write and practise our
faith in Him. Where ever I am, He is there with me. When two or
three gathered in His name, He will be there with them.

I had the same feeling of family when we were in California's DEC
group. As I enjoined friends in Colorado Springs in His name, I
learned of His presence amongst us.

Now, I believe that He has led me to New England and to the same
family, all along, shearing His presence and His joy.

Thank you folks, for in your words of departure and words of
welcome, I am filled with His joy that I will be amongst the
company of believers. Above all, thank you Jesus for your
wonderous works.

Calvin

Well, the job fell through this morning. I will not be coming east as
soon as I thought or not at all. I need your prayers.

It feels like Satan is tempting me. Yet I believe that God has a
purpose for me and that my family and I will be in His care.

Thank you for the congratulations. I will be very careful next
time to write about taking a position until I have a hard copy in
my hand.

I am sadden but I will not give into temptation.

calvin

    How *devastating* for you!

    Calvin,
    
    	I know that such an abrupt turn of events can be deflating,
    discouraging and disheartening.  May you be *resiliant* in Christ
    to meet this challenge.  Amen.
    
    Richard

I will move on, after Easter. I will leave DEC and all my
friends, seen and unseen.

May God bless you and keep you; may He let His Light to shine
upon you, this day and forever.

Calvin

    
    
    Best wishes Calvin as you continue your life's journey.  You will
    be missed.
    
    Carole

    Calvin, I am *so* disappointed!  But I wish you the best and trust
    that God will continue to hold you and lead you.  Now *others* will benefit
    from your witness.
    
    Peace,
    Nancy

    Have faith, Calvin. And thanks for the time you were with us.

    I wish it weren't so Calvin, the insights and wisdom you have shared
    here has touched my life many times and I will miss you.
    
    Continuing to pray for you and your loved ones.
    
    God bless and keep you friend,
    
    Karen

Cal - 

You will be missed by me as well.  However, I know and affirm that 
God is leading you to more closely follow His chosen path for you
and your family.

Much love and best wishes...

Nanci

    With all the leaving that's occuring around me, I'm beginning to
    suffer from "Survivor's Guilt." 8-{
    
    I going to miss Cal, E Grace, and the proximity of Mike Valenza.
    
    Many blessings to each,
    Richard

    For those of you who have been remembering my dad in prayer...

    I got a letter from my mom today saying that the current diagnosis
    is that his tumor is *NOT* terminal. He will not recover the 
    brain damage but the doctor says he'll die of old age or some
    other age related problem like pneumonia or aneurysm...i.e. lie
    out his natural life span!

    What an Easter gift!

    Bonnie

    
    >                             -< Godd News >-
    
    God's Good News, indeed!!!
    
    Hugs,
    Nancy

Oh, Bonnie, I'm so happy for you and your Dad and Mom!  

:-)  :-)  :-)

Nanci

Most days I am grateful to wake up....It's an amazing thing to me....to
wake up every day.  And, not only that, but I get to wake up -- on a
*planet*!

It's incredible when you think about it.

Peace,
Richard

At the risk of sounding trite, I'm going to go ahead and verbalize my
feelings of thanksgiving.  I am grateful, of course, for family and
friends.  I am grateful for work, for a warm home, and for the nourishment
of my body and spirit.  I am grateful I have enough to share with others.
I am grateful to know firsthand the incomparable love of Christ both for
me and for others.  I am grateful for the comfort and grace and peace which
I've come to realize through the gentle, but persistent nudgings of the
Spirit.

Peace,
Richard

    Richard,
    
    Just wanted to tell you that I'm thankful that you are one of the
    moderators of this file and for all the love and joy you give to
    others.
    
    Ro
    

    
    I'll second that, Ro.
    
    Thank you, Richard.
    
    Cindy

    <sniff>
    Gee...thanks, Ro and Cindy.  I'm so thankful to be able to call
    you my friends.
    
    Peace and blessings,
    Richard

    RE: Richard the mod.
    
                          Since I had to work all day, I wasn't able to add
    my voice to the others, being thankful for Richard and for his work here.
    Richard knows my regard for him and I am sincerely thankful his voice
    is here.
    
    
    Dave

    I'm also thankful for Richard the mod..
    
    and personally, for being able to have a wonderful holiday dinner with
    three of my children, and a chance to see the 4th for lunch earlier
    in the week, and for the upcoming visit of my oldest and his family
    next week...
    
    and most of all for a dear friend who made this holiday memorable.
    
    Bonnie

I'm thankful for having this life on Mother Earth.  We have many challenges to
face on a daily basis.  And we learn from every one of them.  We have friends
who we also learn from and we are a learning tool for them.  

I'm thankful for everything in my life!

Judy

    I'm thankful for the opportunities that this life affords me.  I'm also
    thankful for the wisdom of the All-Knowing-One who always gives me, not 
    what I want, but, exactly what I need all of the time.  :-)
    
    I'm also thankful for the opportunity to interact and share with so
    many wonderful minds and hearts through this miracle called Enet!
    
    Nanci

    I'm very thankful to love and be loved.
    
    peace & many blessings,
    Karen

Not long after returning home from church last night I had the honor of an
in-person visit by noter extraordinaire Jerry "Bubba" Beeler.

We had a very pleasant and all too brief chat about the future of Digital,
about Notes in general, and about C-P.

Getting together with "the General from Beelersfield" I count as nothing
short of a blessing.

Peace,
Richard

    I have met the messiah and his name is Bubba!
    
    ;-)
    
    Nanci

>    I have met the messiah and his name is Bubba!

And this in a supposed "Christian Perspective" conference.

    RE: .41 John,
    
    		     Having worked with "Bubba" for three years, I might
    call him a lot of things.....but *NEVER* messiah. ;-)
    
    
    Dave

    If anyone were to take a walk through my apartment, they would probably
    call me the "Mess-iah", but that probably doesn't count.  :-)
    
    (By the way, the church of Mikianity has no messiah, but it does offer
    a ministerial role; if you need counseling, you can always see a
    mikiatrist.)
    
    
    -- Mike

    
    
    Richard,
    
     Perhaps you can consider Bubba's visit to be a blessing and I
    certainly respect your opinion... But.... Consider the following:
    
    he brought my girlfriend flowers, taught her how to cuddle, fixed her
    phone, gave her a welcome home kiss when she got home from work, took
    the garbage out, vacuumed the floors, dusted the furniture, washed and
    dried and folded the clothes...... 
    
    
     Now guess who my girlfriend is in love with. You may consider that
    a blessing, I do not....
    
    Sincerely,
                                                    
    Cannot meet the standard!!!!!!

    Well, hello David!
    
    	As one can tell from Nanci's note, my note and your note, Bubba
    sure knows how to make an impression.  However, your actual impression
    and mileage may vary.
    
    8-)
    
    Peace,
    Richard

    
     With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away it is customary
    this time of year to sit back and think about what we have to
    be thankful for.

     This year I am especially thankful for a beautiful child who
   has made my life happier than I ever could have imagined.

     For my dear and loving wife, Elaine, who has given me strength and
  support when I've needed it most.

     For my father's continued good health and vigor. 77 years young
  and going strong. 

     Plenty to be thankful for this year.



                                                               Mike

It wouldn't be right to let Thanksgiving (U.S.) go by without considering
my blessings.

I live in a wonderful country.  I work for a company that shares many of
my personal values.  I've been blessed with extraordinary friends.  I'm
in good health, for the condition I'm in, anyway.

I'm particularly grateful for my family, dysfunctional and co-dependent
though they may be.  As my son, Ricky, says, "This is no TV family, but
[compared to others I've seen] this isn't too bad!" 8-0

O Heavenly Benefactor, I praise You for Your unending generosity and for the
richness of each blessing!

Peace,
Richard

    
    
                        Thanks list..
    
    1.) My son Corey is healthy, well adjusted, loved, and loving..
    2.) I am loved, a litle chubby, kinda adjusting, and I almost beat
      Eric Roren in a game of Racquetball..
    3.) Jerry Beeler spent a week with Tammy and myself, this was the
    greatest joy of this entire year ( Hi Jerry, hug hug kiss kiss (thats
    from Tammy who is right next to me while I type, you just get a
    handshake from me ))) :-)
    
    4.) I have learned to love a little more...
    
    
    David

    

I give thanks to God for being the God who always was and the God who will
always be and that His faithfulness never fails.

I thank God for first loving me and sending Jesus Christ to redeem me 
and for leaving the Holy Spirit and His Word to guide me.

I thank God for being raised in a Christian home by Christian parents
and being spared much of the pains that come from living an immoral
lifestyle.  I thank Him that both of my brothers and sister know Him,
and also that my neices and nephews are learning of Him and accepting
Him.

I thank God for the healing of my nephew Benjamin who according to many
ultrasounds was brain-damaged yet who was born looking fine and who
3 months later an MRI showed absolutely no problem.  I thank Him for
the power of prayer.

I thank God for Christian friends and a local Church who love God
and who love me.  They're a fabulous bunch of people.  I love them.

I thank God for the spiritual growth that has occurred in my life and
for the challenges that lie ahead.  

I thank God for the blessings he's bestowed on me; a house, a car,
a job, clothing, food, health, and life (both temporal and eternal).

I thank God for each one of you who challenge my beliefs and cause
them to become stronger.  

This hardly does God justice as I could go on and on, but it's time to
go. 

I love you God and thank you for all other unspoken, but not forgotten 
blessings that you've given me.

Jill


    

    I was a bit down yesterday. Sure I have a job but it's hard to take
    much joy in that while so many friends have lost theirs. Survivor
    guilt I think it's called. But today is a different day.

    I got a call from a very good friend last night and that cheered me
    up. Today I received his gift. (Federal Express delivers on
    Thanksgiving. Who knew?) I am blessed to have such a friend.

    I also am thankful for my wife, a wonderful woman who is not afraid
    to play basketball in the rain with the men in her life.

    I also have a great son who makes me proud of him daily.

    And of course there is the gift of Christ for which I give thanks
    daily. Without Jesus in my life I couldn't imagine having hope.
    
    In short , a raining dismal day, which normally would make me
    depressed, has left me a happy person because of the people in my life.
    
    			Alfred

    There is _so_ much to be thankful for; but what touches me the most is I 
    am humbled and thankful for the graciousness of the most Divine Mother-
    Father God that I love and I am loved.
    
    Karen

	I thank God for Bob Fleischer, who has gently tapped my shoulder,
figuratively speaking, many times when I was getting out of line.

Peace,
Richard

I've much to be thankful for:  friends, family, the richness of my
life, Digital, to be a citizen of the U.S.A., CHRISTIAN-PERSPECTIVE,
living in union with Christ Jesus.

Peace,
Richard

    I am thankful for you Richard C!  
    
    Ruth

        I want to give a word of thanks to Debby Haeck for entering
        the Lenten Meditations in Note 862 -- and thanks to God for
        contributors like Debby.

        Bob

    .55  I've been sending a word of thanks to Debby offline, but I
    would also like to join Bob in saying a public "thanks!"
    
    Richard
    

    
    Yes, another note of appreciation from here - I have been enjoying them
    immensely.
    
    Cindy

Thank you, you who have taken the time to establish a relationship here in
CHRISTIAN-PERSPECTIVE.

Thank you, you who are quicker to point out what's right with what someone
says than to point out what's wrong.

Thank you, you who encourages.

And thank you, Lord, for the light you provide.

A blessed Thanksgiving Day (US) to all,
Richard

    
    And thank *you*, Cuz'n!!!
    
    Cindy

    O Lord, our Sovereign
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
    You have set your glory above the heavens
    Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark.
    
    When I look at your heavens the work of your fingers, 
    the moon and the stars that you have established
    What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
    mortals that you care for them?
    
    Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
    and crowned them with glory and honor
    You have given them dominion over thw warks of your hands
    you have put all things under their feet
    all sheep and oxen and also the beasts of the field
    The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
    
    O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
    
    Psalm 8

We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud;
	the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
	Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
	Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
	doth acknowledge thee;
The Father, of an infinite Majesty;
Thine adorable, true, and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
	thou didst humble thyself
	to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
	thou didst open the kingdom of heaven
	to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God,
	in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
	whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
	in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage.
Govern them, and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
	and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
	world without end.  Amen.

    I would like to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for my son.

    This morning I happened to glance out the window at the corner where
    the kids were waiting for the bus.  My son (8 years old) loves to go
    out early and have a chance to play, and with the new fallen snow, he
    was out even earlier.  A few minutes later I glance out again and saw a
    few boys dumping snow on another boy.  My son was hanging back and just
    watching.  No big deal, I thought, just boys having fun in the snow. 
    Then I noticed that the boy who had the snow dumped on him was not
    reciprocating.  I continued to watch as the group of boys again and
    again dumped snow on this one boy.  And I watched as my son inched away
    from the group of boys.  I continued to watch until the bus came and
    went.  If I hadn't still been in my night clothes I might have gone
    out.  As it is, I am proud and thankful that my son would not take part
    in such harassment.

    .62
    
    You must be doing something right as his mother.
    
    Richard