[continued from previous message]   
      
       
   **********   
      
   May 09 2016   
      
   TL Spencer replied:   
      
   Yes, Debra, that is exactly correct.  I made the decision because 1) it is so    
   expensive to live where I am now that I am sure I will not be able to afford   
   to    
   stay here once I retire and my income is virtually cut in half, and 2) the    
   relationship I am in is not a good one.  I have given it my best shot for 10    
   years or more and it has not improved.  I can no longer live with a hateful,    
   angry, negative person and no matter how much I have tried to help, he    
   remains that way, so I am out.  Life is too short to be miserable all day   
   living    
   around someone like that.  It's like there's this huge black cloud hanging   
   over    
   my head sucking the life out of me and causing much depression.  I don't    
   enjoy life anymore.  I can't imagine that God would want me to stay in such    
   a relationship.   
       
   I guess I have a hard time as you say 'giving life over to God completely'    
   because I have always been the one in charge and if I had not accepted the    
   responsibilities thrust upon me, other people would have suffered a great    
   deal.  So I did what I thought was right and took care of everyone/everything   
   -    
   virtually all by myself with no one to help.  This is not martyrdom, this is    
   just fact.  Many would have suffered and had a terrible life had I not taken    
   charge of the situation and their welfare.  So to just turn my life over to    
   God 	now sounds like kind of a cop out.  Doesn't he help those who help    
   themselves?  I could have just said f_ _ - it and gone on the dole and let    
   someone else take care of me and my kids - I knew many women who did    
   just that - but I didn't.    
      
   Along those lines, in one of your previous replies you said something about    
   'doing more for others than yourself', which I do tend to do sometimes in    
   large part because I see so much selfishness and ME FIRST from people in    
   general all day long that I'm just sick of the self-centeredness and disregard    
   for others prevalent in today's societal attitudes.  To me, that really   
   sucks!!     
   We are all living here on this planet together - why can't we help one another    
   and raise up "en mass" if you will so that EVERYBODY benefits, not just a    
   few.   
      
   **********   
      
   May 10 2016   
      
   Debra replied:   
      
   Well, God has given you free will, and you can either apply it by making    
   decisions without God's input, or else with God's input. He leaves it up   
   to you. But both The Readings and The Bible implore us to do the latter   
   because God sees all things and knows all things, yet we do not -   
   He knows what is best for each of us.    
       
   Personally I believe in giving my will to Him 100%: I want to desire   
   what He would have me desire, think what He would have me think,   
   say what He would have me say, do what He would have me do,   
   in every area of life, and every second of every day. Why hold    
   anything back when He knows what is best for me?   
       
   The way The Bible puts it is this:   
       
   Proverbs 3   
   Trust in the Lord will all your heart.   
   Lean not on your own understanding.   
   In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and   
   He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise   
   in your own eyes; revere the Lord.   
       
   In The Readings we find:   
       
   282-5   
   Even as He has given, "If ye will turn, even though ye have wandered far   
   away, and come seeking to know my will, I will not turn from thee.   
   I will be your God, if ye will be my people." Then, when this is magnified   
   in the lives, in the hearts, in the activities, of men everywhere, there may   
   be expected to be poured out the spirit of truth. And the day will dawn   
   when this shall come to pass, if ye - if each - that know, that claim to   
   have put on the name of Him - will but be a channel today....(Q) What are   
   the faults or sinful habits of the body-mind? (A) Doubt. Unstable. Not that   
   the purposes, the aims, the desires, are lacking; but, the spirit is willing -   
   the flesh-mind is weak. (Q) Give suggestions for overcoming these.   
   (A) None better than choosing an hour, a half hour, a twenty minutes   
   of meditation, and seeking to be shown the way. Not just ANY way,    
   but HIS way!....He said, "I do nothing of myself, but the Father would   
   have me do." Are we, as individuals, ready to be used? Then, blessed   
   is he that is not found doubting!   
       
   BEING A CHANNEL AND BEING USED DOES NOT MEAN NOW AND THEN -   
   IT MEANS ALL THE TIME AND IN EVERY WAY!    
       
   AND TO MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT GOD IS TO DOUBT GOD!   
   OR TO THINK SELF KNOWS BETTER!   
       
   Debra Dee Freeman   
       
   **********   
      
   May 10 2016   
      
   TL Spencer replied:   
      
   Thanks Debra for your input.   
      
   **********   
      
   May 11 2016   
      
   Debra replied:   
      
   You are very welcome.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)