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Recent content by Red A.

  1. R

    Is it wise to take steps on my own?

    Short answer is no. If this is all you can bring yourself to do right now go ahead and give it a try. You have mail.
  2. R

    A New Year

    A new year. This started more than a decade ago. While growing up my step daughter had a friend Viki that spent a lot of time at our home. Home for her was an alcoholic mother and a long string of her mothers boyfriends that were varying shades of crap. Viki at times just lived at our...
  3. R

    is there any answer to this?

    It is a long read for sure. As you engage the process of forgiveness it will become more clear. Like Joey said, this will take time. One thing that wasn't really covered above is the hurtful thoughts that cloud our mind. Our instinct is to fight them, but fighting them just makes them dig in...
  4. R

    is there any answer to this?

    To combat self-righteousness, I don’t necessarily need to believe that the other person is right and I am wrong. What works more effectively is to let go of worrying about who is right and who is wrong. Does it matter? Really? Instead of putting my attention on who is winning, I can...
  5. R

    is there any answer to this?

    Anatomy of Resentment II—Breaking Free of Entanglement by Fr. Cosmas We have some wonderful advice in the formula “Do not resent, do not react, keep inner stillness.” It works great if I stop myself in time. But what if I find myself already trapped in resentment...
  6. R

    is there any answer to this?

    We can say that we fail in this battle because a resentment represents a state of mind—and emotion—in which we have reached what St. Hesychios describes as the third stage, where we assent to the provocation, with both sets of intermingling thoughts contriving how to commit the sin...
  7. R

    is there any answer to this?

    Anatomy of Resentment I—Entangled in Passion by Fr. Cosmas You might consider me a leading authority on the topic of resentments. No, I’m not bragging. I’ve gained my knowledge the hard way—by struggling against them, sometimes with success and sometimes not...
  8. R

    is there any answer to this?

    Just as love changes a person so does anger. When I carry anger with me it effects every relationship I have. It sets me apart from others that have no part of the origional situation. I need to remember that holding on to a resentment is like holding a hot coal with the intention of throwing...
  9. R

    is there any answer to this?

    I wish I had an easy answer for you, but I don't. For me the only answer was the hardest. I had to forgive. Before I could forgive I had to pray for the willingness to forgive. I said many of those prayers with the bile of hatred in my throat. I had to make the decision to forgive over...
  10. R

    A very grateful alcoholic

    I am insistent that a person is not yet doing the twelve steps of AA until they are actively carrying the message to another drunk. Anything less than sitting there face to face sharing the experience of the steps and helping the new guy through, is just not enough. When we do this face to...
  11. R

    What is "The Gospel" to Orthodox Christians? *LONG post/story/rant*

    It is complicated. That the good news. I was low protestant for most of my life. These things that your friend is selling are things that I simply could not buy. First the substitution/penal stuff. Lets get the story line down pat, God is so mad at people that to soothe that anger he has...
  12. R

    Need Prayer-Just Had Surgery

    Lord have mercy!
  13. R

    Im so baffled by how doing good things for others can really help me spiritually.

    "Im so baffled by how doing good things for others can really help me spiritually." --- That was the question. Here is my answer. I would love to hear more on the subject. -------------------------------- There is a legendary comedy bit by Bill Cosby from back in the 60's where Bill...
  14. R

    One day at a time.

    Ya know, if you are going to speak out for Christ you should work on being a little less offensive.
  15. R

    "Denomination test" says I am close to EO?

    I attend an Antiochian parish that is largely Arab (Syrian) and they have welcomed me and made me a member of their Church family. The parish is a about 2/3 Arab and the rest is a mix of everybody else.