What's on your mind?

[bèlla]

An interesting book for those struggling with anxiety.

Daily struggles with anxiety and stress make it difficult to receive God's peace. Rhythms of Renewal will help you trade your anxiety for the vibrant life you were meant to live through four profound rhythms: rest, restore, connect, and create.

Rebekah draws from her own battle with depression and anxiety and shares a pathway to establish four life-giving rhythms that quiet inner chaos and make room for a flourishing life. By taking time to rest, restore, connect, and create, you will discover how to:

• Take charge of your emotional health and inspire your loved ones to do the same
• Overcome anxiety by establishing daily habits that keep you mentally and physically strong
• Find joy through restored relationships in your family and community
• Walk in confidence with the unique gifts you have to offer the world

 

[sampa]

So, I saw one shoe in the road today. I have the same thought every time I see only one shoe in the road. "Who loses one shoe?" Then I consider the obvious. "It wasn't lost off of a foot. It must have fell off the back of a truck or something." Still, it is possible that there is somebody out there with one shoe wondering how they lost the other one. Possibly.

That happened to me while running last year. I thought it was strange and wondered what the story was behind it. On my way back on the other side of the road I found a hockey stick and mask. The only thing I could think is teenagers or young adults out on a ride and throwing stuff out the window.

 

[DragonFox91]

This reminds me of the anime movie Totoro where they find just one of Mae's sandals along the road. She had disappeared, so it's a double-mystery.

Also, went to the gym yesterday after several days off. Felt sooooo good. Was there a lot longer then I usually go. Need to go again today or tomorrow.

@DragonFox91

When you’re in this mode you’re at your best.

Thank you. That's nice of you to say. You are a kind person. It must be the mommy in you. Being a mommy seems to mature women. Kind of a conundrum for single men who'd like mature woman.
But in regards to your comment, I want to stop. I'm getting bad thoughts.

 

[sampa]

This image got a conversation going on social media. A gal I had worked with in Japan 2001-2002 that was from Wales, currently living on the beaches of New Zealand, questioned this. She was agnostic borderline atheist at the time. And sent me a debate with a well-known apologist against an atheist at a university just 45 minutes from me. She wanted to chat by Skype. That was in 2010.

So I hadn't heard from her for many years until last year in the fall she suddenly reappeared on social media. She started liking images that I had posted in my story with scripture. I was so surprised, and she had told me she wanted to catch up and that she had news to share with me that I would like. When we chatted by video, I found out through a deep dark depression she realized there was a God and all the things that she considered before as an atheist were not true. She hasn't accepted Christ yet, and I think that she has kind of a spiritual universal belief, but at least the door is open and she wants to have another conversation within the next month.

Anyways this is on my mind. We just never know when we share our faith what opportunities will open. Even for the atheists and agnostic. Keep sharing your life and the love of Christ with others.

 

[bèlla]

Thank you. That's nice of you to say. You are a kind person. It must be the mommy in you. Being a mommy seems to mature women. Kind of a conundrum for single men who'd like mature woman.
But in regards to your comment, I want to stop. I'm getting bad thoughts.

Thank you. I’m naturally helpful. I like to see people happy.

I think men desire kindness and caring. Learning to give without getting maternal (or becoming Elmira) takes practice.

PS. You have a knack for encouraging men with similar challenges.

 

[sampa]

Driving in my work car I heard this song on the radio. It had me wondering how many people will drive by their exes house after a breakup when they thought it was forever.

It's a long story but I had a friend from my Army days (3 states away) and a brother in Christ, I was the one to sort of prompt him towards marriage. Which led him to break up with the Christian girlfriend that he had, very strong in her faith. He said that she was stalking him after the break up and driving by his house and cut it understand. Even stranger, this girl contacted me, I'm suspecting she was suspicious that he liked me. I guided her spiritually to help her get her focus off of him and the Lord, and she also went off on missions with Joni Erickson Tada. It's probably been a decade since that contact, but what my friend said about her had me wondering when I heard this song how common this is? (Side note, I have not had contact with her since, but my friend found his dream girl about a year after the breakup and they still have been going strong with kids).

 

[bèlla]

He said that she was stalking him after the break up and driving by his house and cut it understand....but what my friend said about her had me wondering when I heard this song how common this is?

I think the increasing levels of loneliness, isolation, and personal challenges (mental, emotional, and social) are feeding the frantic need for connection with others. Absence drives some to the breaking point and they cling ardently to a ray of hope slipping from their grasp.

I encountered two men who couldn’t take no for an answer. One was a believer the other wasn’t. I crossed paths with both on the Internet.

The atheist raged publicly and harassed me for weeks. Support couldn’t contain him. He joined every group I was in to broadcast his frustration and was banned from them all. He finally left the site in a fury of expletives against women. Damning them all. He bore all the signs of an incel and it wouldn’t surprise me if he harmed someone.

The other was more troubling. He wouldn’t relent and laughed when I declined his interest. He continued his pursuit for over a year and used a combination of victimhood and bible teachings to make his case.

In both instances boundaries were meaningless. They had no regard for my denial. It didn’t matter.

 

[sampa]

I think the increasing levels of loneliness, isolation, and personal challenges (mental, emotional, and social) are feeding the frantic need for connection with others. Absence drives some to the breaking point and they cling ardently to a ray of hope slipping from their grasp

Very true. I've even noticed a difference in the last 2 months with online dating that is drawing a certain crowd. I'm curious to see if any of that changes once I return after Easter.

I encountered two men who couldn’t take no for an answer. One was a believer the other wasn’t. I crossed paths with both on the Interne

Yikes, I've never had this happen on the internet, only in person. The extremes of the internet reaches a broader audience and in some cases I would imagine can do some damage.

He finally left the site in a fury of expletives against women. Damning them all. He bore all the signs of an incel and it wouldn’t surprise me if he harmed someone.

That's terrible!

He continued his pursuit for over a year and used a combination of victimhood and bible teachings to make his case.

Seems so twisted.

I've had a couple instances myself that come to mind. The first was a boyfriend I broke up with at 18 yrs old, we were only together for 3 weeks before I left for the army. He couldn't let go and pretended to be a doctor calling through the Red Cross and saying that he had died. Leadership and myself figured it out and he was reported to the authorities. His stalking didn't stop there, he sent me letters weekly while I was in basic training. A psychologist warned me that he had the potential to kill me and that I would need protection when I returned home. To this day I keep a watchful eye, as I have had one encounter with him at a gas station a yr ago. It doesn't matter that he's married and his wife was there, I had to discreetly leave without getting gas.

Another guy that I had worked with that was 19 years old and I was 35. He became so obsessed with me, that a conversation with another guy a couple years older with him sent him into a threatening rage that he slipped a note in my backpack. My boss not long after fired him. He ended up 2 years later coming back, I decided to let bygones be bygones and shook his hand and welcomed him back. He respected that and kept his boundaries and the next few years we were fine working together.

 

[DragonFox91]

Thank you. I’m naturally helpful. I like to see people happy.

I think men desire kindness and caring. Learning to give without getting maternal (or becoming Elmira) takes practice.

PS. You have a knack for encouraging men with similar challenges.

Do you like cartoons? That's a good one.

I love cartoons .People are usually surprised to find that out about me. But generally 2000s & older. A lot of the newer stuff feels dumbed down to me or rehashed.

Also, I've struggled w/ it my whole life so I know exactly what it's like. I feel sad when I encounter men in similar circumstances, my heart goes out to them. My best friend (became friends w/ him in middle school) has similar struggles. So we try to encourage & help each other the best we can. I've had lots of time to hone any "skill" I have w/ this kind of thing, tho I'm afraid much of what I say doesn't help me. (Example, I KNOW what men have to do, it just hasn't happened for me, I guess). I wonder sometimes, if God wants me to be husband/boyfriend, it can be a sort of testimony.

BTW there's a big post I left for you I'm afraid may've got lost in the shuffle last night. We were both pretty active on here.

I think the increasing levels of loneliness, isolation, and personal challenges (mental, emotional, and social) are feeding the frantic need for connection with others. Absence drives some to the breaking point and they cling ardently to a ray of hope slipping from their grasp.

Do you mean due to the pandemic? If so, oh yes, & I hope that works to my advantage when more things re-open

I encountered two men who couldn’t take no for an answer. One was a believer the other wasn’t. I crossed paths with both on the Internet.

The atheist raged publicly and harassed me for weeks. Support couldn’t contain him. He joined every group I was in to broadcast his frustration and was banned from them all. He finally left the site in a fury of expletives against women. Damning them all. He bore all the signs of an incel and it wouldn’t surprise me if he harmed someone.

The other was more troubling. He wouldn’t relent and laughed when I declined his interest. He continued his pursuit for over a year and used a combination of victimhood and bible teachings to make his case.

In both instances boundaries were meaningless. They had no regard for my denial. It didn’t matter.

I hate that. I hear stories of what men do & it hurts. It hurts the women, plus it hurts me b/c I know those are the kinds of men who get 'rewarded.' Whatever, someday Good will win once & for all. Also, he may not've been an incel. Lot of men are just like that.

 

[DragonFox91]

Went to Lowe's. Lot of families & couples A lot my age or younger. Probably buying stuff for their first house.

I wish I had handyman skills so much, but everytime I try it goes up in flames. I'm the kind of person who would install the toilet upside down!

Also:
Today is Mewtwo's birthday!

From Red & Blue: Diary: Feb. 6: MEW gave birth

"I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant; it's what you do w/ the gift of life that determines who you are." -- Mewtwo

Now, have company coming over. Actually that got cancelled, now I have to go be company for someone else.

 

[DragonFox91]

I've had a couple instances myself that come to mine. The first was a boyfriend I broke up with at 18 yrs old, we were only together for 3 weeks before I left for the army. He couldn't let go and pretended to be a doctor calling through the Red Cross and saying that he had died. Leadership and myself figured it out and he was reported to the authorities. His stalking didn't stop there, he sent me letters weekly while I was in basic training. A psychologist warned me that he had the potential to kill me and that I would need protection when I returned home. To this day I keep a watchful eye, as I have had one encounter with him at a gas station a yr ago. It doesn't matter that he's married and his wife was there, I had to discreetly leave without getting gas.

Another guy that I had worked with that was 19 years old and I was 35. He became so obsessed with me, that a conversation with another guy a couple years older with him sent him into a threatening rage that he slipped a note in my backpack. My boss not long after fired him. He ended up 2 years later coming back, I decided to let bygones be bygones and shook his hand and welcomed him back. He respected that and kept his boundaries and the next few years we were fine working together.

Holy smokes. These kinds of things would scar me!

See that's what me & other men have to get thru. All you women put up barriers b/c you're afraid of something like that happening again. & no kidding why!

 

[HisGraceAbounds]

I am going through journal articles as part of a literature review for a manuscript I am writing for publication (with a bit of good fortune) in a professional journal or academic journal.

It's tedious. Trying to decipher what these researchers are saying is tiring. Instead of speaking plainly, everything is fluffed up and I have to shovel a LOT of BS to get down to the actual content of the paper.

Case in point - look up the term 'dimensionality reduction' and you'll get all kinds of hits in the data science field. You can find ALL KINDS of high-level mathematics to explain it to you as well. Not necessary - all it is, is reducing the number of parameters of a measurement so that the measurement is still free of error. No 'mathematical prestidigitation' necessary.

"Uh, this survey form is 100 questions...maybe we could trim it down to 75 and it would still be useful?"

Same exact principle, yet I can explain it without needing to show off my abilities to do matrix algebra, take partial derivatives, work in 'subspace' for multi-dimensional data or anything like that.

...but doing things the easy way won't get you published in the field of academia. No.

It's frustrating.

 

[bèlla]

Very true. I've even noticed a difference in the last 2 months with online dating that is drawing a certain crowd. I'm curious to see if any of that changes once I return after Easter.

Christians don’t have the same wiggle room non believers have. It’s all or nothing and that raises the stakes. I hadn’t considered the probability issues could be greater. But in hindsight it makes sense.

Yikes, I've never had this happen on the internet, only in person. The extremes of the internet reaches a broader audience and in some cases I would imagine can do some damage.

His posting history revealed a growing display of agitation. He had bizarre ideas about women and was part of the red pill crowd. In his mind selection was a one-sided affair and I was subject to his whims.

I think that’s a factor in most cases. You can’t violate someone’s boundaries without a belief their protests are meaningless. After the second incident my mother expressed her displeasure of meeting anyone from the Internet. She believes the likelihood of encountering others like them is greater than I’d experience elsewhere.

To this day I keep a watchful eye, as I have had one encounter with him at a gas station a yr ago. It doesn't matter that he's married and his wife was there, I had to discreetly leave without getting gas.

I don’t understand what drives that. He’s settled and married yet the obsession remains. How sad.

 

[bèlla]

Do you like cartoons?

I watch them on occasion. My daughter likes anime. Sometimes I join her.

I love cartoons .People are usually surprised to find that out about me. But generally 2000s & older. A lot of the newer stuff feels dumbed down to me or rehashed.

Any faves you’d recommend?

tho I'm afraid much of what I say doesn't help me. (Example, I KNOW what men have to do, it just hasn't happened for me, I guess).

That happens to all of us. But I’m combatting it by honoring my desires and avoiding pressure to compromise.

I wonder sometimes, if God wants me to be husband/boyfriend, it can be a sort of testimony.

I doubt it. Oftentimes we heal ourselves by helping others. You have less time to focus on the hurt and lack.

BTW there's a big post I left for you I'm afraid may've got lost in the shuffle last night. We were both pretty active on here.

I think I replied earlier. If I didn’t remind me please.

Do you mean due to the pandemic? If so, oh yes, & I hope that works to my advantage when more things re-open

No. The pandemic amplified the problem.

I hate that. I hear stories of what men do & it hurts. It hurts the women, plus it hurts me b/c I know those are the kinds of men who get 'rewarded.'

Rewarded in what way?

Some people compel us to go the distance more than others. We believe in them.

Whatever, someday Good will win once & for all. Also, he may not've been an incel. Lot of men are just like that.

I spoke privately with his friends. They were shocked by his actions and couldn’t reason with him. He attacked their companions too. They ended up shunning him and removing him from their groups. He was too disruptive.

 

[bèlla]

See that's what me & other men have to get thru. All you women put up barriers b/c you're afraid of something like that happening again. & no kidding why!

I don’t think most men behave that way. They’re extremes. My experiences reinforced the necessity of levelheadedness in a suitor. He won’t ruin himself over a woman.

 

[TenthAveN]

Holy smokes. These kinds of things would scar me!

See that's what me & other men have to get thru. All you women put up barriers b/c you're afraid of something like that happening again. & no kidding why!

Naturally they wouldn’t want it to happen again, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re closed to any future relationship (though there are cases where some are). Most of them aren’t putting up barriers, they’re just adapting their screening process.

 

[TenthAveN]

I am going through journal articles as part of a literature review for a manuscript I am writing for publication (with a bit of good fortune) in a professional journal or academic journal.

It's tedious. Trying to decipher what these researchers are saying is tiring. Instead of speaking plainly, everything is fluffed up and I have to shovel a LOT of BS to get down to the actual content of the paper.

Case in point - look up the term 'dimensionality reduction' and you'll get all kinds of hits in the data science field. You can find ALL KINDS of high-level mathematics to explain it to you as well. Not necessary - all it is, is reducing the number of parameters of a measurement so that the measurement is still free of error. No 'mathematical prestidigitation' necessary.

"Uh, this survey form is 100 questions...maybe we could trim it down to 75 and it would still be useful?"

Same exact principle, yet I can explain it without needing to show off my abilities to do matrix algebra, take partial derivatives, work in 'subspace' for multi-dimensional data or anything like that.

...but doing things the easy way won't get you published in the field of academia. No.

It's frustrating.

I agree with you there. How are people not in the field going to understand the jargon? That’s one of the things I learned in my PC hardware class. If you use jargon, the person you’re helping will not understand. When I was in my philosophy class, we had to write an essay about a philosopher, and I chose Noam Chomsky. I tried to research him, and there were so many words I did not understand, and I had to get the watered-down version from a news article.

 

[Multifavs]

I'm going to be trying a new shading and lighting style in my upcoming digital drawings. I hope it will go well!

 

[SarahsKnight]

The atheist raged publicly and harassed me for weeks. Support couldn’t contain him. He joined every group I was in to broadcast his frustration and was banned from them all. He finally left the site in a fury of expletives against women. Damning them all. He bore all the signs of an incel and it wouldn’t surprise me if he harmed someone.

That one I did not know of, Bella. Certainly hope he doesn't become another unfortunate case like Elliot Rodger.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I'm going to be trying a new shading and lighting style in my upcoming digital drawings. I hope it will go well!

Hey, Knightess, who's the character that Bomberman is riding in your avatar, by the way? ^-^

(That is Bomberman, right?)