I have been praying

[Boaz]

Becky went to see a movie on a date , I'm suspicious of that young man as I believe a father should be , lol . It's quiet and I have been praying a lot , seems there is no end to prayer . So much to pray for , so many with trouble , so many in pain of mind or body , so much help needed .
You might think I'm sad or depressed but nothing could be farther from the truth . I would venture the assumption that I am ...aware . Prayer of thanks for what our Lord has done that I have witnessed , personal prayer for my family and friends . Prayer for many here that I know .

I have posted much that many would not about my history , family , thoughts in an effort to share ..good or failings . Our Lord knows the failings but I share them as a warning or lesson that it might help .

A picture of my arms ;

http://i.imgur.com/tSIZA61.jpg

I'm scared all over but my scars were from foolishness and pride trying to prove I could take more , do more , be more in this world . They are for naught . Foolishness . I tried to prove myself in this place .
Paul was beaten , scourged , ship wrecked , stoned , etc but he boasted not of the scars that covered him . He boasted of his weakness , his being human with all the countless flaws within him and his need for GOD . His physical scars were nothing .
Our weakness is our strength . Our understanding of GOD's mercy , power and yet he loves us . Weakness is our strength .

[Preacher Jim]

Amen and like Paul God's grace is sufficient for us

[Blackwater]

The thing that touched me most in your post, Boaz, was your comment "Our weakness is our strength." It reminds me of St. Peter. He constantly questioned our Lord, in an effort to truly understand what he at that time simply did not. His weakness was his strength. And he denied the Lord 3 times, just as Christ had told him he would. When told, he protested, and denied he'd EVER deny Him. But he did, and not just once, but three times, just as Christ had told him he would. In his weakness of denial, he found the strength to NEVER do so ever again!

So it's genuinely true, even it it at first appears paradoxical, that our weaknesses truly ARE our strength .... but ONLY if we utilize all the other traits God gave us at birth, and have developed ourselves to value the everlasting above the temporary. Our weaknesses lead us to strength IF we'll just utilize the strengths God gave us. Thus, it's our own wills that determine whether and how strong we'll make ourselves in this realm. And if we earn His trust here, he rewards us in the realm to come. How could it work otherwise, really?

[USMC87]

Thanks for posting this Charlie, I can surely relate and will be praying for you and Becky.

[buckwheatpaul]

Charlie, You are right about our weakness is our strength when we ask God for guidance and help. It is kind of like fear...the bravest still get scared....they just turn that fear into their strength. Paul

[GhostHawk]

I was only my girls step dad, and we tended to stay away from each other, otherwise sparks flew.

But she is the only daughter I will ever have and for about 8 years I did not sleep real sound.

Thankfully she ended up getting married and is working hard these days making it all work. Raising a boy and a girl of her own. You enjoy that Karma girl. That daughter of yours is going to be a heart breaker.

Glad I do not have your problems brother Boaz.

[WRideout]

I used to think that I had godlike power; of course without God's responsibility. Now that I can recognize my weakness, it is easier to let God be in charge.

Wayne

[Blackwater]

Some good thoughts above, Boaz. You're lucky. In my direct family lineage, we haven't had a female in our line for just over 100 years now! When my DIL was pregnant, I secretly was rooting for a little girl I could spoil and coddle. T'wasn't to be.

Little girls come with such grand pleassures, but the flip side of the coin is the fears that ensue from all that. So thank God for her, and for her character. You've done well with her, but any and all of us can make a mistake, and that's a natural worry to any Dad of a cute young lady like you have in Becky. We'll all pray for her. Hope that makes you feel a little better?

[Pine Baron]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1a/25/ef/1a25efee2c4051d53c4ef4de691447df.jpg
This is just about the best thing we can do for "Daddy's little princesses".

[Boaz]

LOL , ya'll are shifting to my comment on Becky . I have faith in her . She has reached what I call ...the lost years . A time we find many hard truths , a time to gain a foothold on being who you will be . A hard age to gage life because of lack of experience . You hope and pray they survive it . It's a tough time trying to be your own self and not knowing who you are .

She will do well .

[Boaz]

Our strength is our weakness . The knowledge that we NEED GOD in our lives . Understanding that without him we are lost . Knowing all comes from him , seeking him .

[Pine Baron]

Not really shifting. Our children tend to highlight our strengths AND our weaknesses. We all have our scars, it's proof of our convictions and a record of our failings. Through our Faith, we can only hope that our experiences will somehow protect our children from following that same road.

[Blackwater]

Amen, PB. I learned a lot raising my son, but still feel I fell short, as I imagine we all do. My parents weren't flawless, but they taught me the big things, and I learned those pretty well, albeit sometimes by touching the electric fence to see if it was really true what I'd been taught. And that's basically what I tried to do with my own son. And he turned out great in spite of me! Nothing in this world makes a man more thankful than when his children grow up straight and strong and righteous. NOTHING! And not all are so well blessed. Some, despite great efforts, see one or more of their children seduced by the evils in this world. The greatest blessing any of us CAN know is to have kids, and to see them turn out good. Blessed be the name of the Lord for that! Amen.

[Hickok]

Brother, I mean this as a compliment, you arms look like a WV coal miner!!!

Things I had to learn the very hard way in life.

How can you learn that Jesus is the God of all hope unless you have been utterly hopeless?
How can you know Jesus is a healer unless you have been sick.
How can you know Jesus will provide for you unless you have totally broke and in need?
How can you know Jesus is a comforter unless you have suffered a crushing loss?
How can you know Jesus saves unless you know you have been totally lost?

Jesus tells us, "Without Me, ye can do nothing!"

Humbly, I admit for most of my life I thought I was self-sufficient. I was wrong. I had to hit hard trials, tribulations, severe loss, and storms to realize I needed the help, protection, and guidance of Jesus Christ in my life.

The trouble and storms will still come, but I have the King of all Kings, my kinsman Redeemer, Christ Jesus as my protector.

Brother Charlie, you also have the strength of numbers, in the family of the King, who pray and stand as one for you and your daughter Becky. God's blessing on you and Becky! Ken

[Boaz]

Brother, I mean this as a compliment, you arms look like a WV coal miner!!!

Things I had to learn the very hard way in life.

How can you learn that Jesus is the God of all hope unless you have been utterly hopeless?
How can you know Jesus is a healer unless you have been sick.
How can you know Jesus will provide for you unless you have totally broke and in need?
How can you know Jesus is a comforter unless you have suffered a crushing loss?
How can you know Jesus saves unless you know you have been totally lost?

Jesus tells us, "Without Me, ye can do nothing!"

Humbly, I admit for most of my life I thought I was self-sufficient. I was wrong. I had to hit hard trials, tribulations, severe loss, and storms to realize I needed the help, protection, and guidance of Jesus Christ in my life.

The trouble and storms will still come, but I have the King of all Kings, my kinsman Redeemer, Christ Jesus as my protector.

Brother Charlie, you also have the strength of numbers, in the family of the King, who pray and stand as one for you and your daughter Becky. God's blessing on you and Becky! Ken

Ken , thank you . Thank you for your being quick to testify . You understand that our need for GOD is truly our strength . After we understand the need our eyes are opened to the needs of others . All things are possible through him .


Lord steady and hold us up . Give us your strength to do your will . Thank you for giving us life and the debt paid for our eternal salvation through your son Jesus Christ . May the holy spirit guide us to do what you would have done in your name . Thank you Lord . Amen

[Blackwater]

Amen here, too, Hickock. Your comments remind me of how many seeming illogical "contradictions" there are in the Bible, like why did Christ choose St. Peter, the one disciple who'd denied him 3 times, to be leader of the rest after His death? The answer is simply that God seems to choose the lowly and humble, and love them best, because they CAN know and appreciate His divine intervention much more readily and reliably than the rich, the haughty, and the "high and mighty." All God seems to want is some good, humble, raw material to work with, that He can mold and shape into what His purpose requires us to be, in order for His will to prevail. How little we often understand of God's will! Usually, because we're so wrapped up in our own wills and desires. Only when He prevails, do we benefit. Our own wills always tend to lead us to perdition, one way or another. If that's not evidence of His divine love for us, and good will to us, what could be?

He gives us things we don't want, in order that we might be humbled enough to see what was right in front of us all along. And when His will is within us, our joy comes not from satisfying our own wills, but from aceeding to His. And we always prosper and are satisfied when we follow His will. It's amazing how our wills work so against us, usually, and how God's works so consistently FOR us! We like to think of ourselves as "intelligent" and "smart" and "knowledgeable," but our abilities can't even pretend to match that of God's little finger! Being humble is what God intends for us, and He'll bring us to humility one way or another, if we only allow Him to.

Things in this life never wind up being satisfying, like we think they will. Only when we accept God's will and go with it can we ever truly be "satisfied." Again, what could be more clear evidence of how much God loves us, and wants us to be happy?