I'm B-A-A-CK!

[mary]

Hi - and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to everyone,

After a five-week "sabbatical" which I thought was going to be permanent, here I am, back... Been praying for all of you in my absence.

I've got a lot of reading to do here, I see...:) :eek:

I'm going to take a new stance, I think. No more of "my stuff" on here. Been there, done that. Y'all have your own stuff to deal with and I'd rather be there to pray for you than to spill any more of my garbage. (That's what the problem was the last time; that's why I left. My July 25 post was supposed to be my "swan song" here, but I figure that if I come back with a whole new 'tude, things should be better.)

So, anyway, once again, God bless you all and I will now start catching up!

Love to all,

mary

[Jerry]

welcome Back Mary !!!

[jimsmuse]

Hiya gurl!

what a joy to see this!

[Reg]

Likewise Mary. :D

[yeshua'smags]

YAY!!

[Willow]

Welcome back Mary! I'm glad you are feeling refreshed and ready hang with us again :)

[mary]

Thanks, everyone. Yeah, I think I'm okay now...

Thanks, Amy and Leah and Abbey and everyone else who sent me e-mails while I was gone... What a blessing each of you are! :) :) :)

You know, when you asked to be removed, you can't even go on the site and you can't read anything, even. This was good (even great) for me at the time, for I had reached the end of my rope and was in a very dark and dangerous place. So if anyone thought, well, she's not responding to anything so she must really be angry, no, that wasn't not the case at all. The site was blocked to me and I really wasn't able to read anything until just this morning. Feels darned good to "hear" all of your dear voices again! ;) :D

Jimsmuse, Maggie, a HIGH FIVE to ya!!! :) :) :)

While I was gone, my Christian counselor "chucked" me (it happened about 4 weeks ago; he just decided he'd had enough of me and told me to get lost in no uncertain terms. Had to do with my doctrinal beliefs, basically. Whatever.). I was deeply hurt by it at the time, but in hindsight, I see now that it's better that I no longer have him in my life. He was taking up most of my time with his own "issues" and I was paying too much out-of-pocket to him, considering that was the case. I've noticed the happy difference in my checkbook already.

Ex-Shep, you've never left my prayers and neither has your family situation, kitties included... Janice, HI!!!!! How're you feeling?

Don't want to forget anyone... If I've missed anyone, it wasn't intentional... Been tired lately, but still here.

Praying still for Theo's family in their loss. It was poignant, sad and yet heartwarming to see her picture on the obituary and to know that her eyes of faith have been turned to sight at last, and she's in the presence of her Lord and Savior... She was a beautiful, beautiful lady!

Love to all,

mary

[mary]

Oops! Forgot the Ayatollah of Gorgonzola! How could I have done that??? :confused:

Thanks, Jerry, for those "two clicks" that got me back on here!!!

Love,

mary

[Elisabeth]

While I was gone, my Christian counselor "chucked" me (it happened about 4 weeks ago; he just decided he'd had enough of me and told me to get lost in no uncertain terms. Had to do with my doctrinal beliefs, basically. Whatever.). I was deeply hurt by it at the time, but in hindsight, I see now that it's better that I no longer have him in my life. He was taking up most of my time with his own "issues" and I was paying too much out-of-pocket to him, considering that was the case. I've noticed the happy difference in my checkbook already.


For him to be telling you his own issues and then telling you to get lost because of your doctrinal beliefs was unhealthy and unethical. It was also abusive. :mad: You pay him to help you, not the other way around. :mad: You have grounds to report him if he's licensed, belongs to the association of Christian Counselors, etc. :mad:

[mary]

For him to be telling you his own issues and then telling you to get lost because of your doctrinal beliefs was unhealthy and unethical. It was also abusive. :mad: You pay him to help you, not the other way around. :mad: You have grounds to report him if he's licensed, belongs to the association of Christian Counselors, etc. :mad:

Yeah, I've thought about that. He's a jerk. His client load is dwindling, though, so obviously other people are not being well served either.

At least he wasn't hitting on me. For a long time, I considered that to be the best thing about him - and a good reason to stick with him. Shows you how hard up I am for simple, Christian companionship! :cool: :D But when he went so far as to tell me I probably wasn't saved because I was "too depressed to really be a Christian" and anyway, I'm, uh, of the Reformed persuasion, and then in so many words that he didn't want to work with me anymore, well...

Thanks, Elisabeth -- how are you doing lately?????

mary

[Elisabeth]

Yeah, I've thought about that. He's a jerk. His client load is dwindling, though, so obviously other people are not being well served either.

At least he wasn't hitting on me. For a long time, I considered that to be the best thing about him - and a good reason to stick with him. Shows you how hard up I am for simple, Christian companionship! :cool: :D But when he went so far as to tell me I probably wasn't saved because I was "too depressed to really be a Christian" and anyway, I'm, uh, of the Reformed persuasion, and then in so many words that he didn't want to work with me anymore, well...

Thanks, Elisabeth -- how are you doing lately?????

mary

I myself have been struggling with depression. That "too depressed to really be a Christian" is a load of baloney. The fact that a counselor gave it to you is even worse. The way I see it, depression is something anyone can struggle with, and I have heard (from my doctor) that when someone is chronically ill their serotonin is even more apt to be thrown off. And I have realized that when I am depressed, and people from the church tell me that as a Christian I must not be praying enough, reading the Bible enough, etc., I try harder, which puts more pressure on me, which leads me further into depression. It's a vicious circle, which there is no need for.

[abbey]

YAY!

Hey girlfriend! I too, after you left ,felt discouraged at your absence and i sorta left too. I love you so as my sister in the Lord! (not that I don't love the rest of the group) But gee whiz, you are one of my favorites. I told ya your the BOMB! Right?

WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Marys back in town. Yippee!

[mary]

YAY!

Hey girlfriend! I too, after you left ,felt discouraged at your absence and i sorta left too. I love you so as my sister in the Lord! (not that I don't love the rest of the group) But gee whiz, you are one of my favorites. I told ya your the BOMB! Right?

WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Marys back in town. Yippee!

Awww... Dear sister in the Lord AB!!!! You da bomb, too, Tracey!!!! (Ya gotta be a De-TROIT-er [not DEE-troit-er!] to fully appreciate that! :D :D :D )

I felt bad when I read how my leaving upset you - real bad. I just had to do it for awhile because I was in a deep dungeon of depression that I've been struggling with for my whole life... And certain things going on here weren't helping. But now I feel as though I can deal with it, not shrink away into corners and cry... Again, I'm sorry, Tracey.

Yep, Elisabeth: I think it's only shallow or non-Christians who'll tell you that Christians can't be depressed. In my July 25 post in Amy's thread, I referred to Stephen Charnock's book, "The Existence and Attributes of God..." Well, that book is pretty much the antidote for that kind of thinking. We are to rest in the Lord, sit at His feet when we're depressed and let His comfort rain down upon us. We're not to go chasing after Him on our own efforts - although we are most certainly to "pray without ceasing" - for then we might miss what He has to give us! :) :) :) The real Mary stayed at Jesus's feet and let her sister Martha chase around, trying to "make everything right." No: if that Mary, who had Jesus's physical presence right in front of her, could sit at His feet, then so should we... And He will bless us.

Love to all,

mary

[SpinningHead]

one word....

:D

[butterfly]

Welcome back Mary,
Wow that was a fast 5 weeks. Time goes by so fast for me.
I understand the depression.:(:(
shirley

[Janice]

Hi - and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to everyone,

After a five-week "sabbatical" which I thought was going to be permanent, here I am, back... Been praying for all of you in my absence.

I've got a lot of reading to do here, I see...:) :eek:

I'm going to take a new stance, I think. No more of "my stuff" on here. Been there, done that. Y'all have your own stuff to deal with and I'd rather be there to pray for you than to spill any more of my garbage. (That's what the problem was the last time; that's why I left. My July 25 post was supposed to be my "swan song" here, but I figure that if I come back with a whole new 'tude, things should be better.)

So, anyway, once again, God bless you all and I will now start catching up!

Love to all,

mary

YOU HAVE BEEN MISSED!! WELCOME BACK.

[Janice]

Janice, HI!!!!! How're you feeling?

ONE DAY AT A TIME WITH MY HEALTH. WE WENT CAMPING LAST WEEKEND. ATE EVERYTHING IN SITE AND GO SOOOOO SICK HUBBY HAD TO BRING ME HOME AT 3 AM. TREMENDOUS PAIN AND VOMITING!!:(:( THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I UPCHIUKED SINCE JUNE! LOST THE 5 LBS I GAINED BUT STILL HOLDING STEADY AT 120.

I JUST KEEP PRAYING.

GLAD YOU'RE BACK.

[mary]

Thanks, SpinningHead, Shirley and Janice!!!! You're all such sweethearts!

Hmmm... Still at 120, Janice?! I will keep praying, as I have been doing. At least you hold steady and haven't lost any more weight. Are your doctors okay with that? Sorry to hear about the vomiting episode. Maybe you just had a bit too much food on that occasion and your "current prevailing atmospheric conditions" just coudn't take it...

Praying for all of you...

Love,

mary

[Hope 98]

Hi Mary!

I'm glad you back!!

[mary]

Hi Mary!

I'm glad you back!!

Hey, Hope,

Thanks so much!!!! :D :D :D I'm glad to be with you all again, too!

Love,

mary