Coffee Shop (let's chat)

[Helen]

Hi Helen you're not on your own. I felt almost defeated this morning but prayer and trust got me sorted before too long.

Bless you Pat. ♥︎
As the old saying goes " Misery loves company"
Life ( out there) does seem to creep into our living rooms doesn't it.
I wont even watch news...but I still hear things.....
xx

 

[Rita]

For some reason I am feeling very low and downhearted today.

All the non -news = Covid , BLM and the negative stuff seems to have sapped all the spiritual life out of all forums these days.

I wish there was a limit on how many non-spiritual discussions could be started! Hahah! Dream-on eh! It seems to have sucked the spiritual life out of me.
So today is a struggle.

Hope all is well with everyone else. xx

May of been Quadrant on line. or just type in his name and seen what info came up on him and I have seen it on other forums people saying the same about his criminal convictions.

I have started looking at some of the threads and news reports - and seeing things to pray about , or reflect on. We are part of Gods family at this time for a reason - this is our time frame , regardless of where we are. We are still to be active in serving God - and that can take many forms, and sometimes our roles may change.
Think about all the different ways in which we feel when we read threads or news or have interactions with others, well they can drag us down, or turn into something constructive. What is the Lord enabling us to see, and what does he want us to do. I remember the healing process, I kicked against it for years and saw everything that was happening to trigger things as a negative. Then one day the penny dropped and I realised that the Lord needed the triggers , and I needed to face what was there in a constructive way. I started to work with him and I found it fascinating. I think the penny has started to drop within all the doom and gloom , and differing opinions, as I was responding to you on another thread Helen.
Rita

 

[Rita]

I haven't been out except to the park across the road, and only three times, since 16th march. I've got used to it and it doesn't bother me any more. Ray went into town on his scooter last week and shouted at anybody who came closer that two metres. Now they've changed the social distancing to one metre he will not go out. I have re-discovered my crafting and embroidery and Kindle books and re-runs of Downton Abbey.

Hi Pearl
It’s been impossible to keep to the 2m rule at work - and our local coop does it’s best but it’s a small shop.
Buses are now getting busier - so it’s not that easy either. I think it is 1.5 metres, which is what Germany introduced a few weeks ago. I have noticed that when I walk down to the shops some people move and sometimes I have to move to give the distance- it’s give and take. I know it’s frustrating, but society has to start getting back to a level of normality - we may be partially opening the care home up next week. It does raise some fears, but those fears would have to be faced at some stage. My dad has started to use the bus for his warfarin and widening his bubble. My brother may be coming home on the 11th, he wants to go to a pub for a meal, that is raising my own concerns - but I have to weigh it up and deal with it in the best way that I feel comfortable about. The process of getting out is going to be difficult, but I do understand why Boris has done this.
Rita

 

[Addy]

@Helen... I think it is all so much... and too much to take in all at once... and we are all doing the best we can. @Rita mentions the penny dropping with all the doom and gloom... I don't think anyone would have been able to convince us of such a big catastrophe coming... YET... I have listened to a few sermons by David Wilkinson... and he predicted this.... he has had several visions that predict something happening that would change the world as we know it... in ONE HOUR. I have no idea if something else... even bigger is headed our way... but this is certainly BIG... and once it did hit... the world has been forever changed.

I think Rita hit the nail on the head by saying... she is seeing things to REFLECT and PRAY on... This has all hit me the same way... It has quieted my spirit ... and I have been WATCHING all around me...

Whether we knew something like this was coming or NOT... I'm not sure that ANYONE could have been truly prepared... The preppers might have had supplies stocked up... and canned goods prepared for three months to a year.. but really... no one could have PRE PREPARED for the emotional toll a disaster such as this leaves behind.

Life has changed so drastically in zero time... and I think there is a grieving process that needs to take place... I think we are at a place where we are now over the shock of it all... we are finally starting to realize that this is it... NORMAL is NOT coming back... It will NEVER come back... I think for the first three or so months... many people held onto the hope that things would return as they were...

WE need to be patient with ourselves and each other at this time... Everyone is doing the best they can... As Christians we at least have HOPE in our heavenly home... as well as the offering of Peace and even Joy though it all... I can't imagine how I would feel if I were NOT a Christian... It would be all too depressing.

Oh my... I got GABBY here... All the above to say... BE of good courage @Helen... I can absolutely relate to what you have stated. WE just need to press into our FAITH and PRAY.

OH... I almost forgot... HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!! NO FREE BIRTHDAY CAKE... LOL

 

[Helen]

@Helen... I think it is all so much... and too much to take in all at once... and we are all doing the best we can. @Rita mentions the penny dropping with all the doom and gloom... I don't think anyone would have been able to convince us of such a big catastrophe coming... YET... I have listened to a few sermons by David Wilkinson... and he predicted this.... he has had several visions that predict something happening that would change the world as we know it... in ONE HOUR. I have no idea if something else... even bigger is headed our way... but this is certainly BIG... and once it did hit... the world has been forever changed.

I think Rita hit the nail on the head by saying... she is seeing things to REFLECT and PRAY on... This has all hit me the same way... It has quieted my spirit ... and I have been WATCHING all around me...

Whether we knew something like this was coming or NOT... I'm not sure that ANYONE could have been truly prepared... The preppers might have had supplies stocked up... and canned goods prepared for three months to a year.. but really... no one could have PRE PREPARED for the emotional toll a disaster such as this leaves behind.

Life has changed so drastically in zero time... and I think there is a grieving process that needs to take place... I think we are at a place where we are now over the shock of it all... we are finally starting to realize that this is it... NORMAL is NOT coming back... It will NEVER come back... I think for the first three or so months... many people held onto the hope that things would return as they were...

WE need to be patient with ourselves and each other at this time... Everyone is doing the best they can... As Christians we at least have HOPE in our heavenly home... as well as the offering of Peace and even Joy though it all... I can't imagine how I would feel if I were NOT a Christian... It would be all too depressing.

Oh my... I got GABBY here... All the above to say... BE of good courage @Helen... I can absolutely relate to what you have stated. WE just need to press into our FAITH and PRAY.

OH... I almost forgot... HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!! NO FREE BIRTHDAY CAKE... LOL

Happy Canada Day to you too!

I was away again most of the night , I try to never waste the time...
But feeling like a nap now.... I felt the Lord speaking to me and clearing the fog away.
I had allowed myself to get frustrated because it seemed to me that Christian, some being family were so focused on this world and all the negatives ..Covid, Black Power , and all George Sorus is doing to bring in the communist control .
...but not many have seen it yet...
All these issues are not issues ...how involved should Christians get with all these worldly things. ( obviously the answer is , only that which GOD speaks to us) But really to keep talking about theme day in and day out is nothing but draining , and without wanting to be rude to anyone...I am fed up with it all.
My concern is - Have God's people "lost the plot".
Are we not called to be salt and light is a dark earth!
We are not light if we are down among these worldly things.
Are we Virgins that have not only the light but the extra oil also?
I see a division of Christians coming. I know Jesus spoke of it...but I feel like it is at our door now...
I like many others held on to the hope that ‘life as we knew it’ would return. After 3 months we now know that it never will....its gone. I did my grieving over that...now I am over it...( They have made too strong advances for any going back to what was) . There is no going back from this world situation .
I allowed myself to get frustrated with the blindness of so many...in only seeing in front of their nose at what happening, and what we are told is happening, whether it is or isn't makes no difference now.

Anyway, that we’re I have been and Father did some talking and showed me things ..and reminded that we are called to be lights in the darkness.. and when its too dark, then we look within where He that is Greater dwells and is Light, Hope and Strength.
The way through this worldly mess is always the same ...by - ”Seeing Him who is invisible...” as Moses did ...that was Moses endurance, that was his hope, that was his strength.
If our Christian friends don’t get there too and change their vision from this natural , as I said- I see no other way through but to live inwardly (away from them) ....sadly that does cause a kind of separation.... But something has got to change I can't stay down there with them... the world isn’t going to change ....until That Glorious Day , which is not yet. I remember the old song with the world ...”I’m going to see the lord.....though none go with me , then still I’ll follow. “ etc I feel the path is going to get somewhat lonelier as it narrows as the lines are drawn ...
Jesus said it, but we haven't had to experience it before...now it is here.
The wise ‘look up’ higher and beyond these dark days down here , to where the Sun is always shining up above on a stormy day .
Another old song ...when I sung it heartily back then, I had no idea what the ‘stormy day’ was going to be like ..yet here we are ... Right in the middle of it!
In the wee hours of the night many old songs floated back to me in the darkness and I saw with new eyes the things that we were singing about then without knowing what we were singing about!
God has well equipped us.

He has a wonderful vast glorious kingdom for us ( within Himself) ...its time we learned to live there. It's time to choose when we get out of bed in the morning ...which realm we will live in.
Is our song still confidently - "In Him we live and move and have our being"
Or - what has been going on in the world today.

I only got 3 hours sleep...but it was a good night!

...for "I've come out of the valley where the darkness abounds and I'm up on the mountain where the glory is found ..."
Good song... I just need to 'live there'.

( apologies ...you will soon see I am not one to go back and re-read what I write...it bores me...so here is it, with all my mistakes also. ) ✟


Give God the Glory! @amadeus

 

[amadeus]

@Helen and others here, friends old and new.
I don't like to complain, but the flesh still pushes up its ugly head now and again. Mostly recently I had another severely painful time with my left side sciatica... but, Glory to God, because it is behind me one more time. I was in my recliner for sleeping for about 10 days to minimize the pain in order to sleep at all but been back with my wife for about 3 nights now.

On this Covid 19 thing... Before it all started our daughter, an RN working as a surgical nurse was sleeping our fold out couch one night a week. She lives with her family 50 miles away. For the normal shift driving back and forth to work was not a problem for her, but one night a week after working her regular day shift she was on call for emergency surgeries. We live only about 3 miles from the hospital so it was convenient for her and gave us time with her we wouldn't otherwise have. Then came Covid 19.

The hospital advised her and anyone in her situation to stop unnecessarily visiting close but vulnerable family like me and my wife. That caused her to get a hotel room for that one night, but soon the hospital had mercy and footed the hotel bill for anyone in her situation. They did that until a couple weeks ago when supposedly we were moving into the second phase up from the complete lockdown. Then after talking to her supervisor it was decided she could come back to us for that one night each week with extreme caution. She was cautious, but then...!

After spending 2 nights with us, my daughter called us on the phone to advise that along with this spike in Covid 19 cases in Oklahoma, one of her co-workers, another nurse, has tested positive. My daughter is back to the hotel and I called my 95 year old pastor to cancel our weekly Bible studies in his home each Wednesday. Until time goes by and my daughter is clear and we are clear due to our contact with her it is back to full lockup. Other than those two exceptions we were still pretty much still locked in anyway. Walmart delivers groceries and the pharmacy mails us our medications. I was going out to a drive through convenience store for an occasional icy treat for my wife and cappuccino for me, but we are putting that on hold as well. I rarely 'catch' things that people are catching, but my wife as you may recall has a severely compromised immune system. I have to be cautious so as not to possibly become the carrier of this thing to her.

We are thus far doing fine on that, but my wife is having serious back issues again. The pain is regularly beyond obtaining pain relief from the medicine she has. We saw her back surgeon just before these new lockdown issues started. He performed successful back surgery on her at that time inserting three metal rods in her back. She's already had new X-rays and an MRI, but we won't know the results and possible future actions until we see the surgeon. She has an appointment for that in about 2 weeks. Hopefully the Covid 19 problem will not interfere too much with that. Please keep her in particular in prayer.

Well, Walmart delivers tomorrow, so at least we'll not starve.

Give God the glory!

 

[Helen]

Praying with you John @amadeus ... Dave too has been suffering from sciatica he is miserable. But amazingly staying cheerful , so pray God for that.

Also praying for Kathy and your daughter too. ✟

 

[amadeus]

Praying with you John @amadeus ... Dave too has been suffering from sciatica he is miserable. But amazingly staying cheerful , so pray God for that.

Also praying for Kathy and your daughter too. ✟

Thanks for this Helen. We also have you and Dave in prayer!

 

[marks]

He has a wonderful vast glorious kingdom for us ( within Himself) ...its time we learned to live there. It's time to choose when we get out of bed in the morning ...which realm we will live in.

Amen!

 

[Nancy]

For some reason I am feeling very low and downhearted today.

All the non -news = Covid , BLM and the negative stuff seems to have sapped all the spiritual life out of all forums these days.

I wish there was a limit on how many non-spiritual discussions could be started! Hahah! Dream-on eh! It seems to have sucked the spiritual life out of me.
So today is a struggle.

Hope all is well with everyone else. xx

Remember, we are still mourning our brother also...I pray He will restore the fellowship we once had on here, lift our spirits and restore His joy. Many good ones have left but, there are still a remnant
xo

 

[Nancy]

Happy Canada Day to you too!

I was away again most of the night , I try to never waste the time...
But feeling like a nap now.... I felt the Lord speaking to me and clearing the fog away.
I had allowed myself to get frustrated because it seemed to me that Christian, some being family were so focused on this world and all the negatives ..Covid, Black Power , and all George Sorus is doing to bring in the communist control .
...but not many have seen it yet...
All these issues are not issues ...how involved should Christians get with all these worldly things. ( obviously the answer is , only that which GOD speaks to us) But really to keep talking about theme day in and day out is nothing but draining , and without wanting to be rude to anyone...I am fed up with it all.
My concern is - Have God's people "lost the plot".
Are we not called to be salt and light is a dark earth!
We are not light if we are down among these worldly things.
Are we Virgins that have not only the light but the extra oil also?
I see a division of Christians coming. I know Jesus spoke of it...but I feel like it is at our door now...
I like many others held on to the hope that ‘life as we knew it’ would return. After 3 months we now know that it never will....its gone. I did my grieving over that...now I am over it...( They have made too strong advances for any going back to what was) . There is no going back from this world situation .
I allowed myself to get frustrated with the blindness of so many...in only seeing in front of their nose at what happening, and what we are told is happening, whether it is or isn't makes no difference now.

" It's time to choose when we get out of bed in the morning ...which realm we will live in.
Is our song still confidently - "In Him we live and move and have our being"
Or - what has been going on in the world today."

Sure needed to hear all of what you wrote Helen, especially the above, ty
xo

 

[Addy]

@Helen ... I cannot believe I did not see your response to me... I guess I must have over looked the alert...

My Dear Helen... You and I are on the exact same page... I have things to do right at the moment... but I will respond to your beautiful.. and reflective words in the morning... Bless you my dear sister...

 

[Nancy]

@Helen ... I cannot believe I did not see your response to me... I guess I must have over looked the alert...

My Dear Helen... You and I are on the exact same page... I have things to do right at the moment... but I will respond to your beautiful.. and reflective words in the morning... Bless you my dear sister...

@Adoration the "Alerts" do not always alert us, lol...I didn't see most of what is on this thread and I follow just about all on it!!!

 

[Addy]

@Helen The highlighted parts are YOUR WORDS.... mine are the normal font.
Anyway, that we’re I have been and Father did some talking and showed me things ..and reminded that we are called to be lights in the darkness.. and when its too dark, then we look within where He that is Greater dwells and is Light, Hope and Strength.

I joined my first forum in April... It was April the 9th... and I lasted until about the 9th of June... I left because I could not do ARROGANCE... It was a large site.... and so much DRAMA going on... so much chaos and confusion... and YES.... a focus on the negative... I joined this site about 2 weeks ago... give or take a few days... still looking to find a place I might fit in... WELL... I got caught in several nasty discussions... and well... I'm a tired little lamb... I agree with you about the NEED to shine as lights to a dark world... I live that way in real life...I bring laughter... hope... and LOVE to my neighbours... my world is very small... because I live as a recluse... Yet I try to bloom where I am planted... I too need to take time alone with just ME and JESUS... the world EXHAUSTS me so much... and because I suffer with severe depression... as well as being overly sensitive... I often feel absolute PAIN and SORROW... so I have to make sure I live in a balanced way.... or like you have just described... I get FRUSTRATED and OVERWHELMED. It's a constant battle to stay connected to THAT LIGHT that is within us... when the DARK world keeps sucking and taking and fighting. It sounds like you know how to go to your HIDDEN place.... and that is a beautiful thing.

If our Christian friends don’t get there too and change their vision from this natural , as I said- I see no other way through but to live inwardly (away from them) ....sadly that does cause a kind of separation.... But something has got to change I can't stay down there with them... the world isn’t going to change

When I read these words... I absolutely connected with what you were saying... I have several friends who are Christians that I email on a frequent basis... and both of them have struggled with the NOISES of the world... ONE absolutely dragged herself to the bottom of the pit with her frustration... and she got swallowed by the REPORTS of the world... Like you... I had to separate myself ... I had to stay quiet... and I did not know what to say to her... because my experience through-out this pandemic has been so opposite...I have been given PEACE like I have never known... and the beginnings of JOY... as well as an overwhelming sense of GRATITUDE... Because I had already separated myself from the world about 5 years ago... I did not experience the anguish that many are experiencing.... I am also blessed because I am on a disability and so I did not have to worry about losing my job... I have also chosen to never have a credit card... so I owe NO one any money...
Perhaps the freedom of all these worries set me to a place where I could just begin to WATCH what God was doing... and over these last months... I have seen HIM SHAKING and WAKING... and BREAKING many false things... false idols... false beliefs... false priorities... It has been a time of re-alignment... getting back to what things are REALLY important... NO one is talking about FASHION... or what the ROYALS are doing... or Sports... It has been like a BREATH of FRESH air.... Will it last???? NO... we will be going back to a new normal.. as they call it... but I do believe that some of HIS CHILDREN... have listened... have heard and will NOW begin to PRAY... and RISE up... to be that LIGHT of which you speak... and YES... sadly... we are going to lose a great many of our brothers and sisters in Christ... who are stuck on things of this world... even those stuck DEFENDING their beliefs and their doctrines to such an extent that they are blinded to the TRUTH.

I think what you have experienced and expressed here is the GREAT SADNESS...that oh so heavy sorrow that comes from knowing and not being able to share it because not many are open to hearing...

Thank you for sharing your heart... I FEEL YOU... I really do.

 

[amadeus]

@Adoration the "Alerts" do not always alert us, lol...I didn't see most of what is on this thread and I follow just about all on it!!!

That alert system is quite useful when it works like we believe that it should, but at times it is quite temperamental [can such a systme be temperamental?]. The very first thing I do each time I come on the forum is go through all my alerts, one at a time. Still, too often later when I am wading through 'new posts' I find my name mentioned in a post and no alert was received. We have to trust God even on little things like this to put us where He wants us to be when He wants us to be there.

 

[Nancy]

That alert system is quite useful when it works like we believe that it should, but at times it is quite temperamental [can such a systme be temperamental?]. The very first thing I do each time I come on the forum is go through all my alerts, one at a time. Still, too often later when I am wading through 'new posts' I find my name mentioned in a post and no alert was received. We have to trust God even on little things like this to put us where He wants us to be when He wants us to be there.

Good way to look at it.

 

[amadeus]

Good way to look at it.

It can be an easy thing to separate the things of God from our secular activities. Lots of people do that. I have done that. Our secular government apparently somewhere decided that that was the proper way to go so they went with this idea of separating church [or Church] and State. It was the wrong direction but when so many did not know and love God and many even denied His very existence what else should we have expected?

Rather than separate, consider the carefully precise plan God had for the natural children of Jacob, named the children of Israel. The camping order was precise as was the marching order... and God was always supposed to be primary. But... they kept looking around them at the 'gentiles' longing for many of those gentile/heathen ways. They got their reward, but it was most definitely Not Life, was it? And we who have received apparently more and better?

 

[Nancy]

It can be an easy thing to separate the things of God from our secular activities. Lots of people do that. I have done that. Our secular government apparently somewhere decided that that was the proper way to go so they went with this idea of separating church [or Church] and State. It was the wrong direction but when so many did not know and love God and many even denied His very existence what else should we have expected?

Rather than separate, consider the carefully precise plan God had for the natural children of Jacob, named the children of Israel. The camping order was precise as was the marching order... and God was always supposed to be primary. But... they kept looking around them at the 'gentiles' longing for many of those gentile/heathen ways. They got their reward, but it was most definitely Not Life, was it? And we who have received apparently more and better?

"And we who have received apparently more and better?"
"The first shall be last, and the last shall be first..."

 

[amadeus]

"And we who have received apparently more and better?"
"The first shall be last, and the last shall be first..."

"And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:47-48

 

[farouk]

For some reason I am feeling very low and downhearted today.

All the non -news = Covid , BLM and the negative stuff seems to have sapped all the spiritual life out of all forums these days.

I wish there was a limit on how many non-spiritual discussions could be started! Hahah! Dream-on eh! It seems to have sucked the spiritual life out of me.
So today is a struggle.

Hope all is well with everyone else. xx

@Helen Daily prayer and the Scriptures are the antidote...