Growing up with a less than loving mother was very difficult. Knowing I should respect her, HOW, was nearly inconceivable.

I had just gone through an episode when my Dad arrived. Placing his arm around me, he stated..."The Bible tells us to turn the other cheek. BUT when we have be struck again, there is no advice."


I have wrestled with this many years. It has only been this past month that I felt it important to forgive her even though she has been dead for more than 30 years. I did manage to feel relief afterwards and I thanked Father for the inspiration to do so and to lift that burden off of my heart.

Yes, even if it eats at you. It is better than saying something you wish you could take back.

Today in SS, one mentioned that women tend to express love for others esp women that come to the house to visit and offer moral encouragement.

I resented that remark as for most of my life I have never been one to express 'love' for others verbally. It was like a committment right there. Perhaps it is age catching up but in the last 10 years, I really make the attempt to always tell others of my feelings for them.

Sometimes it is like a rattlesnake and swings around to bite me on the back side, but losing so many members of my family, it became important that the words were issued.

While words are important, actions are more so. Visit people in hospital or prison. Help the neighbor who is sick. Jesus told us in the Book that it is as helping and visiting Him. AND sometimes we will be the closest thing to Heaven for those folks.

What a wonderful discussion on this lesson! There is no question that we all have a lot to learn about 'loving'.

The Sabbath is just closing here, (as in the comment somewhere near the beginning of this discussion) and I couldn't help remembering when I was growing up, my Dad would climb with us to a mountain top on Sabbath afternoon, and as the sun went down we would sing:

Day is Dying in the West,
Heaven is touching earth with rest,
Wait and worship while the night
Sets her evening lamps alight
Through all the sky

Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts
Heaven and Earth are full of thee
Oh Lord Most High

The earth is full of our Lord Most High, and He is love! Which rather fills our earth with His love, does't it? - Would to God that we knew how to show it to each other! There is no surer way of weakening spirituality than by cherishing envy, suspicion, faultfinding, and evil surmising. (We sabotage ourselves!) When "very close and tender should be the tie that binds us together". Divine love makes its most touching appeals to the heart when it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that Christ manifested. That man only who has unselfish love for his brother has true love for God. The true Christian will not willingly permit the soul in peril and need to to unwarned, uncared for. He will not hold himself aloof from the erring...ever manifesting a pure, unselfish interest in one another's welfare. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or product it. AA pp. 549-551 (in bits and pieces).

ChildofChrist, I thrill with your victory in forgiveness. What a victoy! May God give you the benediction of new peace for the rest of your life!

Guess it's time to move on to a new topic. See you there.

This is one of the best lessons I've seen in a long while. My wife and I had a good time reading and discussing it together. Didn't make it to church so I had to settle for the wife and this discussion here.

Arguing with the pastor is never a good idea. :)

pk