A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Bible Study II - Despair

Hinda, I will be the first to acknowledge that I know very little about the Jewish faith and its observances but I am fascinated to read all that you have chosen to share with us. I think with knowledge comes understanding and as long as we can understand one another, we can work to live together in peace.

We as a family are going through a very stressful situation right now with having to move without a lot of notice and I am so glad that we have been talking about this subject and all of its offshoots. If I had not been in the mindset that God is in control and I need to remember no to fall into despair cuz His will will be done, I would have felt so lost. Instead I feel as though what is going on is happening for a reason and once we get to the other side, we will be better off for traveling on the journey.

Hinda, I too am fascinated with your information. You take your faith seriously which a lot of Americans do not do. You have my respect for that.

I wonder if I had been unable to have children if I would have been able to come to terms with that. It's hard to realize what someone is feeling when you haven't experienced it.

Triss, I don't even know what to say to you. I hope this move will be easy and go smoothly.

We only have one daughter, but lost two to miscarriage. I can relate to the grief my friend is dealing with. It is a death, and I grieved just the same. It was so hard. My heart feels so badly for my friend. I know God has His reasons. I am praying for comfort for my friend. If anyone wants to pray for her, her name is Robyn.

Triss, I hope things go well for you, too. May you be happy and blessed in your new home. When we moved here, I was so alone. It was good in some ways, though, because I was forced to cry out to God and to know Him in a much deeper way since I had no one else other than my husband here.
You can come here and I am sure the ladies will help encourage you !

I don't know much about the Jewish faith either.There are the feasts and festivals in the Bible, but I don't really know how or why they are celebrated. I find it fascinating, too. Somehow I have felt "ripped off" by not being taught about them. I have been feeling this way for some time now.

triss - i hope the move goes smoothly and that you will be settled in easily.
lucy - i am sorry to hear about your friend, like you, i know the grieving over miscarriages all too well - i have had four. two were before we had any children and they were harder to deal with because you came home to an empty house. despair was at our doorstep and we didnt let him in. despair can come to easily and its faith and trust that is hard to achieve. and even once achieved it must always be worked on. in the end, my husband and i took the equivalent of a cleansing breath (in the form of a trip to visit my parents in canada - believe it or not) and came to the "conclusion" (even we all "know"this) that G-d is in control and He has a masterplan that we cannot fathom. that we must try our hardest but to have faith and trust in His Ways. it is actually quite relaxing when you look at it this way. and now i am going through the same type of ordeal - we want to have more children (we have two angels now) and after two miscarriages i am now having difficulty getting pregnant. but i do not feel despair on my doorstep - i now tht we are bign taken care of and we are only dealt what we are able to deal with with. if we have more kids we will be ecstatic and if we don't we will be saddened but be happy withour angels and raise them properly in the Way of G-d in His Land.

on another note if people have questions about judaism or our holidays you can pm me - i dont want to bore those that aerent interested

I think everyone is interested Hinda.

I also think that as Christian believers we have a responsibility to understand our heritage. Christ was a Jew who came to His own. Everyone of significance in the Bible was a Jew - all the prophets, the disciples and all the early leaders of the church. We can't really understand some of the epistles if we don't understand the culture to which they were written which I think is why Romans has so much appeal. It was written to gentiles.

The first college I attended was a Christian school that offered a course called "Modern Jewish Culture". It was an incredible blessing to be able to put together the biblical feasts with prophecy and to see the message in it all.

Christian believers and devout Jews have far more in common that just a shared belief in the creator of the universe.

Moving here to Nebraska has also brought me closer to God and onto a path that I fully believe is of His choosing and not mine.

hinda, I pray that you will be able to have more children. To me it is a rare strength that people have who are trying so hard to have children and having such a difficult time of it.

We are getting close to our limit on this subject and I wanted to know if there was another subject anyone would like to persue?

attributes of God? Fruit of the Spirit? Favorite verse? I'm easy to please.

Oh.....favorite verse and why????? Or any topic really, Bev has some good ideas.

I agree with mrsmessy, I think we are all interested. I also feel the same way, that Jesus is a Jew and it is our heritage.
As for a topic, whatever you decide is fine. If I think of something specific, I will post it.
Blessings to all.
Oh, hinda, when you write G-d, is that because His name is holy? I asked someone else this before but they did not answer my question. We have always written it out and I had not seen that until this other lady wrote it as you do.
I appreciate you being so kind to answer our questions. I hope you do not mind.

Here I am jumping in and answering someone elses question again but yes - God's name is holy and not to be written out completely.

I really like the favorite verse and why. We can spend a bit of time talking about them and that has to be good for all of us! I will get it going.

bev - feel free to jump in and answer anytime you like. i just wanted to add that by writing G-d we are able to fulfill the negative statute(ie.something that we are not allowed to do) of not taking His name in vain, as is wriiten in the ten commandments "Do not take the name of Ado..., your G-d in vain. For Ado...will not acquit the one who takes his name in vain" Exodus 20:7 (one of the ten commandments)
in hebrew we say "Hashem" which literally means "the name". or we slightly change the pronunciation of G-d's names (He has different names for his different traits like when His merciful traits are dominant or when His harsh judgements are more) i dont know if this can be seen in the english transaltion of the bible or not, but it is obvious in hebrew.

I totally understand the part about not taking the Lord's name in vain. So does that mean that writing his name out automatically is "in vain" or is that a protection just to be sure that you do not use His name in vain? If you are writing and say that God is gracious and good. Would that be ok?

May I post this for now? It is sort of off topic, but I need prayer. I have been thinking about your posts today about despair. I am not despairing, I have faith in G-d to help me.
I have been having some problems. I went to my doctor yesterday, got tested, I am diabetic. Really high sugar levels, twice what it should be. I am feeling sick to my stomach with the new pills he prescribed today. I will have to take some classes, be on a strict diet the rest of my life, take the pills, and do blood checks with a monitor every day. I know they will say exercise, too, which the only thing I can do is walk due to my back. I will buy a treadmill.
I have no choice in doing this, it is serious. My doctor was shocked because a little over a year ago, it was just slightly high, but still considered normal. He said I was the only person he ever has seen develop diabetes that fast. It usually takes years and is gradual. At least I knew the symptoms and told him yesterday. My grandpa died early in life due to diabetes and I have 2 aunts with it, too. At least we found out in time, so I can get help.
Please pray for me, that I will be able to follow his orders and that the pills will not keep making me ill. I know God can help me thru this. I know the Bible says "I can do all things thru Christ, who strengthens me." I need His strength, I am very tired (and hungry). I will try to post tomorrow.
Thank you for your prayers.
Lucy Lou

Lucy, we will certainly hold you in our prayers. Diabetes is a difficult thing to get under control at times...but you can get it under control and by learing some new eating habits can keep it that way. If you are a "new" diabetic..then you are in what they call the "honeymoon" period where it may be a little more difficult but will line out.

We wonder this so much...even with our Peanut! We have friends that are such wonderful Christains and have not been able to have children...and then someone so uncaring (as in Taylor's mother) can have a baby for someone else to raise. It is so disheartening...but as Hinda made reference to...God has a master plan that we cannot fathom! Ain't it the truth!!!! I certainly have a difficult time understanding the journeys he has us go through...the key here is to let him LEAD you through the journey and have complete faith & trust in him.... that will keep us from the point of dispare.

Lucy,

You are in our prayers. I can only imagine how difficult of a change this will be for you. Changing my diet to avoid gestational diabetes was difficult. I pray that you can find the foods that will appeal to you and fill you while at the same time keeping your numbers on target. You can do this and when you find yourself struggling, pray and find peace in Him.

It's a matter of life and death. You just have to do it. Easy for me to say huh? Can't even get off the Pepsi.

As a widower of a diabetic please for your self and your family keep your numbers right and eat what your supposed to. You cannot take your medicine and eat what you want. You must eat what keeps your blood sugar regulated. YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!!
Jimmy

Thank you everyone. I do appreciate your prayers and concerns.
The past couple days were rough, the meds. made me sick to my stomach some. That and I get so tired at times. I don't have a monitor yet, still waiting to hear about my classes. I am eating exactly what is on the list, when, and how much. Today has been easier so far. Feeling better. Not as thirsty, either.
I know it is serious. I appreciate your words, Jimmy. I do understand that and will do my best. That is one of the main reasons I want to live,not for myself, but so my husband will not be alone, and I don't want my daughter and grandson to go thru life missing me like I miss my parents ! I want to spare them the heartache, if possible. I know that God will help me. I also believe He knows when I will die, but I still am not going to be foolish.
I will start participating in the other Bible study threads when I am able. This is just taking a little time to get adjusted.
God's blessings and best for each of you !

Lucy...it WILL get easier. And, when you get your moniter in it will help you a lot. Modern technology has helped tremindously in living with diabetes. It use to be very difficult for a diabetic to maintain proper insulin levels...now you can know for sure what they are quite painlessly. They also use to put a newly diagnosed diabetic in the hospital for weeks until they got them leveled out...so, as difficult as it is, I am thankful that you have these things to help. We will all continue to remember you in our prayers!

Lucy my wife would go on binges where she would eat a ton of sweets and starches then try to regulate with Insulin she took 50 +units of U 3 times a day then the R on a sliding scale which is quick acting. I have a friend I work with just had a heart attack brought on partly because he ate sweets and tried to regulate his sugar with pills have another friend a lady we have known for awhile. She takes Lantis I don't know the amount but she will eat cake and Ice cream and cookies then double up on the Lantis (sp). Another friend called me a week or so back and ask have you talked yo Annmrie? I said no she has her phone off and never returns call. He said he was having lunch with her while she took her sugar he said he liked to have fell out when he saw her level was almost 500 and she was eating a sweet roll. He said when he made a comment about it she said I know but by 2:00 in the morning I will bottom out so I have to. Hate to say it but I have seen this a lot I am from a family of diabetics on both sides. What I think annmarie is doing is when she eats all the stuff she is not supposed to eat then she takes her Insulin. By the time the Insulin has time to work the sugar from all the bad stuff has worked it's way through her then the Insulin makes her go low. This is some bad stuff don't mean to scare you but this is what I know happens. If your sleepy could be your body is adjusting to your meds. when you get your machine you will be able to stay straight on everything. Just try not to go on binges like my wife did and Annmarie does.
Praying you will get yours regulated. Most Docotors otr clinics here give you the monitor and show you how to use it at their office when thye put you on your meds.
Jimmy

Lucy - your tiredness also could still be from the elevated blood sugar. Extremes in either direction will cause sleepiness and it takes time to regulate it.

Thank you,4Ruddy, Jimmy, and mrsmessy. Today was easier. I am just hungry mostly at night, even though I have my snack. This is the hardest time of the day.
I promise, I will not binge like that. I am going to have a tiny 2 inch square piece of bday cake on Thursday. It is my grandbabies first birthday and the next day is my bday. My daughter is having a bday party. I am being truthful about it.
Other than that, I will be good. It is not the sweet stuff that is bothering me. I want more meat than I can have. Three ounces twice a day is not much. Do you know what three ounces looks like ?
The prayers of everyone is so helpful and I truly appreciate each one !

I would have a hard time with that also Lucy! I can live without sweets anytime...but don't be messin with my meat & tators! And, I love every veggies there is! I think you are doing really good so far and as long as you have the right attitude...that is half the battle! Hang in there...we are rootin for ya!

Lucy I would just bet that Vanessa could help you out with some cake and cookie recipes for diabetic's also pretty sure sheri Bestofour could too. They are both nurses. and Merme I am sure would have some recipes for diabetics. God bless and keep you and guide you on this journey.
Jimmy