Getting better Acquainted

CPerkins

CPerkins

I'm new here and thought I would share a little about myself and I hope that others will as well.

I was born in Seattle at the Fort Lawton Army hospital. It's not an active base any longer. Dad was in Taiwan at the time serving in the Air force. I was a bit of a trouble maker from birth. At the time mom lived with her parents.

Dad came into my life a year later. I didn't know this stranger and sure didn't want to share mom. I would climb out of my crib and make a real mess of things (still like to make a mess of things ;)) . I'm told that one time I checked if dad's high school yearbooks could swim. I'm told that I would climb bookcases and get places that amazed them.

Shortly after dad returned the family was shipped to Little Rock, Arkansas where my sister and a brother was born. Later we moved to Bangor Maine, not sure which Air Force base it was. We also spent 3 years in the Frankfurt, Germany area. In 1966, dad retired from the Air Force. We flew to New York City and drove cross country to the Seattle, Washington area.

Mom and dad wanted to settle down. We had a small farm in a rented house. Mom raised approx. 100 head of goat, also had chickens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. My grandfather's farm was nearby. He had about 40 head of cow. I grew up milking the cows twice a day, feeding the hay, checking the water troughs, cleaning out the stables, bucking hay. I was a young boy when I started. Sometimes I had to separate the milk. Usually I took one or two gallons of whole milk home each day. We used it all.

From the age of 13 - 18, I went with my grandfather every summer to Leavenworth in eastern Washington. There he had 200 acres of alfalfa which we raised, cut, raked, bailed and bucked. It was dirty work getting up at about 6 am each morning and working until roughly 11 pm each day. I remember learning to drive a truck and an old Ferguson tractor. While it was hard work it was great fun for a teenager and granddad paid me $80 for a summer. That was big money for a teenager in those days.

From a young age I bought my own school clothes. I was able to get a few odd jobs even though there weren't many neighbors. I could count on my hand the neighbors, I had in a five mile radius. Now this same neighborhood is crowded with homes. I still remember the nearly 1,000 acres of wooded land and streams that had been formerly owned by the B&O Coal Mining which closed down in 1963. There were a lot of wooded areas and streams back then. Unfortunately there was the coal mine, it's many airshafts and an abandoned coal bunker. Naturally these all had to be explored, climbed on and otherwise inspected by young boys. I must have walked at least a mile underground without letting my parents know.

That's enough to chew on for now.
 
Growing up I enjoyed hard work and there were lots of rewards to country living. We never had to worry about locking the door in those days. We had fresh eggs, fresh bread, fresh milk, we churned our own butter and ice cream. I spent many hours in the woods exploring. It was a great life for an inquisitive boy and his brother.

Grandfather worked at a Safeway maintenance facility repairing the trucks. He often had access to a truck load of potatoes or bread. For a time he had hogs and they could go through a truckload of potatoes in a hurry. I remember eating pineapple in everything so much in fact that I wouldn't eat pineapple for a lot of years.

My first experience with church was when I was about 10 years old. A neighbor (only about 1 mile away) invited me to their church. I believe it was a Baptist church. I went one week by myself with his family. After that my parents took our family. We went to that Baptist church 2-3 times and then attended several other different churches. My parents finally settled on a Worldwide Church of God church which I attended into my 20's. It was at that time I became a prodigal child without the money :( or much sense either.

God had many things to teach me. I never gave up on God, but I gave up on fellowship.
 
Wow thanks for sharing.
I had a very different childhood.

I was born the second of four children in West Auckland. At the time when they got married dad bought the house here cos it was cheap - loads of new houses and cheaper land as the orchards were turning into suburbia and wanted his own home. He had job at the NZ Herald making up the layout for the newspaper, which was done at night, so he was home during the day.

Mum came from Hong Kong where it's so very crowded so having this whole house to live in was a dream come true for her. The land wasn't so good though, the developers took all the good top soil away and left everyone with only a thin amount to grow a lawn. No way could we keep any cow, milk was delivered to our letterbox in the mornings with a token system.

We had a cat, then several neighbours cats came and stayed and I remember being a crazy cat lover. I looked after them as family too. My mum sponsored her family to come over to NZ and so a chain migration started. They came over and got married and had families of their own so I had many cousins living near me. Because my mum had not much opportunity in Hong Kong for a higher education she was the one who was kind of 'tiger mom' about everyone going to university.

I just wanted to leave school get a job and earn money and not be dependent, but I was not allowed! So further years of study were ahead for me and I got very stressed out by it all! From all the stress, I got very ill in my sixth form year but managed to pass, get a bursary (only $200) and get into uni, and mum paid it all. She worked to pay for all our higher education, for all of us which was thousands of dollars! She did cleaning at the hospital, and later after being made redundant got a job sewing dolls at a factory. My dad was made redundant from his newspaper job and that was a hard time for the family for a while, until he found another steady one at the post office.

I managed to earn some pocket money working at my uncle's takeaway, and also had summer jobs at mum's factory, and did cleaning. When I graduated I worked at university library, my career was going to be a librarian. I loved books and dad would take us to the library and mobile library came round every tuesday after school. I was always reading. However, finding a decent library job was not easy, even after I earned my masters. I stayed as a library assistant for years as management wouldn't recognise my qualification, and all the jobs would go to the older librarians who didn't retire, and there were not many jobs going round. I worked in public libraries for many years (and it was closer to home, I never liked commuting into the city to work).

By then dad had paid off the mortgage and I had a full time job mum put lots of pressure on me to buy my own place, but I liked my childhood home too much to think of moving out, and it was super expensive by then, so me and my brothers pulled together to buy another house in Auckland. After that was all paid for I quit my job and went and did other things and travelled etc but I pulled out of that house because I didn't want to live there, (it's in family trust, my brothers live there) I stayed with my parents and found another local job. In Auckland house prices were constantly going up but I wanted to stay in my area and forge community there, not constantly look around for something bigger and better, or more likely, live in a shoebox apartment! Or sell up and ship out. I wanted roots and not to live in someone else's home or be renting. So I made a garden (am still making it) and that's where I hope to stay. Not easy as we have clay soil! I now have my dream job as a school librarian, and only have to walk 20 minutes to get there.

God had appointed the times and places for me and I thank Him that I'm able to to grow where He has planted me.
 
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I've come to understand that God had various lessons he wanted me to learn.

One of my earliest jobs was running a small stamp and coin shop. Dad had been an avid stamp collector all of my life and he learned it from his father. I came to enjoy collecting stamps and a few coins as well. Nothing of real value, just a hobby. This brought me to the attention of a stamp shop which had a help wanted poster in the window. In the course of time an opportunity came to share and teach this hobby at some nursing homes.

As a young man I was apart of Junior Achievement program and won a free scholarship opportunity to attend a Dale Carnegie course in effective public speaking, I don't remember the name of the course now. I also joined a church spokesman's club that taught public speaking skills. I was grateful years later in life that I learned these skills at a young age. I remember as part of the course we learned memory techniques and how to stop worrying.

Most of those that I was close to at a young age were much older than me. Several people will always stand out in my life for various reasons. There was a church elder who stood by my side even when a minister and many others would have nothing to do with me. He was my father's age and his encouragement and support in a time of trouble were comforting. I was experiencing trouble not of my own making, this elder knew I needed someone and he was there. It was a time when I thought I knew God, but I really had not come to know him yet.

Another individual had MS. I worked with him for a time and he took me under his wing and taught me many things. I watched him as his MS worsened over time, he developed prostate cancer and started a regimen of first different pain pills and progressed to various pain cocktails. It was a slow process and I tried to visit as often as I could. I was young and unmarried yet. Eventually he passed away. I will always remember our talks and the apple pie with cheddar cheese melted on top.

There were many others I came to know a lot of which have passed away.
 
Lanolin said:
I had a very different childhood.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your childhood experience. I believe it helps for all Christians to come to know one another. It is hard to practice love without knowledge.

I'm also an avid reader. As a youth it was mostly fiction and of that mostly Science Fiction. I've always enjoyed math and sciences. Today I still have a fascination with math. I also enjoy ancient history, travel, architecture and all things home improvement. Most of the time is spent in bible related studies and so reading other books these days is a slower process. So I tend to be more choosy about the books I read outside of the Bible.
 
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Int
Lanolin said:
Wow thanks for sharing.
I had a very different childhood.

I was born the second of four children in West Auckland. At the time when they got married dad bought the house here cos it was cheap - loads of new houses and cheaper land as the orchards were turning into suburbia and wanted his own home. He had job at the NZ Herald making up the layout for the newspaper, which was done at night, so he was home during the day.

Mum came from Hong Kong where it's so very crowded so having this whole house to live in was a dream come true for her. The land wasn't so good though, the developers took all the good top soil away and left everyone with only a thin amount to grow a lawn. No way could we keep any cow, milk was delivered to our letterbox in the mornings with a token system.

We had a cat, then several neighbours cats came and stayed and I remember being a crazy cat lover. I looked after them as family too. My mum sponsored her family to come over to NZ and so a chain migration started. They came over and got married and had families of their own so I had many cousins living near me. Because my mum had not much opportunity in Hong Kong for a higher education she was the one who was kind of 'tiger mom' about everyone going to university.

I just wanted to leave school get a job and earn money and not be dependent, but I was not allowed! So further years of study were ahead for me and I got very stressed out by it all! From all the stress, I got very ill in my sixth form year but managed to pass, get a bursary (only $200) and get into uni, and mum paid it all. She worked to pay for all our higher education, for all of us which was thousands of dollars! She did cleaning at the hospital, and later after being made redundant got a job sewing dolls at a factory. My dad was made redundant from his newspaper job and that was a hard time for the family for a while, until he found another steady one at the post office.

I managed to earn some pocket money working at my uncle's takeaway, and also had summer jobs at mum's factory, and did cleaning. When I graduated I worked at university library, my career was going to be a librarian. I loved books and dad would take us to the library and mobile library came round every tuesday after school. I was always reading. However, finding a decent library job was not easy, even after I earned my masters. I stayed as a library assistant for years as management wouldn't recognise my qualification, and all the jobs would go to the older librarians who didn't retire, and there were not many jobs going round. I worked in public libraries for many years (and it was closer to home, I never liked commuting into the city to work).

By then dad had paid off the mortgage and I had a full time job mum put lots of pressure on me to buy my own place, but I liked my childhood home too much to think of moving out, and it was super expensive by then, so me and my brothers pulled together to buy another house in Auckland. After that was all paid for I quit my job and went and did other things and travelled etc but I pulled out of that house because I didn't want to live there, (it's in family trust, my brothers live there) I stayed with my parents and found another local job. In Auckland house prices were constantly going up but I wanted to stay in my area and forge community there, not constantly look around for something bigger and better, or more likely, live in a shoebox apartment! Or sell up and ship out. I wanted roots and not to live in someone else's home or be renting. So I made a garden (am still making it) and that's where I hope to stay. Not easy as we have clay soil! I now have my dream job as a school librarian, and only have to walk 20 minutes to get there.

God had appointed the times and places for me and I thank Him that I'm able to to grow where He has planted m
Click to expand...

Interesting words. What do you mean by "... dad was made redundant."?

rtm
 
CPerkins said:
I've come to understand that God had various lessons he wanted me to learn.

One of my earliest jobs was running a small stamp and coin shop. Dad had been an avid stamp collector all of my life and he learned it from his father. I came to enjoy collecting stamps and a few coins as well. Nothing of real value, just a hobby. This brought me to the attention of a stamp shop which had a help wanted poster in the window. In the course of time an opportunity came to share and teach this hobby at some nursing homes.

As a young man I was apart of Junior Achievement program and won a free scholarship opportunity to attend a Dale Carnegie course in effective public speaking, I don't remember the name of the course now. I also joined a church spokesman's club that taught public speaking skills. I was grateful years later in life that I learned these skills at a young age. I remember as part of the course we learned memory techniques and how to stop worrying.

Most of those that I was close to at a young age were much older than me. Several people will always stand out in my life for various reasons. There was a church elder who stood by my side even when a minister and many others would have nothing to do with me. He was my father's age and his encouragement and support in a time of trouble were comforting. I was experiencing trouble not of my own making, this elder knew I needed someone and he was there. It was a time when I thought I knew God, but I really had not come to know him yet.

Another individual had MS. I worked with him for a time and he took me under his wing and taught me many things. I watched him as his MS worsened over time, he developed prostate cancer and started a regimen of first different pain pills and progressed to various pain cocktails. It was a slow process and I tried to visit as often as I could. I was young and unmarried yet. Eventually he passed away. I will always remember our talks and the apple pie with cheddar cheese melted on top.

There were many others I came to know a lot of which have passed away.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of your story.

Rtm
 
I'll never forget several ladies (young at heart less young in body). One of them thought I was handsome. My head almost swelled so big I couldn't get through the door. Didn't take much though to reveal that the women my age had there sights on those truly handsome.

One lady I saw at the nursing home. She was maybe 5 1/2 feet tall and weighed no more than 80 pounds. It was said to see her like that. She had been so spry , but cancer can so quickly take someone. It was only a short time after that visit she passed away. I remember how cheerful she was at the time. I think I got more comfort in visiting her than anyone could give.
 
Most of my life I worked in accounting in some form or another. But before that happened God just knew I needed some other experience first.

After the stamp shop. I took several sales jobs. One of these sales jobs had me refreshing bathroom air sanitizers. It also had me cleaning bathroom fixtures. There's just nothing like chipping away at encrusted urinal that a 24 percent hydrochloric acid solution won't touch. I was a young man that on a good week was making about $300 and on a bad week about $200. Not a bad income at the time.

After that job which lasted 3 years, I quit over a misunderstanding, Namely I miss understood the job I was hired to do. I was newly married to my first wife and the extensive travel required for this sales job was hampering that relationship. I asked for a reduction in work and I was going to sell new customers on the need for air sanitizers and restroom cleaning. I did sell a number of machines and got some extra work. Problem is I never renegotiated my job and I didn't receive what I expected. I realized to late that this wasn't going to work out now.

For a short time I attempted to sell overpriced vacuum cleaners, what an experience that was. Never again.

It was at that time while drawing unemployment that I got assistance to take classes in accounting at a Vocational Technical School. I got my Bookkeeping certificate and I was ready to conquer the world. After much looking though, I discovered the world wasn't ready for me yet. I decided on a new tactic, a friend was in need of full charge bookkeeper. The previous one had embezzled and left a disorganized mess of paperwork. I told the company I would work one week for free, then they could decide if I was right for the job. For anyone in accounting they will know that I was entering the bookkeeping field in a trial of fire. The records that existed were all hand recorded. There were lots of missing records. My boss wanted everything recorded in Quickbooks. I did get the records in order though it didn't happen overnight. I converted the company from it's then cash basis to an accrual basis. Sorry if I lost some. I was hired full time and was excited to learn that I would be making a good wage and by the way it was a monthly check. I would see my first check in roughly 3 weeks and it would be for half a month. Ouch. Took awhile getting use to a monthly check.

Three years later that company was struggling. It was a painting company and they had took on way to many government jobs. There is a thin margin of roughly 7-9% profit on government work if bid correctly. The work is highly competitive and so one must sharpen their pencils to have a chance. Sometimes though one misses things in preparing the bid. That happened on one job in particular. In public building contracts there is a required 10% retainage that is not paid until all things have been finally approved. That happens to be all the profit plus. Invoicing is monthly at a prescribed time based on completion. The first month nearly all the materials are purchased and varying amounts of the labor used. The first payment for a job takes roughly 90 days if there were no problems with the billing. I think you can see the problem now.

Cashflow was always a struggle, but finally the company had to file bankruptcy. As the accountant I had to stick around to the bitter end. There were several months though that I received no paycheck. Ouch. It was during this time I lost my first wife as well. Double ouch. Other troubles came as well that made all that seem like a walk in the park.

It was during this time that I walked away from the church. God was still in my heart, but I was disillusioned by somethings that happened. It was a trying time. I thought I had faith, but in the crunch I fell on my face. Thankfully one elder maintained contact with me and he was by my side several years until he was unable to do more due to illness. God knew I needed to stand on my own two feet.
 
A number of years passed before I met my wife. We've been married now 23 years. I have a daughter and my wife has a daughter both roughly the same age. My daughter has two girls and a boy. My wife's daughter has two boys and a girl. The two oldest of the grandchildren are reaching an age that they may be leaving home.

Shortly after meeting my wife, I went back to school and got my bachelor's in Accounting. That's a BS in accounting. For a year I studied so I could take the CPA (Certified Public Accounting) license. Fortunately I passed the first time around. I'm told that only 25% pass the first time and roughly the same pass the second time around.

While getting my education, I had to work. I decided to work for a larger company. The first was a custom cabinet maker and I worked as a fixed asset accountant there until they moved their plant. It was just going to be to far to drive. I was already driving 30+ miles to work in rush hour and this would be adding another 15 miles in rush hour both ways.

It was on to another job. This was a medical device company, owned by a Pharmaceutical. I worked in an accounts payable position sharing the alphabet with two others. I hit the magic number of three and was laid off. The company had been sold and they were downsizing. I was downsized with it. I felt probably 3 foot tall and I was in need of another job.

A month later I was working at custom blind manufacturer. It was an interesting job and once again I was a full charge bookkeeper. This was a fascinating job, but it didn't last. I had passed my CPA exam and was hoping to work possibly two jobs for awhile. In order to get the CPA license at that time it was necessary to have 1 year of work experience and to pass a background check. My employer just wasn't going for it so off I went looking again.

I found a job quickly enough at a tax resolution CPA firm. What an experience. I was responsible for several hundred clients in various stages of dealing with the IRS. Since I was not yet a CPA their were certain dealings that I couldn't yet do. Most of the work with the client and even the IRS service center I could do. I lasted there about a 6 months and found another CPA firm were I could learn auditing work. The firm I chose worked with Low income housing certifications. I was learning real accounting work. I stayed for about 1 year. I learned the meaning of a sweat shop. It was well enough paid but the hours necessary were amazing. It was not unusually to put in more than 60 hours a week.

I moved on to several other firms until I went into business for myself. That was the best decision I could have made. I worked from home and most of my clients were scattered across the country. 90 percent of my clients were real estate investors and I was handling their taxes and for some their books.
 
CPerkins said:
A number of years passed before I met my wife. We've been married now 23 years. I have a daughter and my wife has a daughter both roughly the same age. My daughter has two girls and a boy. My wife's daughter has two boys and a girl. The two oldest of the grandchildren are reaching an age that they may be leaving home.

Shortly after meeting my wife, I went back to school and got my bachelor's in Accounting. That's a BS in accounting. For a year I studied so I could take the CPA (Certified Public Accounting) license. Fortunately I passed the first time around. I'm told that only 25% pass the first time and roughly the same pass the second time around.

While getting my education, I had to work. I decided to work for a larger company. The first was a custom cabinet maker and I worked as a fixed asset accountant there until they moved their plant. It was just going to be to far to drive. I was already driving 30+ miles to work in rush hour and this would be adding another 15 miles in rush hour both ways.

It was on to another job. This was a medical device company, owned by a Pharmaceutical. I worked in an accounts payable position sharing the alphabet with two others. I hit the magic number of three and was laid off. The company had been sold and they were downsizing. I was downsized with it. I felt probably 3 foot tall and I was in need of another job.

A month later I was working at custom blind manufacturer. It was an interesting job and once again I was a full charge bookkeeper. This was a fascinating job, but it didn't last. I had passed my CPA exam and was hoping to work possibly two jobs for awhile. In order to get the CPA license at that time it was necessary to have 1 year of work experience and to pass a background check. My employer just wasn't going for it so off I went looking again.

I found a job quickly enough at a tax resolution CPA firm. What an experience. I was responsible for several hundred clients in various stages of dealing with the IRS. Since I was not yet a CPA their were certain dealings that I couldn't yet do. Most of the work with the client and even the IRS service center I could do. I lasted there about a 6 months and found another CPA firm were I could learn auditing work. The firm I chose worked with Low income housing certifications. I was learning real accounting work. I stayed for about 1 year. I learned the meaning of a sweat shop. It was well enough paid but the hours necessary were amazing. It was not unusually to put in more than 60 hours a week.

I moved on to several other firms until I went into business for myself. That was the best decision I could have made. I worked from home and most of my clients were scattered across the country. 90 percent of my clients were real estate investors and I was handling their taxes and for some their books.
Click to expand...
Your life is a real "page turner." And ....?
 
rtm3039 said:
Your life is a real "page turner." And ....?
Click to expand...

Honestly, many of us have stories to tell. Our Christian adventures and misadventures could be helpful to others still coming to know God Almighty. God is ever so merciful, so patient, so gentle and loving.

He has picked me up, sprayed me clean after soaking me awhile in the dung heap and he has done miraculous things that probably only I would believe. It can be humbling, but it is also comforting to know that God truly cares for each of us even though we really are so insignificant.
 
Let's see where are we.

Working for myself was a blessing. Though I had the toughest three bosses ever (myself, my wife and all my customers), I had more flexibility in my work schedule, had no commute to the office and my pay was dependent on my efforts and God's blessings.

About 10 years ago. God finally brought me to rock bottom. I had become steeped in my success, we had a nice house, nice things, we traveled a lot. Life was good until it wasn't.

I'm not going to go through details of the hardest trial of my life. It wasn't pretty and many suffered around me as well. I was separated from wife and wasn't sure when we could see each other again. I had little. I lost my business, contact with my clients. I was in a position where I thought perhaps God should just let me die. At least my wife would have the life insurance money.

God was shaking me up. For four years I struggled like this. Since God didn't allow me to die I figured he had other things he wanted to accomplish in me. I spent a great deal of time in bible study and prayer. I asked God for the hunger and thirst I needed to strive for righteousness. I questioned everything that I knew about God and God's way.

These questions helped direct me to God's answers out of his own word. I learned so much in those days, weeks, months and years. The greatest gift God gave though was an understanding of what faith is and is not. God helped me to exercise the faith that God gave. God helped me to better understanding the nature of love, hope, mercy, judgment, etc.

During this time, I found others to share occasional bible studies, but few stuck around. I attended church again and met some wonderful people. I also met a couple of pastors that inspired other conversations. One pastor in particular we couldn't meet in person, but we wrote long letters to one another. I had contacted him a year earlier and the letter went to the wrong address. He finally received it when someone brought a bag of mail to the new church location. My letter had been lost and unopened for a year, yet God made sure it got to him.

I put my trust in God and was disappointed several times, not that God wasn't answering, because I became quite aware that he was, but because I learned I had to wait. Four years is not a particularly long wait, but it was a hard wait on me and my family especially. I lost many friends and contacts during this time, even some family support. I learned though the value of true friendship, trust and commitment.

I wish I felt comfortable sharing more of the amazing things God did in this time and others, but some things are just so personal and it is not right to share details that may hurt or offend another if possible. I will say this I was looking for a key word KJV bible during this time and was doing these bible studies for a couple of years. Then I got this letter in the mail, asking if I would like a bible and if so, which translation. I marked KJV. I got a second letter, the letter asked me to select some optional features for the bible. One of these was a KJV key word study bible and it was to be in black leather. God had known my heart's desire and provided for me. There were times I was hungry and God provided in interesting ways as well.

One element of love is commitment. My wife and I made it through this ordeal. We are stronger together today. Most important God is very much apart of our lives. I'm grateful for the trials that have richly blessed us even though they were quite painful when going through them.
 
CPerkins said:
Let's see where are we.

Working for myself was a blessing. Though I had the toughest three bosses ever (myself, my wife and all my customers), I had more flexibility in my work schedule, had no commute to the office and my pay was dependent on my efforts and God's blessings.

About 10 years ago. God finally brought me to rock bottom. I had become steeped in my success, we had a nice house, nice things, we traveled a lot. Life was good until it wasn't.

I'm not going to go through details of the hardest trial of my life. It wasn't pretty and many suffered around me as well. I was separated from wife and wasn't sure when we could see each other again. I had little. I lost my business, contact with my clients. I was in a position where I thought perhaps God should just let me die. At least my wife would have the life insurance money.

God was shaking me up. For four years I struggled like this. Since God didn't allow me to die I figured he had other things he wanted to accomplish in me. I spent a great deal of time in bible study and prayer. I asked God for the hunger and thirst I needed to strive for righteousness. I questioned everything that I knew about God and God's way.

These questions helped direct me to God's answers out of his own word. I learned so much in those days, weeks, months and years. The greatest gift God gave though was an understanding of what faith is and is not. God helped me to exercise the faith that God gave. God helped me to better understanding the nature of love, hope, mercy, judgment, etc.

During this time, I found others to share occasional bible studies, but few stuck around. I attended church again and met some wonderful people. I also met a couple of pastors that inspired other conversations. One pastor in particular we couldn't meet in person, but we wrote long letters to one another. I had contacted him a year earlier and the letter went to the wrong address. He finally received it when someone brought a bag of mail to the new church location. My letter had been lost and unopened for a year, yet God made sure it got to him.

I put my trust in God and was disappointed several times, not that God wasn't answering, because I became quite aware that he was, but because I learned I had to wait. Four years is not a particularly long wait, but it was a hard wait on me and my family especially. I lost many friends and contacts during this time, even some family support. I learned though the value of true friendship, trust and commitment.

I wish I felt comfortable sharing more of the amazing things God did in this time and others, but some things are just so personal and it is not right to share details that may hurt or offend another if possible. I will say this I was looking for a key word KJV bible during this time and was doing these bible studies for a couple of years. Then I got this letter in the mail, asking if I would like a bible and if so, which translation. I marked KJV. I got a second letter, the letter asked me to select some optional features for the bible. One of these was a KJV key word study bible and it was to be in black leather. God had known my heart's desire and provided for me. There were times I was hungry and God provided in interesting ways as well.

One element of love is commitment. My wife and I made it through this ordeal. We are stronger together today. Most important God is very much apart of our lives. I'm grateful for the trials that have richly blessed us even though they were quite painful when going through them.
Click to expand...
In my journey, I have gone through a couple of different Bibles. I started out with KJV, but ended up with NRSV. I lost my faith, what little I had, in my early teens and it took close to 50 years to finally answer the knock on the door. Actually, God got tired of knocking, so he pretty much just blew the hinges off the door.

The church I belong to has an approach that includes small study groups. They do this, as we are over 10,000 strong and the idea is that small groups make a big church smaller. I am a member of the volunteer security team for the church, so we have our own small group. This has not gone as well as I would have liked.

Our first study group fell apart in Biblical fashion. It was headed by the head of the church's security team (we have 6 campuses and close to 100 volunteers). Something happened with him, which included his termination and physically escorting from the property. This started a riff between the church and those loyal to him. To date, I do not know what happened. This riff got so bad that the church decided to terminate the small group, by not allowing us to meet on church property. I use the word "us," but I had already decided to leave the team, as I was there for God and not the person he chose to lead the team.

Shortly before the desolation, the church had hired a new security manager and we started a new bible study group. There is harmony in this group but not a great deal of dedication. Prior to C19, we met on Tuesday at church; however, it was not infrequent for only 2 - 3 people to meet. After C19, we started to meet via Zoom, but participation was about the same. We stopped meeting in early December, but scheduled to resume in the new year.

I love the team and love the group, but have to admit that there is not much learning involved. We basically read a selection (usually 1 - 2 verses followed by a short discussion that is unorganized and superficial. I actually feel that I am better off doing this my myself, but I lack the knowledge to do myself any justice. On many occasions, by discussions here are way better (I tap on Major quite a bit, as well as my moderator family).

Rtm
 
rtm3039 said:
In my journey, I have gone through a couple of different Bibles. I started out with KJV, but ended up with NRSV. I lost my faith, what little I had, in my early teens and it took close to 50 years to finally answer the knock on the door. Actually, God got tired of knocking, so he pretty much just blew the hinges off the door.

The church I belong to has an approach that includes small study groups. They do this, as we are over 10,000 strong and the idea is that small groups make a big church smaller. I am a member of the volunteer security team for the church, so we have our own small group. This has not gone as well as I would have liked.

Our first study group fell apart in Biblical fashion. It was headed by the head of the church's security team (we have 6 campuses and close to 100 volunteers). Something happened with him, which included his termination and physically escorting from the property. This started a riff between the church and those loyal to him. To date, I do not know what happened. This riff got so bad that the church decided to terminate the small group, by not allowing us to meet on church property. I use the word "us," but I had already decided to leave the team, as I was there for God and not the person he chose to lead the team.

Shortly before the desolation, the church had hired a new security manager and we started a new bible study group. There is harmony in this group but not a great deal of dedication. Prior to C19, we met on Tuesday at church; however, it was not infrequent for only 2 - 3 people to meet. After C19, we started to meet via Zoom, but participation was about the same. We stopped meeting in early December, but scheduled to resume in the new year.

I love the team and love the group, but have to admit that there is not much learning involved. We basically read a selection (usually 1 - 2 verses followed by a short discussion that is unorganized and superficial. I actually feel that I am better off doing this my myself, but I lack the knowledge to do myself any justice. On many occasions, by discussions here are way better (I tap on Major quite a bit, as well as my moderator family).

Rtm
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Thanks for sharing. There is a wealth of experience, knowledge and understanding here.

I chose the KJV of the bible, but I did use the NIV for a number of years. These days I also study the Hebrew and Greek as well. Not to read it, I'm more into understanding the grammar and doing word studies at this time. When or if I do take on one of these languages it will be Greek. Hebrew is such a foreign concept for the Western mind. My wife would probably do better with it having been raised speaking and thinking in Mandarin Chinese.
 
Lanolin said:
His job was cut.
The newspaper was heading toward computer automation and they didn't need so many workers, and they didn't want to train up everyone.
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Technology and automation has affected many jobs over the years here in the U.S. as well. It is one of the hazards of working for a larger company these days. Gone are the days when one might expect to retire from a job after 30-40 years. There are some of these jobs, but most employees and employers are just not that loyal anymore.
 
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