Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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We do Santa Claus because it is fun with the tree and all...but that is the sum of it..
The kids get a charge out of it
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I agree Lisa .. who doesn't like Santa and all those presents!
How are the floods in S.D., has the sun come out yet? I know my son's backyard in La Mesa is completely under water.
Bren
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Poor San Diego,
It is almost bankrupt and now flooding. I remember one very wet year when I lived in San Diego. All of the dry springs started flowing. Many of these springs had been dry for so long that soil engineers had no record of them. It was quite a surprise for many homeowners when the springs appeared in the lower levels of split level homes. I am certain the San Diego River is now flowing through Mission Valley. Here's hoping they have dry weather for the next couple of weeks.
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it is amazing what they have done to get the stadium ready for the pointsettia bowl tonight. the before and after pix are stunning...they say in two days we got half of our annual rainfall...my son lives on the La Mesa, El Cajon line; another up in Scripps Ranch and we are up a hilll in Bonita..but driving places is still a chore, lots of closed roads and mud..At least we pumped water out of the pool so it didn't overflow..No rain today, but mostly cloudy and cool for here..
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Hi all, another newly diagnosed atheist here :-) Lots of people praying for me though, lol. Oh well, I guess it makes my friends feel better even though I, personally, prefer to rely on the skill and knowledge of my doctors.
I did have afternnon tea with the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Baron Runcie, and his wife on a couple of occasions so maybe that will help me out if I am proven wong ;-)
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Had to vent a bit today and get it off my chest. (probably not the best saying after breast cancer). SIL made the mistake of mentioning my BIL's nosy questions in an email. I could see DH cringe because he knew the sarcastic comments to come. Then I just looked at DH and said, bad time of year. Lots of memories this time of year of diagnosis and surgery starting chemo etc. Told DH guess I haven't forgotten BIL chastising me after finding out about my BrCA. I really needed to keep the info private for a long time after my diagnosis. Had a hard enough time dealing with my own emotions. BIL and wife are VERY "religious." So, several weeks later when he heard about it as we told more people he had the nerve to send me an email chastising me for not telling him about it. Told me how wrong it was not have called and told him about it, and to ignore the help that their prayers had to offer me. Still does tick me off. I've never ridiculed him for believing, I do not get why my lack of belief can't get the same respect.
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kmmd .. just makes you wonder what the hell is going on in other peoples' minds! Why won't people just accept our differences and leave it at that.
Sending you a big hug today,
Bren
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kmmd ... sounds like you need me to send you one of my bumper stickers. If you'd like I could send you two & you could pass one on to your BIL and ;-)
Edit to add: FWIW, it never bothers me if people say they are praying for me. I say, beat a drum, light a candle, talk to "Mother Earth", whatever works for you.
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Thanks you guys. Bec, I really like that bumper sticker, that is great
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It's a cool sticker. I saw it on someone's car years ago and just had to ask them where they got it. I ordered 20, lol, and have given away a few so I really do have extras.
Okay - changing horses ...
It started snowing here Christmas night. Yesterday morning we woke to about 6 - 8 inches of snow. It is sooooo beautiful! Yesterday my sexy hubby and I went for a walk and I just have to share some pics with you guys.
This one is in the little town we live outside of ...
The little creek in my backyard ...
My deck & patio are covered!
Trees in my "hood" ...
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Bec .. what amazing pics! Just beautiful. The wind has really come up today though .. it's so cold and making little snow tornadoes!
Bren
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Bec - wow, thanks for the awesome photos! I have only seen snow 3 or 4 times in my life and can only imagine how beautiful the reality of your photos must be.
Oooo Bren - the wind just makes everything colder doesn't it? Hope it eases for you soon. We have been having fine days with mid 80s temps and high humidity but today we have a storm with high winds although we seems to be getting less of a hammering than was predicted - it is still warm though. Meant to pass quickly and be fine again tomorrow - hope so.
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Glad you guys liked the pics! Bren, my 14 year old called me to the window to check out the "snow blizzard" created by the wind yesterday. Very cool, no pun intended.
Well, it's back to work today. :-( The roads were mostly clear so no problem driving.
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I always get frightened when a doctor or nurse says, "I'll pray for you."
I want to say, "That's all you got?"
When my mother was in Hospice, we were in a bible belt area, and the chaplain was not able to offer more than religious "comfort." When I asked the Hospice social worker for someone who may off my mother guidance in managing her fears, she said to me, "No God, no comfort."
I don't believe that. I needed comfort too, and she did the opposite.
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Sofie, that so goes against the whole idea of hospice, how awful. Did I ever mention that my husband is used to me saying sometimes "good thing I don't believe in hell, I might picture them in a real warm place." Usually followed by "I sure hope there isn't anyway, that thought just might end me up there." Then I usually end up thinking that my Catholic upbringing is showing and to stop being superstitious.
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sofiekatz - I am sorry that happened to you and your Mum. It is a sad day for mankind when anyone has so little compassion for others that they cannot offer emotional comfort and support to people in distress let alone an organisation that purports to offer those things to the dying and their relatives. Shame on them. I hope that the physical care your mother received was not compromised in the same way.
kmmd - I find myself thinking in exactly the same way at times - very hard to get that early brain-washing out of your consciousness isn't it?
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SofieKatz,
I volunteer at a hospice in the Ozarks, real bible belt country. I can tell you that the woman who said that was violating the spirit and the letter of hospice rules. All beliefs and lack of belief is respected in hospice. Please file a complaint against that woman if you know her name even if it has been years since the incident. What a b*tch.
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Bec, cool pics of snow in NC. We used to only see that in the springtime. And I love that COEXIST bumper sticker. It's probably the most common one here in Boulder, CO. My lone bumper sticker, though, says DUKE.
Anne
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Geez .. I wish it would just snow or the sun come out. The constant grey is getting to me. I need some sunshine on my face. I'm so ready for springtime!
Hope everyone is doing well,
Bren
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Maybe the reason I love S. Cal so much is the sunshine...I need it too Bren...
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Hi Lisa .. sure glad the rain has let up out there! I think I need to make more trips back home this year.
hugs,
Bren
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Bren, this is for you..
today is sunny and seventy
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I'm an agnostic, humanist sort of person. Some of my friends are praying, others are thinking, and so I've said that I appreciate all thoughts, prayers and ritual shaking of ceremonial noise makers. That about covers it. I always tell people that they are "in my thoughts" since I don't really pray. I really should get some ceremonial noise makers tho.
My mother was a fairly devout Catholic. She died of BC in 1991. At the end of her life, she had a hard time reconciling her faith - how could none of this prayer help. She wanted her parish priest to visit her in hospital, but the guy was a total jerk, always too busy. He ended up coming out to the house when we brought her home, but by then her brain mets were too severe and it was hard to communicate. I remember telling the priest that we really didn't appreciate his presence because he couldn't bother to come when it would have really helped my mother. He made a dramatic show of praying over her, but I politely, but firmly escorted him out. I could do that because we knew another priest from a neighboring parish who started to visit my mother in hospital, and who came to see her at a moment's notice. He was truly wonderful, and he did help my mother at the end. He actually spent the next few years working with the diocese to make sure that people who were in hospital had adequeate coverage of clergy.
I have to say that once my mother died, I never set foot in a Catholic church again, except for some cousin's wedding, and my own wedding was not religious.So I'm not sure if I'm an athiest, but I sure am agnostic, and I believe in the goodness of individuals - not quite sure where a god fits into that.
My mom died in Western PA. I do have to say that hospice was great with all of our various beliefs.
Sorry if I'm late to the discussion - first day here.
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Edot .. welcome .. we're glad to have you here.
Lisa .. thanks, of course I recognize where the picture is. Thanks for cheering me up in this grey dismal area of VA.
Bren
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AnneW - You're from one of my favorite states! I've been to Boulder a couple of times & just loved it!!
Bin - I'm with you on that. Gray gets old very quickly.
Lisa - Beautiful picture. I've never been to the west coast. I keep saying ... some day.
Hi edot. I'm glad your Mom found someone else in the "practice" that she was comfortable with and that you let the other priest know that, unfortunately, he had done too little too late & it was time for him to move along.
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Edot,
I am so afraid to post here. I really don't want to upset this form. I am a catholic/christian, I want to say that I am so sorry, and that I apologize for this sad priest/ MAN that could not find it in his heart ,or his calling to be there for your mother. Please understand the word MAN, he was a man
not God. Man will fail us. My husbands sister died of a brain tumor when she was 6, his family was Catholic, the church was not there for them either. His father left the church and has spent the last 35 years very anrgry at God. However, they went on to have two more beautiful daughters, and a wonderful life.
My father-in-law struggles in his heart, I can tell. His daughter is an angel and he knows it, shes
in a place were there is no pain , or suffering, only joy, love and eternal happiness. I'm sure at this
point you all think I'm some born again nut case! I'm not, why would a loving God take a child home at 6 years old from this beast we call cancer. To be honest, I truley don't have the answer to that, but heres what I do know. We live in a broken world, maney parts are beautiful and sacred, but it is still a broken world. I do not beleive God gives us cancer, or has anything to do with the evil , crappy things that happen to us in this life. God has givin us all free will to do and beleive what we please. The will of God is not that we suffer, I do Know that. My husband and I have 2 small children, and as you can see by my dx I could be very angry at God. Now I am not saying you are all anrgry, I understand the difference between anger and a choice, its a choice to have faith or not. I will tell you , not because I am a Jesus preacher or have to fullfil some wierd task in my religion. First to state , this is what I beleive to be the utmost truth, and a personal opinion, please do not take offense. I belieive there is a God, so amazing and so loving that we as human beings can't even begin to understand this supernatural love he has for us! When I was dx my daughter was 8 and my son was 4, I was 40 years old, 11 months prior, my mammogram was clear. I was do to have my yearly mammo in a month. I would have definitly put it off due to well, anything else I could think of. Breast Cancer was not in my family, Clean mammo, no worries!
So the night before I found my lump, I had some serious martini's with a neighbor, the next day I was as hungover as one could be. Now I was raised catholic/ christian, meaning catholics are christians, I think that is somthing that is misunderstood. I happen to be going through a very hard time, and I think I was going down a really bad road, my husband came home from work, I was
curled up on the bathroom floor, kids asleep , I was telling him life was just to hard anymore, fincacial problems kids, work ect.....
I feel I was giving in to the stress of life. I really think I scared him that night. I mean who can't relate to that feeling of being overwhelmed by the trials we face in life right? That night my daughter, son , husband and I were watching a movie on our bed. My 8 year old rolled over and I felt a lump so sore and hard it was really alarming! Well we all know the end of the story, it went from stage 1-3 over night! I am not rambling on like this for no reason, I promise theres a point here. My cancer was aggressive, God did not give this to me , I was not being punished. I was a woman going down a bad path at the time. I will admit. Would I go as far to say, God new I was strong enough to handle this, yes I will. This journey with my 2 children and my husband has been the hardest , most emotional , not to mention phiscially draining road I hope to ever encounter in my life!
I can't really put into words, the supernatural strength that came over me the day I found out I had cancer, I will tell you I got on my knees and prayed for it, I knew , I personally was not going to be able to handle this one on my own. I really had not been in the greatest place at the time and this
was a lot bigger then my mortal self. I cryed out to the most High. God take this from me now!
He did not , my dx just seemed to keep getting worse and worse. Why me? Why now Lord? It took me eleven years to have babies, only to get cancer and die! I did not understand, my Faith was very challenged, but in the end I was on my knees for his never ending mercy, and it came.
Sisters , the peace I have had during the last 14months is somthing I wish for all woman who encounter this journey. My dear friends, it is the peace that passes all understanding. It is the peace that only comes from God. I have not walked a perfect life, nor will I ever claim to, I just know when people and life fails you , and it, they will, there is hope!! I will not lie and say I never have fear , but when the fear comes I pray for that hope we all talk about, and I truley feel the presence of God. We as BC survivors cling to hope, it is our most powerful force, and hope is givin to us through the faith of a tiny seed that grows and grows, and eventually overflows. I thank God everyday for the gift of life, thats what it is a gift, and lets face it my plans were not Gods plans for my life. I'm going down a path I did not seek out, this path found me as it found all of you. This post is to not preach , but only share with you that the love and peace I have found in my relationship with the most high, Lord , God, Jesus Christ, ala, I am, Jahova , what ever feels right to you. My prayer would be that you would all find this peace. I know maney of you stated you hate it when people say they will pray for you, but Sisters, I pray for you ever day, for your healing, for your peace, and for a bright light through the darkess at the end of this long tunnel. Please forgive me if I have offended any of you. I really just felt compelled to share tonight . I am not here to judge, but I hope one person is listening to me and will be touched by the peace and love of God.
Edot, your mom is amoung the angels!!!!
Faithfulheart
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Faithful .. thank you for sharing your story, but I can't think of a single person on this thread that is full of anger. There are lots of Chistian threads on this site where you might be more comfortable posting.
Wishing you well,
Bren
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I am happy for you Faithfulheart that you have found your peace. But in the end, you are preaching -- that you hope some atheist here will be touched by god. I know you mean well, but for people who do not believe in or doubt the existence of a god this message is meaningless. And as inappropriate as if I posted to a religious thread hoping someone will be touched by atheism/agnosticism.
Again, I am happy that you have found your peace on this difficult journey. We all find our peace in different ways. Hugs,
Elizabeth
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Thanks Eizabeth - I didn't have to add anything after reading your post, thankfully, cuz don't think my words would have been as kind. The peace that passes understanding: yup, white chocolate frozen yogurt with M&M's mixed in, and a little marshmalow fluff on top! IMHO. Can you imagine the furor if the view of most of us here, was posted on the "Christian Women" thread....yikes! What happened to COEXIST so quickly?
Thanks again, Elizabeth. I LOVE, really love, your signature line
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Me, too, Elizabeth! (Sez the lurker, piping up.) And sorry you've had some stalking issues, Layne. What a pain in the butt!
--CindyMN
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