Two party system of Government.

Recently I have heard talk about having or adding a third party to our Government. This may be just small talk or may be a realistic view of what people want. I want to go on record and say that the two party system is still the best system. Tea Party people should join one or the other but please do not make another party.

Why? Staying with recent American History we can look back at 1992 and see where Perot running as an independent may have cost Bush the election to Clinton. I myself voted for Perot but it was more of a protest vote because I voted in Texas and the reality was Bush was going to win Texas no matter what. Having the third party raised lots of talk, created banter and in some ways did unite our country back then. Now this past election we had the Tea Party enter the equation. Though most Tea Party came out of the Republican Party it hurt the country in that it divided only one party allowing the other party to stay strong and win overall nationwide. Is this the reason Obama won re-election? I can not say for sure but I do believe it helped. What I believe is our country needs and must have is two strong parties. We have two parties but they are not as strong as they need to be. Republicans leadership is mixed due to the Tea Party and this is not all together a bad thing but they need to work together more to strengthen the party. The Democrats, though stronger as one, have a problem with trust starting from the leader, who happens to be our current President.

How does our system work right now. We have two groups that will vote totally one way and only one way, either Democratic or Republican. They for some reason will never vary on their vote. Then we have the swing voters who will do one of three things. Vote for the one they feel that meets the needs they have by listening and researching, sometimes not always correctly but at least they try, or they will vote for the one that sounds the best, (not the best way to vote either), and finally they sometimes choose to not vote at all. This actually gives us a three party system but within the two party platform.

My thoughts on our system of Government is that the United States of America has the best system but we are developing flaws. What is my answer to the flaws? It is a good idea to have your beliefs of either Republican or Democrat but instead of being a party line voter look at the individual and vote your conviction. There are good people on each side of the line but they have to be sought out. Before you cast your vote, listen, research and make a difference. Look at where we are now, we have people in office, all parts of the Government from both parties, that have no business being there. Only we the people can fix this.

Statements made are not always accurate to reality.

I am laying here in bed not having posting anything for almost a month. Not because I do not have lots to say just I do not know exactly what to say right now. Foremost in my thinking is relationships. To go over the past few that I have, and these are not all inclusive, I want to examine things that were said during them. Such as, "This is the most comfortable and relaxed I have been in a long time." Then there was "I have never been able to talk to someone like I have with you." Don't you like, "The things that we are able to share and talk about are so great, you know me better than anyone else."

Now these are as close as I can recall to actual comments made but do not hold me to the complete accuracy but they are very very similar. I would say that most of us have heard similar in many relationships we have been involved in. The question I want to raise is, When are the things people say not BS? Eventually we find out that the person was maybe relaxed and comfortable to a point. In actuality the never been able is more like, it has been such a long time since anyone has ever listened to me. Then to cover the last one I would have to say, good grief I wish I really did not know them so well.

To clarify these are examples of statements I have heard and/or said, but we know all too well, these and similar statements are said many many times in various relationships. We one day look back at a failed relationship and say to ourselves, "How much of what was said was BS during the whole relationship." It all goes back to what is the reality of it all. Are these statements said to gain trust and comfort levels? My personal feeling is at the time they are said there is some reality to it but once a persons true identity is revealed either to themselves or to the person it is said to, the statement becomes less reality but more of a fantasy. Motivation behind what is or was said becomes a major factor. When the person realizes they need more than they are getting from a person, then those statements, accurate to a point, are less important to the relationship.

To keep this on the short side let me use this example. You are in a relationship that has been one of the best you have felt in a long time. There was conversation, sharing, enjoyment, and all that you could ask for in a relationship. Then all of the sudden it collapses. You hear all the justification behind why it was not right but the full truth is not there. Glimpses of truth are shared because they are unable to allow the complete truth be seen because it would cast a shadow over them. Why? Because of the impression they are trying to portray of themselves to others. If a person is not consistent in and with every aspect of there life then they will tend to hide more and more. Eventually you will be hiding things from everyone but inside you become frustrated because you are having a difficult time remembering exactly who and what you are. You know what you want and soon your wants outweigh the who you are and you end up messing many parts of your life up. Selfishness is usually the winner in this type of living. Getting all you think you need becomes the most important and having the things that are comforting are given away or forfeited.

I know this is not true in each and every relationship but I have learned that selfishness in any type of relationship is not good at all. Where I am now is in a very positive place. Most things are going very well but there are still the usual frustrations that come along. What I believe to be important though is to make sure of where I am and who I am, to let go of my self needs, and concentrate on being who I am capable of being to the others that are in my life. If I say something I need to really mean it. Yes, there are comparable times to what I am experiencing now but I would have to say that with most of my relationships that are the most meaningful I am truly relaxed, comfortable, able to share and be understood, and finally am having someone truly know me for who I really am.

Protesting for the right reasons.

Lately there have been many protests. Of course the verdict in Florida has been the biggest of late and then there are the so called silent protests by athletes for other athletes. Now I do not see anything wrong with protesting as long as it is done for the right reason. Often we are worked up emotionally over things and we jump up and down and protest in ways that are so unproductive that instead of positive reactions the negativity is what gets all the attention. 

Zimmerman/ Martin protests are about our system of justice based on the belief that race was involved. First of all we have a justice system that works most of the time. We have had some people wrongfully imprisoned but overall the jury gets it correct. You have to have overwhelming, beyond a reasonable doubt evidence to convict. If a conviction is obtained though the person is innocent it is usually due to poor counsel. Our system will allow a guilty person to remain free if there is any shred of doubt in the eyes of the jury. Does this infuriate us? Possibly, but why? If you are in that courtroom and your life is hanging in the balance don't you want to be treated fairly and if there are many sides to a story and your side may be correct showing just the possibility that you are not guilty our system says let them go. Impartial jury's hearing evidence from both sides, not to consider outside factors, such as television and "experts" that do not have all the facts, then getting together and deliberating those facts, making a decision that has to be without ANY DOUBT. I myself would prefer to have a person set free if there is a possibility of his innocence rather than put in jail for the same reason. Our system works for the most part so to protest the system working is idiotic.

Then for two pro football players to tweet the disapproval of our system based on personal feelings. Now if I take the attitude they have and use it here is what I would say. You have a pro athlete that has been given many chances due to his ability, most likely given credit for not completing tasks the normal person has been required to do, given a pass lets say and now they wish to dismiss our system. If you give someone a free ride they in turn expect free rides for everyone. But they do not have the facts and are basing it on race and attitude. Maybe this is why our society is getting more screwed up each and every day that passes.

Then you take the twin football players that were college teammates with Hernandez of the Patriots. Free Hernandez was what the hats they wore said. Free a possible killer, not of one person, but investigated in the murder of several. Where do they get off protesting his arrest? Talk about entitlement!!! Yes we do have freedom of expression but what is it based on. Emotions, race, expectations, these are what get people moving and jumping but is it real. Is it based on facts? Do you wonder why no one respects the protests and protestors! Lets protest for the right reasons. Get all the facts before hand and do not base it on just feelings. We are a country of many different opinions and ideas. We have a system of justice that for the most part works. It worked in the Zimmerman trial whether you liked the outcome or not. Think of it this way as I stated earlier. If it were you standing before the judge and jury you would want the evidence to be so clear that there was no doubt at all? 

What does your Church do when....

I was attending my previous church, a mega church, for three (3) plus years. Making my self part of the church as much as I could, (tithing, attending small groups, special events). Then some personal things hit me and no one from the church came to me in any way. Before you ask, yes there were many who knew what was going on in my life. I made some comments to staff concerning some issues I had and not a response at all. I disassociated myself with a group and not one member of the group has come to me.

During the same time I have attended a, lets say, more conventional church on Wednesday evening, as my former church does not have a Wednesday evening service. I also attend a small group that is held in the mega church but I dare say is not fully supported by the mega church. The pastor of the conventional church is a shepherd of his flock to put it, as he is aware and notices things. He was one of the first to come to me when he saw my disposition changed after the issues I eluded to earlier came forth. My small group has been there for me and they continue to be there for me as they are my strength.

So back to my title. What does your church do when you face personal issues or happen to stop attending the church? I would hope that someone from the church you were attending would notice you having difficulty or being gone. My opinion is if they are not doing this then they are really not interested in you as an individual. Leaving this church was not a difficult decision for me at all. They just do not care as far as I am concerned. Now I do not want to fully put down the church because they do have some good projects going on out there but for the individual it is not worthy of my attendance. If your major concern is making sure the community knows about you and all you do but in return the church is not concerned with the individual then you are not in agreement with the way Jesus ministered. Jesus was one on one, not concerned with what the masses thought but how the individual became stronger. Doesn't the Bible say that the church is made of many members, individually working towards the greater good of the whole?

I have to say to this that I am now going full time to the conventional church. Not joined yet but will in due time. My Sunday School class is a strength to me as they serve the needs of the individuals in the class but also serve together as a group. Others in the church are reaching out to me in friendship and I to them. To be part of the whole, connected to all in one way or another is how I think of a church. If someone is hurting the church hurts with them. If a person or family leaves the church you find out why and what is going on to make them leave. Concern for the individual while making the whole greater. So I ask again, What does your church do when...? 

To take responsibility or not? That is the question.

So often when things happen, we have two choices. Take responsibility or put it off on someone else. To clarify this it has to be when you ARE responsible for what has happened in part or in whole or are the one in charge. I have seen this while working with the public, in the workplace, in relationships, in churches, with politicians. Pretty much everywhere.

To put the responsibility off on another is a disservice to yourself and to whomever you placed it on. So many times the truth will come out and you will look so much the..... (you can fill that in for whatever word fits). If consequences are a result then you have to live with yourself for causing them and allowing another to take the fall. Then there is the possibility that it will be investigated and the truth will find its way to the forefront. The results are a lingering effect and often times you have to live with it for the rest of your life, negatively.

When you accept responsibility a different outlook shows itself. You are looked at as a person of integrity. Good, bad, or ugly, no matter, people will say that you stood tall, accepted all that comes from it and you will gain respect. To be respected in your actions is one of the greatest validations a person can obtain. One other thing to consider when accepting responsibility, once it is out and over with you are able to move on.

Continually moving forward is what we want to do in life. To always be looking back over your shoulder, wondering, is not how we want to live. Not accepting responsibility sets us back, keeps our eyes out of focus on the current and the future. We lose respect from others and we are always having to work harder making sure we do things correctly. Life can be difficult enough without putting more pressure on ourselves. Accepting responsibility shows an inner self confidence that knows we can make up for any negative in our life. This gives us the knowledge that others respect us and know that we have integrity and can keep the trust and confidence of others no matter the situation.

Block walkers and circlers!!!!

Have you ever known a person who, when attempting to complete a task, walks around the block to get to the corner? Say what? Ok let me be more descriptive here. You live on a block and walk out your front door. The goal is to go left and meet someone at the corner of the block. But instead of taking the direct route you go right and walk all the way around the block and end up at the corner. You accomplished what you wanted but you took the long way around. I call these people 'block walkers'.

My impression of the 'block walker' is that they are people who will find the most difficult way to complete a project. Sometimes this is good in that they take extra time to make sure the project is done correctly but it seems as if there is always an easier way for the same thing to be completed. Whenever I attempt to do something I try to see the most practical, the simplest and easiest way, and then get to it and get it done. When I am with the 'block walker' I find myself becoming frustrated and irritated.

There is another type of person that I wish to address as well. What do you know about 'circlers'? You know, those that go around and around a subject while never completely touching what is really being asked or said. When you attempt to get an answer out of this person all they are able to do is give anything but the actual correct answer. I find these people are either afraid of what they will reveal by telling the truth, or just incapable of giving a direct answer. Sometimes this can be done to protect themselves or they are attempting to not hurt the one that has asked the question. My personal feeling is when you circle the answer you are bordering on being deceptive and lying. I find being around this type of person frustrates me as well and at times more so than the 'block walkers'.

Why talk about these types of people in the same post, other than they go around things rather than being direct? I guess the reason is noticing these types of people, for me, is a way of protecting myself from frustration. In my attempts to learn about others, if they are these types, I discover that I will avoid or limit my contact with them. The 'block walkers' are easier to pick up on while the 'circler' tends to be much more difficult. This difficulty makes the 'circler' a more dangerous person, in my opinion, because they tend to give answers at times that are correct but in reality they will become deceptive when necessary to protect themselves. I am able to associate more with the 'block walker' because they just make doing things difficult while the 'circler' manipulates situations to maintain their security.

The 'block walker' and the 'circler', though they most likely are not bad people, I tend to maintain distance from them. Frustration is associated with them both while the 'circler' is one that I would prefer to stay away from. My goal is to be direct with people when talking and answering questions that are asked of me. The same thing with projects, hitting them head on and getting them done, as fast as practical and correctly completed. 

I will delete the appropriate program.

I was watching an old episode of "Star Trek- The Next Generation" where Data became involved in a personal romantic relationship with a human. Data of course is an android incapable of understanding the nuances of a relationship. He had to create a program, as in a computer, to attempt to build the relationship, but he was really unable to fully comprehend all the idiosyncrasies of a human. This led to the relationship not becoming anything other than an experiment for him. The human female was unable to do anything at all to get any emotions out of Data. She had to end the relationship and due to Data being an android his only response was "I will delete the appropriate program".

If it were only that simple. Data strives to become more human. We as humans want to or attempt to block things out, become less human because of the hurts. We can not do that. What we do or should do from our experiences is to treasure any and all your interactions and learn and grow from them. That is what being human is about. 

The Single LIfe

This is a tough one but for some reason I feel the need to talk about this. I am 52 years old and for the most part have been in a relationship in one form or another. Various girlfriends and yes, more than one marriage. There are things in both a relationship and being single that have its advantages and even disadvantages. What I find most important is to be happy and content in either one.

Being involved in a relationship takes involvement with the other person, communication and balancing your time. I am not talking about only being in love with someone relationship but various ones including just a simple learning about, dating (casual or serious), to the more serious of engagement to marriage. The whole gamut of relationships to be unspecifically specific. At my age forging a new relationship is difficult. First of all finding someone close to my age. Then being able to find someone where both of us can overcome our pasts to make a present. Of course there is so much more to it but that talk is for another time.

I guess what I am getting at is how bad is it to live the single life. What it boils down to is, am I content with where I am? In order to move forward it is important for me to be content with every aspect of where I am. I can get real spiritual here and say that God has my life in His hands and will direct me to where I need to be and with whom I need to be with, and I do agree with this. For anyone though you have to take a look at who and what you are, accept all those things and then allow life to happen around you and join in of course. You never know what is in store or who possibly will enter into your life. Those are things that I have to allow to happen while living the single life.

New Chapters in Life.

New chapters in life come around quite often it seems. Starting from the time we are born till we die we will experience many new phases. Some of these chapters are fun and exciting while others are troublesome and disenfranchising. We control some of them and at times others dictate the way the chapter moves.

I am starting a new chapter in my life at this time and am really excited about it. When you put your all into some things and it feels as if you are coasting along in the manner it is supposed to, bumps happen. Some of the bumps can be awful hard, but determining the reasoning behind the bump is always intriguing. This chapter is not due to my making but in all actuality it may be. I had fallen into the old story of complying to the needs of others and forgetting the needs of myself. Learning from the past chapters was neglected. You always need to keep the real you fresh by recalling your past but growing or you lose touch with who and what you are. Allowing others or circumstances to alter you over and over will or can create chaos in your life. It may then be time for a new chapter to begin, not only for you but for others.

Our lives are full of chapters that make up our story. It begins at the time of our birth and continues till the day we die. Some chapters last a short time while others last for many years. Books have conclusions that complete a story with no loose ends, but life is not always that way. Life's conclusion will happen at death, with some loose ends maybe, but the thing about life is, as should be with a good book, that with each chapter we grow and learn from the previous chapters to complete a good or even possibly a great life. So here I go, looking to start the next chapter, learning from the past, building to a fantastic conclusion.

Why Blog? and what keeps you from it!

For the past few years I believed I was happy in all areas of my life. Growing in God, men helping me to be the man I should be, and a woman by my side. The first two are still there by me but the woman is not. Truth is I am better off now than I was when I believed I was happy. She is a good person but not the right one for me. Giving all I could with nothing given back is not how to live happily.

I started blogging, for me, over 4 years ago, but for a year I was stifled. I had a block keeping me from my blogging. Looking back I was prohibited from speaking out or writing out in public. It was as if everything I wanted to say had to go through a channel that dictated what I said or did. Control was given up on my part for, what I thought, were all the right reasons. When you give this up it is not necessarily a bad thing but you should make sure it is for the proper reasoning. Perception comes in now. Am I seeing things as they really are? Having perception is a necessity in order to say the right thing at the right time in order make it meaningful to others (my definition). Maintaining control in what I say is important so that I say what is coming from inside me and not being dictated by anyone else.

Now what am I attempting to say by the previous two paragraphs. All aspects of a persons life has to be running on the same path. If any one of them is out of sync it can cause you to be completely off kilter. Having perception is not enough either. Control alone is not good as well. Maintaining control while using perception in life to share and give to others while receiving in return is a must. Allowing God to have the ultimate control, a band of warriors to help you to be the man you should be, not allowing a woman to dictate based on her needs alone is my recipe to ultimately be who and what I can be for others. Sharing and giving to others in ways that are useful and helpful to others. This is what I want to be to others and blogging as I do is one way that I am able to do this. If all you do is help one person all your life then you have accomplished something but dare to be more to so many others.

You Have the Right to Remain Silent.

I was in a conversation the other day that was actually pretty eye opening. There were a lot of words going back and forth but not much communication. But there was one statement that jumped out at me. Basically what was said was you have the right to say what you want to.

So I thought about this from a law enforcement point of view. Everyone is entitled to or has the right to remain silent. For many defendants or accused it is best to keep your mouth shut. Why? The more you talk the more the truth comes out. Interrogations when done properly can get the truth out with conversation. But when the talking stops the truth is hidden.

So let us use this in communication with others outside of law enforcement. If you have any form of relationship with another person communication is of the utmost importance in order to keep the relationship strong. When one person fails to communicate something is being hidden in most circumstances. In essence one may be lying by withholding.

You have the right to remain silent, but if you are remaining silent in a relationship the relationship is almost sure to fail. Talking will, for the most part, produce honesty and truth. The more you talk the easier it is to say the truth because when talking truth you do not have to recall what you said before. You recall the truth you speak the truth. Telling lies and continually talking will produce inconsistencies that bring out questions and therefore exposing the lies. So keep quiet and do not share your thoughts with those you are in relationships and eventually others may question why you are hesitant to talk. Speak the truth and do not worry about what you say because when you speak truth questions get answered and problems get solved. Say too much and you better make sure that you are telling the truth because the lies will eventually show up. Do not be afraid of the truth because speaking the truth is more forgiving than withholding or lying. To tell the truth keeps trust within any relationship or friendship and allows the continuation of the friendship but if you allow lies, deception, or withholding to enter, failure of a friendship is eminent. 

Is it possible to stay friends with your ex?

This is a pretty interesting and complex question if you ask me. In order to clarify we have to ask what would be considered an ex. For this I will use ex spouse or ex boyfriend/girlfriend. There are many factors that come into play when considering the ability to maintain a friendship after a relationship has ended. One is how did the relationship end, another is are there children involved and how about mutual friends, and for the purpose of this I will add parents or a parent of one that has become a good friend of the non child.

Let me start with a simple one, children. Oh you laugh at this and actually I do too when saying simple. This would be the most complex actually but with that being said it is the most simple. You are either going to work together or you are not. Personalities of each will have the greatest impact on the ability to either get along or not. Short and simple with my kids mother it took over ten years before I could even stand to be in the same room with her. Talking on the phone was almost an impossible feat. Now that our kids are older and we have grandchildren it is now possible for us to tolerate each other.

I will combine mutual friends and non parents in this area. Basically here mutual friends will most likely follow the one they were friends with in the beginning. If you actually met as a couple then it may be a bit more difficult but the answer would be who are the friends closer to, making the decision on its own. If you are to keep the other out of any conversations you may maintain a joint friendship and there is even the possibility that you can share time together with the friends. This all depends on how the relationship ended. Now concerning parents of the ex. Easy answer is the parent will always migrate towards the child and if the end of the relationship was awkward or there were bad feelings and such you can count on not getting along with your ex. The relationship with the exes parent will most likely end soon but again much goes into the decision. There is a slight possibility that a mutual friendship can be maintained.

Now the final area is how the relationship ends. Simple enough if there is abuse and or mistrust you will most likely not be able to continue with the friendship afterwards. Mutual agreements to split can go either way. I would suggest that if there is a chance to reconcile the relationship you may stay in a friendship. If there is no way and you are both in agreement you may stay friends but there will be a time when you want to move on towards another relationship so the ex will have to slowly disappear from your life.

So let me answer the question as to if it is possible to stay friends with an ex? I have exes that I am friends with and some that I am no longer friends with. The ones that I am no longer friends with out number the ones that I am able to maintain or rebuild a friendship with. In my opinion the best way to move on is to try not to maintain the friendship unless there are children involved. With children you must try even harder to overlook the past and keep things reasonable to maintain a way of getting along. More power to you if you are able to keep up a friendship with an ex on its own with no baggage to go along with it. If at all possible I will attempt to stay friends with the family members of an ex but over time it may end. For myself, feelings toward the other could interfere with any relationship I may want to start if I keep holding on to a friendship with the ex. Many things go into the decision if there is a possibility to maintain it but overall I would say, end it and move on.

Make it Count

I had a friend recently give this as a thought for me to focus on. MAKE IT COUNT. They asked, what does this mean for me? It did not take me long to understand after having gone through some personal heartaches that my understanding of this needs to be fully taken advantage of and made to count.

How do I make it count. First I must share what I have learned. People from your past are not the way you remember them as, just as I am not the way I was. We all grow into who we have become now. The person I knew from before had become more self centered, money oriented and status driven. The things they learned growing up spiritually became stagnant and they have not grown past the beliefs they had when they were younger and less worldly consumed. Yes, still knowledgeable, but not advanced. To gain knowledge and information regarding the current you must seek out and learn from others. This person does well in business and sees the advancements in learning from others to gain an advantage in business but when it comes to God and Spiritual matters, one or two times a month at church and then using that same information to teach others is not growing as well as we can. Personal study and prayer are not an advancement either because what you do is take what you read and apply it to what you learned from your past. So therefore you are not getting new vital information from others to assist in your growth.

Next I took what I thought of the person and used it as a guide in all my relationships creating a false outlook on my expectations. Now that I have been seeing things from a new direction I am now able to look past and forget that expectation and move forward.

How do I now make it count? Pretty good question. In order to make it count, first I need to make sure I continue to stay connected to my groups. To be around them and continue to learn and grow and not become stagnant myself. I have to forget any expectations from my past and concentrate on the here and now. No comparison can be made with any one person and bestowed on another. To do that is unfair to that person and to yourself as well because it is unattainable. Moving forward my goal is to forget any comparisons and accept anyone I enter into a friendship with for who THEY are, and allow the friendship to grow out of its own persona, with no other expectations to any comparisons of anyone from my past. I have to MAKE IT COUNT for what it is.

Good things happen....

Interesting few weeks for me. A few good things happened just to let me know God was still there. The first was when I went out with a friend of mine we were walking around some booths and one was a gun club. I have not shot a gun pretty much since my retirement and was looking to do some shooting. Well joined http://www.governorsgunclub.com/ and was entered into a drawing for a 9MM SCCY Industries gun. Guess things were falling in proper order as I have me a new 9MM.

Next I had an issue with some paint chips on my Mustang and after going around a bit with the dealer and a program I have with them they have been fixed, no charge of course.

Third, with my hearing problems I finally went back to the ENT to get some hearing aids. Part of the cost was covered but I still had a decent amount to come up with.. well low and behold God came through again and the out of pocket cost was not as bad as it could have been.

Then finally as I am on SS Disability I have to go through a review every three to five years. Well I get the letter telling me they are reviewing my case. I sent off all the information they asked for and waited. The other day I get a letter back from SS saying that no further review was needed. Praise God. He accepts me as I am totally. That is what love is.

Lemons to Lemonade.

We have all heard the saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Recently I have had some lemons sent my way and realized I really like lemonade. While drinking the lemonade, NOT KOOLAID, I talked to my Band of Brothers, a pastor, three special friends and two couples. All of us were in a state of unbelief but that was due to there being no communicated reason for the action. But when there is unbelief it becomes time to pray for answers. Not just for me but all involved. I have seen prayer work before in strong ways and subtle ways, but the thing is prayer WORKS.

My prayer was not for things to go back but for an understanding and an ability to move forward, plus vision into what I was missing. Communication was never a problem, at least on my side, but now that I look back I understand that it was on the other side. Also in a message heard from a new church I visited a statement was made. "When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in giving to others unselfishly. God protects us from being walked all over. I thought that I was giving of myself and I believe it was as God was having me to do. I was not looking for anything in return other than friendship, honesty, and openness it grew into what I perceived as a love but now realize it was a one way love. God had his way of protecting me even through pain.

Understanding that things were difficult for the other I was willing to overlook many actions and red flags that appeared because we had "communication". Usually when decisions were made prayer was always a part of it. Not necessarily together, but we would discuss things and our talk would include advising we would, and I did, pray about items that came into our lives. so as I was hearing the break up I was expecting to hear, "I have prayed about this and God has shown me......" But what I heard instead was, "I have talked to three of my friends" (not completely sure of their Christian stance but I know they are not as strong as others that could have been consulted.), and "I have this 'feeling' that you are just not the one." Then finally "I have had time to think". Not once was the word prayer, or God used. I really find this interesting. My prayer at this time is that I am wrong in my thinking and that prayer was part of the decision. With my reflection I have noticed other red flags that I was blinded to but they are not important in the present other than I open my eyes sooner in any other relationship I may attempt in the future.

So on to my lemonade. The first taste was a bit bitter but as I continue to drink it gets better. I have some awesome friends that have shared a taste of it with me. Plus I go on to think about another saying, God has something better in mind for you." I believed for three happy years that I had one fantastic person, so if God has something better for me then look out. I am going to be one happy person.

Wow.. it has been a long time since I have written anything. Life has been pretty interesting for me as of late and I have had many thoughts come to mind. I am going to share a few quotes that I have posed in other social media. Hope that they give you something to think about.

April 8, 2013
In all we do we act properly and respectfully so that we are not discredited. Life moves forward, all is good or great and though we try not to wait or look for the roadblock, detour, or hardship you inevitably know it may come your way. All of us have been hit with physical and emotional hardships and have bruised our way through them. Heath issues too numerous to mention and emotional difficulties in relationships with family and friends that are so complicated we believe no one can help us through. We are warriors armed with weapons and have a band of brothers or sisters by our side with a Leader who has never lost a battle. Though at times we have been beaten and pushed hard upon, we will strive to move forward to win the battle. The war will be won and we will not be rich in wealth but our possessions will be great. - David A. Wisniewski inspired by 2 Corinthians 6: 3-10

April 13, 2013
When life happens you may not think it is a good thing but it is always a learning experience. Knowing that we are not really in control puts it into perspective and our eyes become open to what has really been happening.- David A. Wisniewski

April 13, 2013
In all things be who and what you are, not keeping things in secret. To deny your true identity to protect your identity is a lie. Does it mean you change what you are doing? Maybe, but the real change is to be an open book with who you are as it is too much of a conflict within ourselves to remain in the secret.- David A. Wisniewski