alanback: Yes thats so very true, sometimes we forget how blessed we are :) and ty

Summer Flame: Thoughts and prayers will be with your little one tomorrow and also for the surgeon performing the operation!!

Summer Flame: What a blessing to live in a time when such treatments are possible! God bless you both!

Tuesday: Thoughts and prayers are with you, Robby and Heath. Do they plan to get into some technical training in the military? My grandson is still in the army and is back from Iraq, is stationed in Missouri.

alanback:

Tuesday:My answer would be to look into your heart and give what you can out of love, not out of duty or a need for approval.

Artful Dodger: Thank you.

Mousetrap: I'm not too concerned about the topic of tithing as long as it doesn't turn into a debate or sermonizing.  Generally speaking, this forum is not a discussion forum but I see nothing wrong with this sort of friendly sharing from time to time - as long as it doesn't become the norm or carry on too long.  Such discussions can easily fall under "support" and "affirming" as stated above.   At the same time, it's probably wise to remember the main purpose of this board. 

For people of many faiths, giving is one way to show worship, honor, and praise to God.  And has been said, giving of oneself is as important as the giving of money.  I think this idea is at the heart of Tuesday's question.  I think 2 corinthians 9:7 pretty much sets the criteria for New Testament giving:  Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with
regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

blessings to all ;)

Mousetrap:  I think we may have wandered back on topic ;-)

I would say it's more than just getting more out of giving than receiving -- it's that the benefit of giving is felt in an entirely different way than the benefit of receiving. 

(V): Yes. I get far more out of giving than receiving and I am not one bit religious, I am a humanist. Sorry if this is off topic Artful.

Mousetrap: I agree, it verily has changed in such that we have now many charity shops that give the opportunity to give and get at the same time. Also I like it that most shops now offer the means to give through simple giving of change in the prominent charity boxes and like they keep on the counters next to the tills.

There are so many ways to give these days it's rather wonderful.

Tuesday: The question is off topic IMHO.

Tuesday: I looked this up and it does seem to have been applied in the old Testament but in the new Testament there is not much mention of it. On one site it said that Jesus freed us from most of the old laws by that I mean he gave us freedom to choose and these days I think it is acceptable to give what you can afford to give. It does not have to be in money it could also mean just helping people and giving something back to society.

Tuesday: The meaning of tithe is a tenth of one's income paid to the church.

Home is where the heart is, and that means dealing with whatever Mother nature throws at you.

Artful Dodger: so many people ask how I can live here with a threat of hurricanes. We haven't had one like this since 1983...so it doesn't happen often..I used to live up north and in Colorado...every year people die in blizzards or from exposure from the cold. My sister lives in California for a while. She had earthquakes...my younger sister lives in Illinois on a fault line and they had an earthquake this year and tornado threats every year...a dear friend lives in Oklahoma..they, along with many states around them have a serious threat of tornadoes every year...when I lived in Colorado, there were rock slides and avalanches that claimed lives each year....and floods can be much more devastating than people realize...most of our country can be at risk for that at one time or another.
it doesn't matter where you live..there are always risks....I feel very blessed and lucky to have come thru this so easily. It could always be worse...

baddessi:  We have earthquakes and floods here.  Sometimes rock slides in the mountain and avalanches too.  But where I live on earthquakes affect us.  We're up too high for floods, too far from the mountains too.  I've felt a couple of earthquakes since moving out here.

Artful Dodger: thanks..it's nice to be up and running again!

baddessi:  So glad to hear you are ok.  Those storms are nasty. 

we had a rough few days, but have power now and and are all fine.
Please keep the people who were affected by Ike in your prayers..many people were not so lucky. They will need your prayers for some time.

I just wanted to let you all know that I just talked to Baddessi. They are all holding up well, but have many hours of weather to go.

Stay safe everyone in the path of Ike!!!!

ahem...stay safe ya'll!!!

yup- but I bet they were clean ones too!

baddessi:

Tuesday: I always thought that was the silliest thing..if you are in a serious accident, wouldn't the first thing that happens would be that you'd mess your clean panties?

Tuesday: probably not, but it made me laugh!
We probably won't sleep in our beds tonight, but everyone has clean sheets..I have so much energy I've cleaned the place from top to bottom and done all the laundry!

Tuesday: I'm in Spring, TX . They eye is right now projected to go right over our house ..but we are ready....

Tuesday: yeah, you two hanker down..you're in for some weather up your way from this system..it's HUGE..stay safe everyone!

Please pray for all the folks in the path of Ike!!

Snoopy: my condolences to your friend. May he find strength at this sad time to continue on....

Dolittle: That is good to hear. I will continue to keep him and his wife in my prayers!

Dolittle:
That is great news about Eric..will continue praying for him

I'd like to report that the doctors did all kinds of tests on my friend Eric and have decided to wait 6 months and check him again. That is a good thing and I thank those that prayed for him!

Snoopy: My prayers are with your friend. I pray God will give him comfort and strength to make it through these sad days.

Snoopy:
Snoopy so sorry about your friend's loss my thoughts and prayers are with him