someone want to tell me how to get shadow dog?

balls empty, bellies full? too funny, but I'm finding they are more interested in their balls then their bellies. come on men, what is it? what makes you happy?

hurt

eat? who eats?

knowing jess and beachfarmer finally got a room LOL
(just a joke don't get mad)

good job kiddo, I just lost 45 pounds on WW and am getting ready to start again and lose another 30. I took some time off to see if I could maintain the weight loss and I have for 2 months, so now I'm going to do it again. You don't have to tell people, you are adorable and you look awesome so don't worry about it, but do keep us psted on how you are doing

although I have to add here that I have known some people that tell me "i put my life in gods hands" now that is fine and I don't mean to imply anything more, but these people I have known make the statement, "i accept christ as my personal savior" then "i put my life in gods hands" and then they sit there and wait. There whole life could be crumbling around them, yet they sit and wait for god to intervene. God can not get you out of the house to find a job, although he can be there to support and guide when things get hard, god is not going to put food in your refrigerator, but through prayer and actually getting off of the couch to contact the agencies you need to help you food will land in your refrigerator. I think those are dangersous statements for some people who have had enough, they have been through some tough times, and then someone tells them, that is all you have to do, and they just assume it literally.

although I have to add here that I have known some people that tell me "i put my life in gods hands" now that is fine and I don't mean to imply anything more, but these people I have known make the statement, "i accept christ as my personal savior" then "i put my life in gods hands" and then they sit there and wait. There whole life could be crumbling around them, yet they sit and wait for god to intervene. God can not get you out of the house to find a job, although he can be there to support and guide when things get hard, god is not going to put food in your refrigerator, but through prayer and actually getting off of the couch to contact the agencies you need to help you food will land in your refrigerator. I think those are dangersous statements for some people who have had enough, they have been through some tough times, and then someone tells them, that is all you have to do, and they just assume it literally.

ok bored i agree my wording was inconsiderate and I really didn't mean it that way. I understand taking strength and support from your belief, and I never meant to imply anything negative. I'm sorry if I made you feel that I did, I would have never wanted that.

i meant to say that we just are not the fanatics

yes, the eightfold path is a blueprint for enlightenment. but nowhere in buddhist text has there ever been a statement that our way is the only way and others should be enlisted to follow this path. The buddha and all buddha's and bodhisatvas beliefs were put in writing and offered as a guide to enlightenment. Those that came to it are always given a choice, and there has never been a war, or even a broken finger nail over the expansion of buddhism and the aquisition of money, property prestige or power. darn it I forgot the last part of your post and I can't see it right now, but I never said what I had to say was outside of this topic. Just because buddhism does not spawn a whole lot of fanatasism, doesn't mean it doesn't have a place in a discussion of religion and fanatasism. We just are the fanatics...we are too busy lighting incense, taking refuge and searching for peace for ourselves and for the world to fight :)

well thank you bored :) and I agree with you as well. I do not call my beliefs religion. as a Buddhist I am free to believe what is in my heart, and what is right for myself as well as for man kind. We firmly believe in ending suffering through identifying its cause and working to eliminate that cause. I was raised christian, and I believe in a higher power. The buddha was a man, and nothing more, he was enlightened and was able to teach others to find peace, much like the historical christ. The Biblical christ is seen as the son of god, making him a deity. As buddhists we try not to depend on a deity to take care of things that we can take care of on our own by looking at our actions and deciding what the heck we did to bring whatever is going on, on ourselves. its all about god helps those thathelp themselves! Meditation or zazen is the same as prayer, it is being quiet and listening for a change, rather than constantly talking. I believe the things that develop in meditation also happen in prayer, if it is the intervention of a higher power than I am an nothing more than grateful for the help.
ok i'm rambling and I could go on forever here, but the most important point i want to make is that tolerance and understanding of another human beings belief is the key to peace. we could learn so much from each other if we would just open our eyes and see that a human being is a human being regardless of where we come from, how much money we have, our status in life. we are all the same, we want the same things, and we could teach each other so much. so christians, agnostics, buddhist, hindu's, muslims, taoists, all of us could do better to spend time talking and learning rather than trying to impose our beliefs on others
did any of this make sense?

this has been an amazingly interesting read, especially from the view point of a buddhist. In my study of world religions i have found that religion itself was a way for the masses to understand things they didn't have the education or ability to understand. When it was all said and done, powerful people found a way to control the masses and also gain a large fortune based on the fear of hell and the fear of being excommunicated from the church. It was all a power thing. Religion, beliefs and faith have nothing to do with each other. Religion is an organization out to maintain its power base through continuing to prey on the weak minds of individuals as well as increase its power base through war and aquisition. Beliefs and faith draw a person to kindness, compassion, charity, understanding and peace. So I guess what I am getting at here is that fanatisicm and religion tend to go hand in hand especially when the indoctrination was started young and there was no other beliefs allowed. you can't damn the faithful for the actions of the religious

joyce,
there is nothing worse than the "oh poor me" defense. I think if you acted like an ass, then admit it but don't tell me how your whole life has sucked, and I was a target. I will not be a target for other peoples "bad" days and you shouldn't either.
you did a good thing
Lori

I learned that I am better than the way some people want to treat me....I feel better

adj4u....I live in medina, the square is losing all of its stores! Love house of blues but mosty hang out at malloys in medina

sue johanson, at least she would know what she was doing, right...the men you picked are icky...I would have to change my orientation LOL

3 wishes?
to put my boys through school so they wouldn't have student loans or any financial burden
2. my ex would change his mind, his job, and stay with me
3. I would be 30 pounds lighter

Kat,
I'm not crazy about the fever, sweating thing. Hon, I'm worried you might have an infection of some kind. I'm so sorry you are miserable, and I wish there was a way to make it better right here and now. Unfortunately the only thing I can do is send you blessings, and hope you will call your doc.
try to rest
lori

LOL izzie, we'll have to fight for him LOL...damn, he is going to give me something to think about tonight