Dok, Thank you that means a lot to me.
I don't claim any labels because as we all know, sometimes the outside package isn't a true picture of the inside. I would hate to be a can of pork and beans labeled as chicken noodle soup! LOL
I do love God, for what that's worth. And I do my best to live the life I believe He would want me to. But I can't walk the way others walk. I'm not them. I'm just me, and I know that's ok.
Your comment about adversity making us stronger reminded me of a good story I got in email one time. I just thought I'd share:
On day a boy was walking home from school and he came across a little broken branch on the ground. Seeing it had a cocoon on it he decided to bring it home to his dad so maybe they could "hatch" it. His dad worked as a teacher at his school.
So, when his dad saw it, they put it in a jar and he said, "Son, we'll wait to see if this butterfly will come out of his cocoon." So the next morning they checked it and sure enough they could see the cocoon bulging and pulsing like something was trying to get out. "Cool!" said the son! And he went off to school hoping to come home to a butterfly.
He was so excited he ran all the way home only to find the cocoon just as it was when he left. Bulging and pulsing, but no butterfly. Disappointed he went about the rest of his day, checking in once in awhile to see if the butterfly had finally come out. His day ended in disappointment. In the morning he arose excited again to get downstairs to see if the butterfly had "hatched". Still nothing. "Daddy!" he said, "He can't get out. We need to help him!" So his dad pulled out a pocked knife and made a small slit in the cocoon. They watched a beautiful butterfly emerge and climb onto the stick, slowly flapping his wings.
"What's he doing daddy?" the little boy asked. "He's drying his wings, then he will fly away. So lets go sit his jar on the porch." His dad replied. The little boy was sad because he knew when he came home from school the butterfly would not be there. But after school he ran strait to the jar and to his surprise the butterfly had not moved! "Oh son, don't worry, he'll fly away soon, sometimes it just takes them awhile." The next morning they got up and check, again the butterfly was sitting just flapping his wings.
"Hmm strange." Thought the father as he went off to work. "I'll have to ask the science teacher about this. So on a break he told the science teacher the story about the butterfly. The science teacher sat back in his chair and shook his head sadly. "What?" asked the father. "You see," said the science teacher. "You were only trying to help, but your help did that little butterfly in. It is the struggle to get out of the cocoon that gives him the strength to fly when he's free."
