Host RevSusanne whispers to RvNoel:
Welcome!  Thank you for joining us.  This chatroom is provided by onlinechurches.com in cooperation with  www.religiousscience.org.  Thanks for being here.  You may join in or sit back and enjoy the chat as you please.

RvNoel says:
Hi there!

Host RevSusanne says:
Hi!

RvNoel says:
I recommend that we suspend this chat until after Asilomar, i.e., Aug 19

RvNoel says:
There is only one more chapter.

Host RevSusanne says:
Won't work because I have a class that begins 8/12

RvNoel says:
Then you can finish the session next week?

Host RevSusanne says:
We could do it from my house, except I don't know what you will miss.

Host RevSusanne says:
Sure.

RvNoel says:
I intend to do Rev. Ruth "live" from Asilomar.

Host RevSusanne says:
Do you have the text already?

RvNoel says:
I can send it out in the next couple of days.

Host RevSusanne says:
I am speaking this Sunday.  First time.

Nan has joined the conversation.

RvNoel says:
Beginning August 19, then, I will move the Self-Dominion chat from Thursday to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Host RevSusanne says:
First time as a minister.  I have spoken a bit in other roles and as a teacher and course leader.

RvNoel says:
Congratulations!

Host RevSusanne says:
Noel it will be at exactly the same time as my class.

RvNoel says:
Linda will not be with us this evening.  She has a meeting.

RvNoel says:
I will be in another chat room.

Sherry has joined the conversation.

Nan says:
Hi all.

Host RevSusanne says:
We won't be able to visit one another

Sherry says:
Good Evening Everyone.

Host RevSusanne says:
Hi Sherry

RvNoel says:
I can only devote one evening a week to chat from now on.

RvNoel says:
Hi Nan, Hi Sherry.

Host RevSusanne says:
Then we really won't be able to visit one another!

Host RevSusanne says:
Hey everyone

Host RevSusanne says:
I wanted to share with everyone that I just finished reading a biography of Ernest Holmes

Sherry says:
Who is it by?

Host RevSusanne says:
There is an appendix by Noel in it!

Sherry says:
Wow, Noel!!!!

RvNoel says:
A somewhat inflamed appendix . . .

Host RevSusanne says:
The author is Neal Vahle.  The better writer is Noel

RvNoel says:
I actually arranged for the author to write the book.

RvNoel says:
He was a member of my church back in Washington DC at the time.

Host RevSusanne says:
Well it is good that there was no appendectomy

Sherry says:
So, Noel, why didn't you write it?

Sherry says:
LOL

RvNoel says:
I specialize in opening doors for others.

RvNoel says:
I'll eventually write another book of my own.

Host RevSusanne says:
I understand from this book something about Noel that I had not fully realized before.

RvNoel says:
Uh-oh (as in ICQ)!

Nan says:
You've already written before?

RvNoel says:
I've written several books.

RvNoel says:
Mostly environmental books, in the early 70's

Sherry says:
Are they still available?

Host RevSusanne says:
Noel really understands what Holmes was after, what his work was.  Noel knows that it is more than a recipe, that it is a way of BEING in life.

RvNoel says:
Also one entitled The Power of Commitment.

RvNoel says:
All out of print.

RvNoel says:
I may put some of them on a website, however.

Host RevSusanne says:
Care to say anything about that Noel?

RvNoel says:
You're right, Susanne.  Holmes was all about where we loive FROM, not what we live FOR.

Host RevSusanne says:
At the INTA conference I heard a good many quite well known speakers.  MOst of them were all about the living FOR something.  But it really is where we come FROM as Noel says.

RvNoel says:
Having the faith OF God, rather than faith In God.

Sherry says:
Whew, this is good stuff!!

Nan says:
Yes

RvNoel says:
One of the distinctions between New Thought and New Age tends to be the FROM/For distinction.

Host RevSusanne says:
Noel and I are peas in a pod about this stuff.  We knew it early on, but this appendix really confirmed for me what I had come to know Noel.  I bow to my astute doctoral advisor.

RvNoel says:
Blessings!  (And blushings . . .)

Host RevSusanne says:
We will have lots of fun next week.

Sherry says:
What's up next week?

RvNoel says:
Do tell us more.

Host RevSusanne says:
The UCRS Asilomar

Sherry says:
Will we have POJ class?

Host RevSusanne says:
Noel and I will be teaching some internet stuff, chat etc.

Sherry says:
I loved attending UCRS Asilomar in the early 80's...I would like to again.

Host RevSusanne says:
Yes.  I will do it with you.  Noel will be doing Rev. Ruth and its to far to just hop over there.

Sherry says:
That will be our last POJ will it not?

RvNoel says:
Yes, the lasy session, entitled "The Eternal Seatch".

RvNoel says:
last

RvNoel says:
Search

Host RevSusanne says:
We could have an informal wrap up after Asilomar, but it will have to be on a different day because the new class begins.

Sherry says:
Doesn't seem prudent that you won't be with us for the last class, Noel.  We will miss you, won't we Nan?

Sherry says:
BRB

Host RevSusanne says:
Problem is my class starts, we were not thinking of Asilomar when we began the class.

Nan says:
Yes, we will for sure!

RvNoel says:
I will move  my Self-Dominion chat from Thursday evening to Wednesdays.

RvNoel says:
We also took a wek out for INTA, otherwise this would have been the last session.

Host RevSusanne says:
Sherrry and Nan will both be in the Emerson class.

Host RevSusanne says:
Real life does happen doesn't it!

RvNoel says:
Excellent!!

Nan says:
Looking forward to it very much!

Host RevSusanne says:
I think LInda is still considering it too, but she has not registered.

Nan says:
Do you know how much the texts will be yet?

Host RevSusanne says:
They are 25.00 for the first one but I am getting it at discount.

Host RevSusanne says:
It has 8 weeks of lessons

Host RevSusanne says:
Sherry will tell you how wonderful they are.

Host RevSusanne says:
Also, since you are out of state there is no tax.

Host RevSusanne says:
Is Sherry back?

Nan says:
I am taking this having faith that the monies will be there when needed as my income is very small.

Host RevSusanne says:
We will have it work Nan!

Sherry says:
I'm back.  Seem to have manifested the green apple two step, so will have to run (pardon the pun) from time to time.

Host RevSusanne says:
Put that apple back on the tree now!

Host RevSusanne says:
OK.  Let's do the lesson!  And it is a hum dinger.

Sherry says:
Nan, the money will be there for this wonderful upcoming class.  it has enriched my life in so many ways.

RvNoel says:
BTW, I have started a now listserv for folks who frequent the SOM chat sessions.  It grew out of last week's Self-DOminion chat.  The listserv is called SOMBuddies.

RvNoel says:
now = new

Host RevSusanne says:
Terrific.  Add me to the list please.

Host RevSusanne says:
I have that email thing in my address again.

Sherry says:
Me too, Noel, please.

Nan says:
Add me, also, Noel.

RvNoel says:
I'll send you all the subscription info.

Sherry says:
Thx.

Nan says:
thanks

Host RevSusanne says:
Noel I printed out the wrong lesson and my printer is down.  Could you put the 1st ? up?

RvNoel says:
Just a moment.

RvNoel says:
What has made the difference between your finished/ongoing successes and your unfinished ones.?

Host RevSusanne says:
Thanks Noel I have it opened up now so I can paste.

Sherry says:
The unfinished ones were not thought out.  They were not of passion, but because I thought I "should", etc.

Nan says:
I did not enter any unfinished successes either.

Nan says:
None that I can think of as failures yet.

Nan says:
but ongoing

RvNoel says:
I no longer think in terms of failure either . . . just successes in progress . . . or in the "not yet" phase.

Host RevSusanne says:
That just doesn't happen to me much anymore.  This was wonderful to see.  When I was a kid folks kept saying I was not going to amount to much.  I stopped looking after awhile.  This made me look.  Wow!

Host RevSusanne says:
Well it is that Bless the appearances, full speed ahead attitude of yours Noel.

Sherry says:
Some of my greatest lessons/gifts came from my failures.

RvNoel says:
Failure is actually a term for successes we don;t wish to own.

Host RevSusanne says:
Isn't failure

Host RevSusanne says:
simply falling short of the mark that we ourselves set?

RvNoel says:
Whenever I have "failed," it is because I succeeded in failing.

RvNoel says:
And didn't want to count it as a sucess.

Host RevSusanne says:
We got THIS far rather than THAT far?

RvNoel says:
That's essetially how Holmes understood negative use of the law.

Host RevSusanne says:
Did you know that Woody Allen 'failed' at NYC's film school?

RvNoel says:
And Einstein failed in grade schookl arithmetic.

Nan says:
A few years back I was very into the failure mode.

RvNoel says:
He ALWAYS knew the answer, but not derive it by the prescribed means.

Host RevSusanne says:
Edison did over 1000 experiments before he made a light bulb work.

Nan says:
but different thoughts presented themselves bringing me here.

Host RevSusanne says:
Einstein was a mystic mathmatician

Nan says:
Since studying here, my mindset has changed.

RvNoel says:
How has it changed, Nan?

Host RevSusanne says:
Nan, it is so apparent what you have done.

Nan says:
I refuse to entertain negative thoughts.

RvNoel says:
That's the term Holmes used: "entertain."

Host RevSusanne says:
Debugging nanself as Noel says!

RvNoel says:
He said that we can't `avoid having negative thoughts, but we don;t have to entertain them.

Nan says:
Ssometimes I still have to wrestle with one but none have won out.

Host RevSusanne says:
That is funny too and so powerful.

Host RevSusanne says:
I think of how we put out hor d'ouerves and drinks when we entertain.  We don't have to pitch a tent in the back yard so they can stay!

Nan says:
So long ago I heard "What you say is what you get" but it never had much meaning.

RvNoel says:
Another version"  Yea though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I do not have to pitch my tent there.

Host RevSusanne says:
lol Noel

Host RevSusanne says:
Instead its more like meeting an old lover, you say hi, and then you say see ya later!

Nan says:
LOL

Sherry says:
I sure must have had a lot of old lovers.

Host RevSusanne says:
The familiarity of those thoughts is alot like an ex-husband to me. I remember lots of stuff but I also remember why I got a divorce.

Sherry says:
I like that, and can relate to it.

Nan says:
May I speak of one of the ongoing successes that is problematic?

RvNoel says:
Please do, Nan.

Host RevSusanne says:
Go ahead Nan.  I hope you are not waiting for me.

Nan says:
I don't really know how to get into this but I'm very hesitant to speak of any of this to my family, etc. for fear of being put "on the spot"

Nan says:
and not being able to defend myself.

Host RevSusanne says:
Do you mean speaking of RS?

Nan says:
yes.

Host RevSusanne says:
Well I was just talking ot someone last night about the same thing.

Nan says:
both kids are A/G ministers

Host RevSusanne says:
Her husband is Catholic

Host RevSusanne says:
I think the best thing to do is to exemplify it and not to talk too much until you feel your land legs.

Nan says:
Everyone I know that I have told anything at all give me the condemned to hell line.

Nan says:
I feel like i'm standing all alone except for here!

Host RevSusanne says:
When they see how you ARE they will see the benefits for you.   And you may actually be condemned for a time.  Can you BE with that?

RvNoel says:
Each of us has at least one cointext in which s/he stands alone.

Host RevSusanne says:
Oh yeah Noel.  At least one.

Nan says:
All of my friends were through the church.

RvNoel says:
Do you recall what Jesus said about those who despitefully use you?

Host RevSusanne says:
How much do you rely on them?

Host RevSusanne whispers to RvNoel:
Good Noel.

Nan says:
Not at all, but it gets lonely.  My husband is absolutely no help.

RvNoel says:
Nan, do you realize the significance of your use of the past tense: your friends "were" . . .

Nan says:
He is of the mind, "Give her enough rope and she'll hang herself".

Nan says:
No, I guess not, Noel.

RvNoel says:
I suggest you think about it.

Host RevSusanne says:
To answer Noel's question, Jesus advised that we bless those that despitefully use us.

Host RevSusanne says:
I can well imagine that this gives you pause to think Nan.

RvNoel says:
Jesus also sometimes advised people to "keep their own counsel."

Host RevSusanne says:
Keeping ones own counsel is a way of going within, listening to the still small voice rather than the yada yada outside.

Nan says:
That's what I have been doing.

Sherry says:
There will be changes in you, Nan, as you hasten your steps on your Spiritual path, and the changes may threaten those closest to you.  That is OK.  Many spouses of reformed alcoholics actually resent the changes, although they wr4e positive, because it rocks the comfort boat.

Host RevSusanne says:
so are you headed in the direction that feels best for you?

RvNoel says:
The secret to succeeding while in a stcky wicket is to stick with the wicket.

Host RevSusanne says:
I am not asking if you are comfortable, are you satisfied that you are doing what is best for Nan?

Nan says:
Yes, because I can not imagine going back.

Host RevSusanne says:
Good.  Then be comforted in knowing that in some way we all have these moments where we change our lives and we cannot go back and we have not yet found what the Buddha called the Sangha.  The community.  We will be your community here and you will build one where you are.

Nan says:
Times of transition are difficult.  thanks for letting me air some of it.

RvNoel says:
We've got lots of "air" time for you, Nan.

Host RevSusanne says:
Any time Nan!

Nan says:
Thanks, my eyes are brimming....

RvNoel says:
You are somewhere between a no longer and a not yet, Nan.

RvNoel says:
And these days

RvNoel says:
that means you have lots of comany.

Host RevSusanne says:
I think she is already HERE and she is beginning to recognize and remember the territory.

Nan says:
How right you are, Noel!

Host RevSusanne says:
There is a feel to this experience, and it is one that is exhilerating and sometimes it is frightening, but it is how we know our courage, the power of our hearts and the heart of God.

RvNoel says:
Please excuse me.  I am covering for Dr. Ruth tonight, and have to be there to greet folks as they come in.

Host RevSusanne says:
OK I want us to look at the last question.  Here it is:  _What is required to make that difference with the top_r_nitem in your inventory of unfinished successes?

Sherry says:
Bye, Noel.  It has been great doing this class with you...thank you for all you love, and input.

Host RevSusanne says:
_See you in the room a bit later Noel.

RvNoel says:
I'll send next week's chapter by Friday.

RvNoel says:
Stay in the grace!

Host RevSusanne says:
_Thanks Noel!  See you soon!

Nan says:
Thanks ever so much, Noel

RvNoel says:
You are all always welcome!