"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Today ...



I was told I read extremist blogs so it's no wonder I have the wrong view of Islam.

Now I'm trying to figure out which of your blogs are the extreme ones!  :D


On Twitter, I saw this funny quote which Andrew and I both laughed about:

"What is the thinnest book in the world? Biographies of Happy women."

 

He wants to remember it to share with others.  :-)

Hope you are having a wonderful last day of November!  I haven't put up my Christmas tree yet.  I thought about doing it tonight, but they are talking about a possibility of severe storms with damaging winds (shudder!) and I'd hate to go to all the trouble of putting up the tree and decorations only to have my house destroyed and all that work be in vain. 

Samer told me today that I was a pessimist. Not about this, but about something else.  Maybe he is right.  :)

So, I read a good quote about emotions following our thoughts so we should be careful what we think about. So true.  I notice when I read certain books, they make me think a certain way and then my emotions often get angry, sad, irritated, disgusted and so forth. Can y'all tell I read today about a woman mistreated in a polygamous marriage? 

Actually the book (Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks) isn't that bad.  I like many of the stories and found the tales of the women of the UAE being trained by American women soldiers very interesting!  The instructors said they had to revise their methods and started lavish praise for good behavior rather than harsh criticism of bad behavior.  "These women of the UAE," they said, "were raised to please" so they responded well to praise and not good at all to the harsh mannerism of military drill sergeants.

Speaking of our thinking influencing our emotions, I wonder if Paul had this in mind when he encouraged the Philippians this way:

 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.


If we fix our minds on God and how He has everything under control, we can have peace and joy even in tough circumstances. It's when we dwell on our problems that they seem to loom large, multiply and make us anxious and sad and fretful.

OK, so go have a wonderful December!


That's an order!  ;)


Drill Sgt. Susie signing off

*at ease*

13 comments:

Nikki said...

It's me! It's me! I'm the extremist!

lol, I kid, of course. A lot of Muslims think I'm the opposite, too lax. :)

Amber said...

*salutes*

It looks a lot like I just whacked myself in the forehead, but it was a salute. Trust me. :)

Huh. Yeah...you need to stop hanging out with all those extremists! I know you like all that screaming and 'death to the infidels!' stuff, but really. Enough is enough. :p

*lol* That Twitter quote is excellent!

Ugh. We're doing the Christmas decorating this weekend. I know people who already have their trees and everything up. *shudder* Those people frighten me. It's hardly past Turkey Day yet! They're making the rest of us look bad!

I'd totally wait until the storms are passed. :)

What? You? A pessimist? Say it ain't so! I rely on you to be the shiny happy person in my life!

People are herd animals. And part of that means that we're influenced by the emotions and clues that we see in others. So you read about someone being mistreated, or you see it and the correct reaction - the automatic reaction in anyone who hasn't been trained out of it is to feel anger about it. Because what harms one of the herd harms the whole herd.

Carmen said...

Tell Andrew I don't find his joke funny. ;) Not one bit.

LOL at Niki being the extremist. ;)

LK said...

Its totally me :) LOL at comments like that.

I can't wait to get my tree. Hopefully next week :)

Suroor said...

Who told you that? That's so strange and crazy!

Andrew is funny :) And you are not a pessimist!

Susanne said...

Nikki, yeah I am wondering if that guy meant the Muslim blogs I read are extreme in their liberalness. :D Seriously, I'm trying to figure out what he is talking about. Thanks for volunteering that it could be you. Ha! You made me smile. :D

Susanne said...

Amber, you make me laugh! Don't knock yourself out there with that salute! :-D

My friend Karrie suggested another thinnest book -- "Deep Reflections of the Common Man" .... :-D

Yeah, I'm guessing he meant my views are too extreme in the non-orthodox Islam way because I don't read any really bad stuff except one guy in Missouri who scares me a little. And he hasn't been posting much in the last year. I for sure don't agree with him! Oh, ALSO yesterday - last night actually when I just finished up this post - some dude named Luke starting making comments on my "Christian Rules" post about was I drinking something hard and making up my own religion. I got accused by some wacky guys yesterday. Must have been something in the atmosphere!

LOL @ your reliance on me to be a 'shiny happy person.' I remember years ago when a grumpy girl accused me of being "too chipper." Just because I try to say good morning and how are you. Well, her mom was a total grump so I guess my politeness was overkill in her world!

*nods* Good point about us being herd animals although when I read it I felt like saying "moo." :)

Enjoyed your comment - thanks much!

Susanne said...

Carmen, I'll tell him! :-D

LK, oh another volunteer! Yes, yours is an extreme blog for sure! :-P Hope you are doing well!


Suroor, some Moroccan friend on Facebook. Apparently my views of Islam were too messed up for his sensibilities. :)

Anonymous said...

okay so I will also come forward and admit that yes. I too am an extremist--well, I am! That is if you're talking about the way I clean, shop, and obsess over unfounded conspiracy theories :D most certainly it is not my "conservative"--typing that makes me laugh so hard--"Islamic ways"

So I guess you better be careful hanging around us .... you might become one yourself hahahaha

Susanne said...

Shell, *now* you tell me! :-P

Lat said...

Hanging with extremist? Pessimistic? what's all this? My sus?! No Way!!! :D

I too like the twitter qoute!

I promise I'll try to have a wonderful December! Hy Hy Sgt Sus!* salute * hahaha!

Susanne said...

Hehehe...Lat, you're so cute! :)

Susanne said...

Hehehe...Lat, you're so cute! :)