Chronological View of Stephen's Blog
This shows all the blog posts in sequence that I have made since the beginning of this website. If the reader wants to read all those posts, they will show some of the progression of Stephen's change in beliefs and thoughts from that time to the present day.
In a real sense, this is a partial record of my spiritual journey, although this journey began long before the start of this website.
Post date | Title | Type | Body |
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10/31/2019 - 06:40 | Serving the L.O.R.D | Blog entry |
Back when I was in the Christian mindset, serving the Lord had something to do submitting ourselves to the will of the Almighty God, whatever and whoever that might mean. Life Processes, responsibilities. Throughout the course of each human's live we each have various responsibilities ("callings") that we are called to do to make life run smoother for ourselves and for others. When many... Read more |
09/27/2019 - 07:34 | Unproven Christian Assertions | Blog entry |
This morning as I was reading an Internet article I came across this phrase
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01/14/2019 - 10:26 | Not About The Church Hierarchy | Blog entry |
Eric Mazur
Jordan Peterson ... Read more |
12/19/2018 - 07:50 | Not Normal | Blog entry |
I feel like I am a damaged mixed up sojourner who is just struggling to make it through this life. I have been through so much that has caused me to be "different" than the normal that so many people seem to live in. Yet, I have no desire to be that kind of normal. Even though it is painful to be alone (yet I'm not truly alone) and to be different, to not have people understand, I like who I... Read more |
12/18/2018 - 13:17 | Our Path to the Unitarian Universalist Church | Blog entry |
For years I have been searching, thinking,... Read more |
11/17/2018 - 11:00 | Listened to the Woman at the Park | Blog entry |
This morning I decided to take our dog Teddy for a walk. As I went downtown and walked past the fountain at the park I saw a woman sitting at a picnic table writing some notes. Since I was walking in her direction anyway I walked over to her and made a comment, "Looks like you are writing."
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11/04/2018 - 11:00 | Back to the UU Church, A Meaningful Discussion | Blog entry |
This morning Emmy and I went to the Unitarian Universalist Church in Corvallis again. Emmy likes to get there early before anybody else does so that she connect with the environment before people get there. Once we arrived at church she sat down at the sofa and table and begin folding bulletins as she normally does. I went into the fellowship hall and set up the tables and chairs that people... Read more |
10/11/2018 - 09:54 | Living A Life of Service | Blog entry |
When I'm serving others, then I'm using all the stuff around me and thereby connecting with those things, and the environment, in a much deeper and richer way than just sitting around and looking at stuff, and being served.
Doing one's best and giving the best service is a rich and exciting way to live. That means never being satisfied with just doing stuff the same... Read more |
10/11/2018 - 09:53 | Giving My Wife the Best | Blog entry |
This article was prompted by my wife recently going back to work. With that came a need for a second car, which we just acquired. That second car is ten years old, but it is much newer than our year 2000 car. Now, who would get the "new" car. Of course, that selfish little kid who lives inside of me said, "Me! My car!" But I quickly put that little bugger back to sleep (although it never... Read more |
09/07/2018 - 17:18 | A Meaningful Conversation in my shop | Blog entry |
One thing that I love about my being a self employed tradesman is that I can talk to my clients about meaningful and authentic topics. However, I do choose carefully who I will begin an authentic conversation with.
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08/06/2018 - 07:30 | A Great Encouragement at the UU Church | Blog entry |
For many years I have felt like I've been muzzled in church. I did not feel the freedom to speak of what I was really thinking, feeling, and believing. I did not feel that it was acceptable (by the church staff and members) to just be real.
I have been searching for many years for a church where I could be real, where I could be accepted for who I am, and where I could openly... Read more |
07/20/2018 - 10:44 | Is There A God? | Blog entry |
In a large sense, I really don't care if there is a god, or a God, or not. It is what it is. Either there is a god/God or there isn't. Whatever I think or believe about it isn't going to change that reality. "What reality?" you ask. The reality of if there is or isn't a God. Rather than get entangled with arguments for or against the concept of each person idea of god/God, I think it is... Read more |
07/20/2018 - 07:40 | Accountability and hope | Blog entry |
For most of my life I have been extremely averse to the whole idea of accountability. To me, it had the feel of someone standing over my should and watching everything that I do, waiting for me to do anything wrong, then to jump on me. I have avoided any groups that talked being accountable. It had the feeling of someone else trying to control me. |
07/18/2018 - 06:49 | Wanting to be Known and Accepted | Blog entry |
For a long time I have been wanting people to know who I was, what I thought about, and what I believed, and to fully accept me within that context. I've wanted people in my life to really listen to me, want to deeply know me, and to fully accept me for who I am. I have wanted to be validated by other people. I've wanted that from one of my relatives for a long time. In fact, that would be... Read more |
06/22/2018 - 10:28 | Living a Life of Wonder | Blog entry |
Is This Life Horrible or Wonderful?
In this life, what you look for is what you will find.
If you are looking for what is miserable and awful,
that is what you will find, a world that is miserable and awful,
filled with every dreaded thing
If you look for what is wonderful and awe-inspiring,... Read more |
05/31/2018 - 07:11 | A Spotless Life, A Beginning. | Blog entry |
As I look around me, my house is a mess, my workshop is a mess, the yard is a mess. In the past I have cleaned up this or that, only to have it become a mess again in a very short time. Each time I did the cleaning, I didn't change anything about be, or how I have related to the environment and my surroundings. I've heard it said that the first thing to change is to admit that there is a... Read more |
05/29/2018 - 08:12 | Living A Spotless Life | Blog entry |
This morning I was in the kitchen looking at our black gas range. It is a constant struggle to keep it clean. As I cook I am constantly dropping or drisling small specks of food on the rangetop. Even in my cleaning it is hard for me to get all the specks off of it. It seems that I'm constantly dropping tiny specks on it and it seems almost impossible to keep clean. I've wished for a multi-... Read more |
05/27/2018 - 02:09 | What do I know? | Blog entry |
In my life there have been times when I so wanted others to agree with me or to acknowlege that I was right or that I had the answers.
However, the further along I get in this journey of life I get, the more I realize how little I do know. And it is becoming less important to me that everyone (or anyone) agrees with me, or thinks that I am right. It is also less important to me... Read more |
07/04/2017 - 20:03 | Having Faith Versus Seeking Truth | Blog entry |
Accepting the "Faith" of a religion is in many ways much simpler and easier that questioning the status quo to find out what is true. Many religions have the "Statement of Faith" all written out. All you have to do is just agree to that statement and it is all done, neat and clean. Now, just every time your mind doubts and questions anything, just repeat, "Doubt your doubts, believe... Read more |
06/04/2017 - 17:23 | In The Name Of God | Blog entry |
How many times have we heard someone use the name of Jesus to end a prayer. The thought seems to be that if we close the prayer with “In Jesus Name”, that somehow will make God listen better and make him respond to us. But is that how it works? more to come. |
06/04/2017 - 17:14 | Life in a Box | Blog entry |
Neatly-Packaged Components of life: Have you ever notices how many of the “once thought of as important” things of life have been (seemingly) all figured out. All you have to do is do things the way that has already been planned out by other people. For instance; |
03/16/2017 - 15:45 | Putting Aside Beliefs | Blog entry |
For many years I have been taught and told how important having the "right beliefs". For years I accepted that premise without questioning it. I even went as far as to try to define what my beliefs were. Toward that end I even did a lot of thinking and writing to try to put together something that I could use to be better define what I "believe" about .... |
08/07/2016 - 21:15 | Watch the Actions More than the Words | Blog entry |
Over my 65 years I have heard many fancy speakers who said nice sounding words. People can say nice sounding or flattering words. However, watch their actions, see what they have done. See if their track record lines up with the words that they speak. |
07/15/2016 - 22:13 | Lessons From The Father Of The Prodigal Son | Blog entry |
In a men's group which I colead with another guy there are times when everyone shows up and then there are sometimes when it's just the two of us, when no one else shows up. |
04/06/2016 - 04:43 | Worshiping God? | Blog entry |
I was raised as a Christian and thought of myself as that for many years. However, in recent years the "Christian" identity of God has changed and expanded for me. I have liked the way that Bishop Carlton Pearson said it in the title of one of his books: "God Is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu...: God Dwells with Us, in Us, Around Us, as Us" |
03/17/2016 - 19:17 | Religion, Science, and Truth | Blog entry |
For quite some time I have been thinking that Faith and Science should be doing the same thing, searching for that which is true. To me, a "person of faith" should be a diligent scientist, not just blindly following whatever is call "matters of faith." |
02/16/2016 - 07:35 | Does God Have an Anger Managment Problem? | Blog entry |
For a Christian it is a very scarey concept to question God. In fact, in the Bible it says, "Who are you to question God?" Romans 9:20. |
02/01/2016 - 13:35 | Being A True Friend | Blog entry |
Can you be a true friend to someone if that someone not acting honorably or is not being a true friend to you. Is reciprocity a requirement of true friendship? A true friend does not help a friend to avoid consequences of wrong-doing. Rather a true friend will encourage and motivate you to do the right thing within the context of accepting the consequences. A... Read more |
01/09/2016 - 04:46 | What is God: What do I mean when I say God? | Blog entry |
What is God? |
01/03/2016 - 08:28 | What Am I? | Blog entry |
As I look around me and look on the Internet I see many labels by which people call themselves. "I am a Christian." "I am a ex-Christian", ,"I am a non-Christian", "I am a Baptist.", "I am a Budhist." and so on. As I look at all this, I ask myself, "What am I?" |
12/12/2015 - 13:05 | Finding Yourself | Blog entry |
This was inspired by a song that I heard today, of someone trying to find himself. This is the message that came to me following that song. Your true self has been found, live life to the full! Finding Yourself |
12/02/2015 - 08:39 | God is Love: So Are You, Live Out Who You Are | Blog entry |
True love is from God and is based upon who He is; "God is Love." Because He is love, he is the source of all true love. Now what does that mean? God loves because that is who he is. That is His nature. We are his... Read more |
10/18/2015 - 17:06 | Love Your Wife | Blog entry |
You CAN love your wife deeply, even during the times that you don't "feel" love. True Love is not a feeling. True Love is a verb. Love involves the things that you think, say, and do. It has properly been said, "Proper emotions follow proper actions." |
10/16/2015 - 08:32 | The Laws of Life. | Blog entry |
Many of our problems in this life happen because events and ... happen according what we told ... to do. The problem is often that we don't know what we told .. to do. This life is set up to operate by specific guidelines and proceedures (often called laws). When we violate those laws, then we cause problems both to ourselves and to others.For example, some of the principles of... Read more |
10/13/2015 - 07:39 | Faith, Salvation, and Signs | Blog entry |
How can I know that I'm saved? How can I know that I will not go to hell? How can I know that my sins will be forgiven? Will God send me the hell? And |
09/26/2015 - 22:58 | Dee Duke | Blog entry |
I was listening to the radio and, as part of his sermon, i heard this today:
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09/18/2015 - 09:28 | The Modern Church Model | Blog entry |
In Ancient times very few people could read or write. To share information people could talk to others one by one. While that is often the best way, it takes a long time to tell anyone about the news or message. The other way to share information or messages more quickly was to get everyone together and have a speaker get up in front and tell everyone what needed to be told. That was the best... Read more |
09/11/2015 - 09:26 | Take One Tiny Step | Blog entry |
The longest journey begins with one tiny step. Can you take one tiny step? In examining my life I see many changes that I'd like to make, but haven't, for whatever reason. Here, at last, is an idea that gives me some hope. Make each change tiny and easy. Watch the 17 minute video and see what you think. ... Read more |
09/10/2015 - 14:27 | God Wants Me To Do This!!! | Blog entry |
One of the most destructive communications from a husband to a wife that I know of is, "God wants me to do this." This is really saying, "You can't question my doing this because 'God' told me to do this... Read more |
09/06/2015 - 08:14 | To Glorify God? | Blog entry |
Ask not how you can serve God. Rather, learn how to live life, how to serve mankind, how to work in such a way as to bless those around you.
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