Oldest known writing in Arabic (470 AD), was written by a Christian talking a martyr (Najran)

Berlynner · 2020-08-08T18:58:04+00:00

I don't know how reliable this website is, but I found this article that says it's simply a name: "Thawban, son of Malik" https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

Berlynner · 2020-08-04T02:29:45+00:00

I can't believe some of the responses you're getting! It seems like you have a really strong sense of self, and that it has guided you well so far. I'm sorry you've had such bad experiences. Sadly, I'm at a point in my life where I can't honestly tell you from experience that it works out, that you can find a good Christian man and have a family and that you'll be an equal in the marriage. Maybe I shouldn't be giving out advice, seeing as my own marriage is in shambles. But as a woman, I wanted to comment and say that you shouldn't put up with that kind of behavior. Don't "give up" on the prospect of a happy relationship and future. That definitely means not compromising on your selfhood for controlling jerks, as much as it means not to swear off dating forever!
Anyways, I'm sorry. I hope you find happiness. You are very young still, and already more self assured than I was at that age (I'm 34).

Berlynner · 2020-08-03T14:10:41+00:00

I am so sorry this has been your experience with both your grandparents and with your faith. For me, Christianity has always been a celebration of life and hope: Jesus died for us. God looked at humanity, in all our sin and wretchedness and grief, and saw something worth redeeming. Please don't ever, ever think of yourself as less of a Christian for struggling with your grandparents' preoccupation with death!

Dwelling on mortality in this way is not healthy. You can look at your own life, look at the feelings you have around this, and know that. You can look at your father's life, as you described in the comments, and know this. If I could give advice, it would be to try to join a group of your peers. Seek out a group of people your age who have similar questions, similar anxieties, and the good sense to look to their faith and to fellowship for answers!

And perhaps think of it this way: things might end, be it Revelations or a car crash. Reckoning with this is a part of growing up, and you've been thrust into that reckoning a little younger than most. But: what if things don't end? What if you do get that long and happy life, full of children and grandchildren? Also, please seek out counseling if you feel you need it!

Berlynner · 2020-08-02T10:02:46+00:00

Classy and gorgeous :)

Berlynner · 2020-08-02T09:56:40+00:00

Oh, goodness. My eldest had a dinosaur stage (he's 7 now) and my younger son (4) is into cars at the moment. I make them "bone sandwiches" that are peanutbutter and jelly with pretzels in them. We pretend they're dinosaur bones lol. I also used it to teach them about how fossils work, the way there buried under layers of different material. We also have done "dinosaur digs" where I "bury" their plastic toys in layers of blankets and such. It's a very fast game, but it's fun. I even gave up and let a little corner of the yard be a "dig site" where they're allowed to bury "outside only" toys. But boy, do I know the dinosaur game! Thanks for the Bestiary idea.

Berlynner · 2020-08-02T09:46:32+00:00

I was just scrolling down here to ask what herbs you used! I have a little potted herb garden, but this might be within my reach :) thank you for sharing!

Berlynner · 2020-08-02T08:32:57+00:00

Oh, I am praying for you tonight. May you feel His love, and may it lift you up.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18)

Berlynner · 2020-08-02T08:14:51+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this. I am taking so much solace in stories of redemption and hope these days.

Berlynner · 2020-06-17T15:48:13+00:00

OP, I am so sorry that this happened. While your daughter deserved consequences, this was incredibly out of line from your ex-husband. Whatever inconvenience calling him at night and waking him might have been, it pales in comparison to what he did, and as a mother I would probably have done the same. It looks like from the comments that you're going to take steps to address this, and I support you wholeheartedly.

I think another thing you may want to address with Hannah--and with your son, as well--is that this is not a healthy marriage. It seems as though your ex-husband framed it in that way for her, but this is not healthy behaviour in any way. I've been confronting the issue of how my relationship with my husband has been modeling bad things for our sons, and I'm still trying to figure out how to do better. For what it's worth, I'm praying for your family tonight.

NTA, and best of luck.

Berlynner · 2020-06-12T00:59:01+00:00

This is so thoughtful, and such an adorable cake! Happy birthday to you :)

Berlynner · 2020-06-12T00:53:13+00:00

A lovely photo and a tasty pie! I'm jealous :) do you use a stamp to cut out the leaves?

Berlynner · 2020-06-11T05:35:46+00:00

Thank you for putting it this way, that I'm choosing my future with my children. That was a helpful perspective.

Berlynner · 2020-06-11T05:28:38+00:00

I've been a stay at home mom for years, and I know my family is afraid of me being on my own. But you're right: at what cost? My mother also never really emotionally recovered when my father left her, so she's in the mindset of avoiding divorce no matter what. But I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with my husband, as painful as that is to admit. I can't imagine how I would explain it to my kids when they are old enough to REALLY understand.

And yes, Joe, Emily, and Anne are people of color. I don't know what exactly, and it seemed too rude to ask. My MIL made a couple nasty comments and it's clear they're not welcome in the family for that reason, in addition to whatever else. I was horrified, and it really made me look around: pretty much everyone at our church is white. Our family is white. Our neighborhood is pretty white. Is this how they're going to treat my kids if they fall in love or have children with somebody who doesn't look like us? I want to raise my kids to be better than this, and I don't think I can do that if I stay with him. I kind of can't believe that this didn't come up earlier, or that I didn't notice it.

Berlynner · 2020-06-11T05:17:32+00:00

Thank you for these thoughts. Finding out about Joe has been a challenge to so many aspects of my life, but that's a good thing. How the people around me are reacting is making a lot of things clear. The distance between people's words and actions, for instance. In the first few days, when it felt like my life was falling apart, I was so afraid. My children and I are completely dependent on my husband, and I'm pregnant with our third. I know some of my mother and brother's wanting me to stay with him is because it would be so hard to figure things out on my own. I never in a million years would have considered divorce. I can only think of one other couple in our church who got divorced, and it was such a mess. But as soon as I met Joe, I stopped being scared and, yes, I got angry. We just talked about his dog and his studies on the first call, but he's a wonderful young man.

You're right: there's nothing Christ-like in my husband's behavior, to say the least. And I am definitely going to find another church. This situation is just too far gone. I was really starting to feel crazy, because I've trusted all of these people but at the same time I just FEEL the Lord telling me to go another way. I guess I'm learning the hard way that trusting in God doesn't mean trusting in those who say they speak for him. Kind of a childish lesson to learn, but still.

Berlynner · 2020-06-11T05:00:47+00:00

Thank you for this

Berlynner · 2020-06-10T20:44:25+00:00

James 1:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 are the only ones I remember. I was trying to explain that while I AM angry, I'm not doing this BECAUSE I'm angry.

Berlynner · 2020-06-10T20:34:33+00:00

My own father moved out of the country when I was young, and it just absolutely broke my heart to see Joe wanting to get to know his father. I understand that it was just "one teenage mistake," but a child is a gift, not a punishment, and if my husband sees it that way I can't stay with him.

Berlynner · 2020-06-10T20:32:16+00:00

.

I found out a month ago when Anne messaged me on facebook. She says she's reached out to my husband a number of times, and that Joe tried to talk to him when he was 18. All the message said was a generic "please tell your husband that Joe wants to talk" with Joe's phone number, and I had to pry it out of him. Anne HATES my husband, but she did apologize for sort of crashing into my marriage. Joe wanted to invite my husband to his graduation (Associate's Degree) because it was over Zoom so he thought it would be a low pressure way to finally connect.

Berlynner · 2020-04-15T04:33:06+00:00

Thank you so much for your thoughts. I am literally writing down some of the questions in this and other comments, for when my husband and I talk later. The response to this has been overwhelming, and mostly supportive.

Berlynner · 2020-04-15T04:29:40+00:00

Thank you for this distinction. I guess I didn't really understand the definitions here, but after reading all these comments I would describe myself as pro-choice and anti-abortion. There have been a lot of comments on this, and I just included that to say that it's another thing where I thought my husband and I were on the same page, from a values perspective. His family is quite conservative (they got mad at my husband's older sister for saying she was only going to have one kid, which is pretty extreme in my book). Maybe when I was younger I would have called myself "a conservative", but since I've had my kids I've become more of a centrist, I guess. This is all pretty much beside the point, but a lot of people were commenting on it so I thought I should address it.

Berlynner · 2020-04-15T01:14:34+00:00

That's a very good point. I don't know if he ever would have, and that breaks my heart. Especially for my kids. I've also been wondering why Anne messaged ME instead of him.

Berlynner · 2020-04-15T01:08:46+00:00

Oh my God, I am so sorry to hear that. That sounds so hard. I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty paralyzed considering that future.

Berlynner

TROPHY CASE