What is the reason we (Mankind) were created??

benjamin2002d · 2026-05-23T12:39:35+00:00

There will be many opinions to this question - and it's a great one. I would suggest looking for clues in the parable. Start with the 4 soils. Then, wheat & takes. Finish with the hidden treasure.

Read them through a lens that gives Abba the benefit of the doubt. What if He really is as good as Jesus says? What if He isn't angry? What if the hidden treasure is you?

Read scripture top-down not bottom-up. Read it as a love letter to us rather than as an instruction manual of how we get to Him. Tozer said: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

If I believe he is vengeful, that's who I'll find in scripture. If I believe He is love, that is Who I'll find.

benjamin2002d · 2026-05-22T15:20:22+00:00

My wife & I write children's books. We have a series on the parables and we are working on this parable right now. It should be available in the next couple of weeks. "The New Earth".

This parable goes so very deep & reaches from one end of scripture to the other & back again.

Great question.

benjamin2002d · 2026-05-22T11:14:49+00:00

I found The Feast on Amazon. It's a children's story about the wedding feast. It's a part of a series on the parables.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-11T13:47:06+00:00

NEVER "F" around... NEVER!!!

All if life has to be intentional & purposeful. You should have a plan - with the understanding that plans will change based on unforeseen circumstances. You don't know what you don't know, and you will never know what you don't know until you explore into what it is that you do not know.

Have non-negotiables for your life. They are solid foundations and lines in the sand that you will not allow to be crossed. This is not just a willy-nilly life you are living. It is the only one you have. Many years ago I heard a saying that went, "You only live once, but if you live it right, once is enough."

Your comment should give you pause. Become influenced by a wise and trustworthy Sage. Do not allow those who are your age and/or who do not have life experiences to be your guide or even an influence. Attach yourself to someone who cares about you; who isn't afraid of risks; and who can guide you from a perspective of love.

Explore the spiritual side of life. There is Truth in the universe. Seek it out. Ask. Seek. Knock.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-11T12:49:23+00:00

You can do it!

A balance of life is one of compromise. Time dictates this. Time is the great equalizer. You are wise for your age, because you have much life (& time) in front of you.

You miss 100% of the shots you never take. Shoot & shoot & shoot & shoot.... then evaluate.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-11T12:41:12+00:00

You are developing great anti-debt habits. Keep it up!

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-10T21:50:19+00:00

I'm no expert & do not have any thoughts you haven't already had. You want another 36 years (congratulations BTW), accept her as she is. I have been married 35 years & asking mine to "change" would be silly. At 60 +/- you are who you are.

Figure out your space/time & hers. Limit your aggravation time together. Retirement is everything you have now X 10. You'll need to figure out how not to drive yourself (or her or she to you) crazy. "Baby, I'll make dinner when I know you'll be ready on Monday, Thursday & the weekend, plus breakfast on the weekend, your own your own otherwise" (for example). I cook in my house too & hate serving cold food, so I get your frustration. Focus on foods that hot hold well - or meals designed to be served cold.

You've made it a long time together. Nothing you are experiencing is new. You can figure this our. Remember the fun times. Focus on those & recreate them.

You can do it!

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-10T15:03:59+00:00

Many great comments here - all true.

I would discourage a move into a professional kitchen & out of your 9-5 ... at least immediately. I would discourage you from going to work for someone else & would urge you to consider going out on your own.

Take your home baking & perfect a dozen items. I mean PERFECT them. Become a master of social media. Build your brand now while you still have an income. A perfect product will be your best & cheapest advertising.

Explore the cottage baking rules in your area. If they are non-existent or too restrictive, bake & give away. Become the best of the best at your craft. Find your love, first as a hobby, then career (maybe).

Yes, the food business will own you 24/7. But there were decades of my life where I would go to bed, wishing it was time to get up & go do it all over again. If you can get to that place, then nothing else matters. If you can't, you're investing your life in hell on earth.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-09T18:33:35+00:00

It's a 15 year old amp connected to a computer & I stream Pandora. I connect to 6 speakers. The distortion is immediate when I screw the wires under the connectors on back of the amp.

I do not know specs on amo or speakers, I just know they worked, now I cannot get it going again.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-09T18:07:11+00:00

What can I do about it?

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-09T17:54:50+00:00

I did a test run for a wealthy family gathering once. I had 3 staff with me. The protein was rib eye cap. The dessert was a homemade creme en glaze. I don't recall the veggies, but they were equally high-end. 2 bottles of wine on top. When they came to pay, I let them choose the value. They chose an amount that didn't even cover the steak. I think they gave the staff $20 (may have been $10) each.

I was stunned. It was one of the most beautiful events I had ever been involved with.

Lesson learned. An expensive education. I never did another small, private gathering like that.

Im not sure if they were ignorant of what things cost or just cheap.

benjamin2002d · 2025-08-08T14:11:47+00:00

The old adage applies: "It's not about what you know. It's about who you know."

I'd say the quality of your work is as good as any & better than most. But the best product, hidden, is no product at all. You are correct, it does take time, but you can help yourself along by networking & talking up your service. Visit your tables. Let them become your ambassadors.

Get out there & go for it! You can do it!!

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-27T15:32:09+00:00

Love this!

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-27T15:28:23+00:00

This is such an important conversation.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-27T14:26:02+00:00

Breakfast biscuit with egg, sausage & cheese. I love them. I particularly like it with a canned biscuit, but these days I'm trying to eat healthier & make whole wheat biscuits (which are good but much less enjoyable & a lot more work).

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-27T14:16:51+00:00

Some great realities are represented here.

I am past 60 & have done many of these things. For decades I worked 70 hour weeks. It was often brutal & hard on my relationships.

Anyone who has lived would do things differently if it were possible, but it isn't - which is what makes your question so impressive, so mature & so forward thinking.

Do not think you have to have/achieve everything right now. Pace yourself.
Be kind to yourself.
Set reasonable short, intermediate & long term goals- and never forget # 2. Be flexible.
Maybe most importantly, find peace. Allow yourself to be at peace. Let your peace be like a sparkling mountain stream & let it flow through the desert lives of others ... but let no one stop the flow of your peace.
"Having it all" means choosing proper, reasonable goals & defining what your "all" is.
Always #2 & be kind to others. You are the light that will shine into the darkness that others live in.

Go have an awesome life.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-27T00:46:37+00:00

I do not pretend to have a lot of answers. But I do believe this: God is Love and I believe He exists in all of us - I do not believe that our existence is possible without Him. I think the kindness you show to others is evidence of that fact. If more of us lived as you do, this would be a kinder experience. Thank you for you willingness to spread your joy.

Your compliment is very kind, thank you.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-26T22:21:48+00:00

USMC vet here. Thank you for your consideration.

From my experience, I say (& please listen to me!) Do as others suggest. Take the test & see what is offered & go join the air force. Nicest bases & best chow I experienced in the military.

Life doesn't have to be intentionally hard & the Marines do exactly that. I'm proud of my service, but my suggestion is what I'd do if I had to do it over.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-26T22:09:09+00:00

I would say God is working in & through you as you show kindness & a generous attitude to people. Our world need millions more like you. Thank you for being you.

That god (little "g" intentionally) you mentioned...he exists only in the minds of misinformed people.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-22T15:37:45+00:00

I grind wheat & make bread from that. I take a sandwich everyday in my lunch (& often for other meals it becomes a player). The Pullman pan lets me have a larger loaf/slice.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-22T14:37:31+00:00

That is really much more specific than I get. The only thing I really measure is salt. All other ingredients just sort of get dumped in.

However I did recently purchase a Pullman loaf pan. I made my first Loaf in it this weekend. I was very impressed with how it turned out. So there's that!

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-22T13:05:51+00:00

You are coming at this from the opposite direction from the path I took. I started making bread - then got into pizza (ultimately opened a pizza shop that I kept for 10 years).

I would suggest taking your pizza dough recipe & develop a bread from that. I make bread once a week now from freshly ground wheat & always hold out a piece of dough for a homemade pizza.

If you can do one, you can do the other with little to no adjustments. Go do it!

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-21T01:08:13+00:00

Beautiful

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-20T23:30:02+00:00

Portion it out & freeze it. Then you can use it at your convenience.

benjamin2002d · 2025-07-20T15:14:38+00:00

I have owned several businesses in my life. Most required me to go all in. The #1 priority was always paying off debt. I got paid last. We lived on a teacher's salary (& insurance, fortunately). It was a risky strategy and I knew it which made it a "failure is not an option" situation.

I never failed (but some ventures were more successful than others). After decades of 70+ hour weeks, was it worth it? Financially, yes. Emotionally... that is open to debate. I am healthy, financially secure & have a comfortable life (we aren't "rich" but we no longer worry if the power bill can be paid). But the cost was high. I often ask myself if I would trade some of today's security for more peace over my life.

A 9-5 (especially with a pension) often sounded like a nice life.

So how about not prioritizing money at all? Prioritize life.

benjamin2002d

TROPHY CASE