Comments on: Empty Nothings

By: cycleguy

cycleguy — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:36:36 +0000

Hello back kb! It is good to have you visit my site. I, too, like selahV’s stuff. Thanks for your thoughts. I agree: with friends like them who needs enemies. I read some more in chapters 32-33. I am not a violent man but… But I do understand what you are trying to say. Much words do make trouble. My Confucius saying for the day. (or is that confusion?)

Thanks for coming to my site! I welcome any thoughts you may have.

By: kbpollock

kbpollock — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:02:07 +0000

Hello! I am here (better late than never!) via SelahV’s post pick on your site. Until today, I had stopped reading every blog except hers. But, maybe I have found another little piece of heaven–here on your site.

If I had to have friends like Job had, I think I would opt for no friends at all. With friends like that, who needs enemies? I really, really like to help people by listening and giving advice. I still go overboard sometimes, but the biggest lesson I have learned is to be short and sweet. It’s easier to understand and it leaves less room for error or emptiness. Does that make sense?

By: cycleguy

cycleguy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:27:39 +0000

I can only imagine the empty nothings you heard selahV. I hurt just thinking about it. About Job's friends? You and me both. Amen to the overall message in Job. He even lets Job know that in the end. Thanks for coming to my site and contributing!

By: selahV

selahV — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:44:02 +0000

Bill, this is great. I mean really great. I love the book of Job. I read it over and over and over when I lost my son 3 years ago. You wouldn't believe how many "empty nothings" I heard. Then…maybe you would. One of the greatest things for me with Job is that my pastor began an expository series of sermons on it that lasted for over two months. He probably could have gone longer but he said that a preacher can't study Job and prepare it to preach without the devil working overtime in his life to prevent it from being preached. God is Sovereign. That is the major message in Job. And that is a difficult principle to grasp in all its entirety. You have pegged Job's friends really well. I pray I'm never like them. selahV

By: cycleguy

cycleguy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:04:09 +0000

Good words Steve. I try to encourage people who have mental jobs to find something physical to do and those with physical to find something to slow them down. (I think many become couch potatoes). Finding relief and release is a must. Thanks again for the contribution. Oh, your 4 1/2 miles on the mill are better than watching some athlete do 4 1/2 on a track. Way to go!

By: M. Steve Heartsill

M. Steve Heartsill — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:36:15 +0000

Well, my iPod is an iPod Shuffle…it is the really, really cheap kind that holds 50 songs or so. But, hey, it works! I try to run about 4 1/2 miles, at about a 9 mile clip (no, I won't qualify for the Olympics, but it is a good start) and when I finish, I am tired, but it is a good tired.

I think when your job is mental, like ours, you have to find the physical releases like you described. I like to fish and I like collecting baseball cards. However, neither of those are really physically challenging.

I just feel better then I run and I can feel the pain when I don't.

If someone is reading this and their job is mainly physical, I would encourage them to stretch themselves with mental exercises to find relief from their work load and stress. It seems we need to do the opposite of what we spend most of our time doing.

Whatever it takes, Bill, we need to do it. After all, God gave us commonsense! We need to use more of it.

By: cycleguy

cycleguy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:08:05 +0000

Good contribution Steve! I am guessing you are some type of editor to a publication so, like me, your job is 150% mental. You need the physical release that comes from exercise. That is why I cycle. People about freak when they ask, "how many miles?" and I say, "25" or some other number. "Around here?" (Very hilly) "Alone?". But I HAVE to or I would be a basket case. But I don't use an iPod for that. Shoot, I don't even have one! Thanks for the great contribution!

By: M. Steve Heartsill

M. Steve Heartsill — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:44:33 +0000

Bill, after a ten-day week, that has averaged 14-15 hours per day, my tank gets pretty low, and the little empty light on the dashboard comes on!

I can usually feel it coming on. I start getting grumpy (well, more so than normal). I begin to get short with people, snapping more than normal. And, there's this certain pain in my neck that starts.

Thank God for letting me recognize His warning signs! Took way too many years for that to happen!

What do I do when that happens? I run. Literally, I get on the tread mill and run. That really helps, just to zone everyone out. I'll put on my iPod and listen to everything from Christian music to my former hard rock music days. And, of course, I like it loud!

That seems to help. Also, finding some time just to get away from everything and everybody really helps. Just a self-imposed seclusion really does help!